On This Day

1946-1959 > Post WW2

September 28, 1951

The frigate HMAS MURCHISON, (LCDR A. N. Dollard, RAN), penetrated the Han River, Korea, and came under heavy Communist gunfire. MURCHISON withdrew after suffering light damage.

HMAS Labuan paid off to reserve and was sold for disposal on 9 November 1955. The landing ship was heavily damaged during the 1951 visit to Heard Island. Labuan attempted to sail home, but broke down completely en route. The vessel had to be towed back to Fremantle, arriving on 1 March

September 12, 1951

HMAS Anzac (II) proceeded to Wonsan, eastern Korea, where she assumed the duties of Commander Task Element 95.22, the other vessels of the group being US Ships Thompson and Naifeh. Duties of the group were ‘blockade of the east coast of Korea from a point 23 miles south of Songjin to latitude 41°50’N’, being some 34 miles south of the Korean/Siberian border. Operations with TE 95.22 continued until 26 September, when after firing her one thousandth round of 4.5-inch ammunition against the enemy, Anzac (II) parted company for Kure, ending her first tour of duty in the Korean theatre.

September 6, 1951

HMAS ANZAC, (Battle class destroyer), fired her guns in war for the first time when she engaged enemy targets at Haelu, in western Korea.

August 31, 1951

HMAS Sydney with HMAS Tobruk in company as her escort departed Sydney for Korea and arrived in Japan on 19 September 1951. Squadrons embarked were 805 (Sea Furies), 808 (Sea Furies) and 817 (Fireflies).

August 16, 1951

The tug HMAS EMU (LCDR J. Toulouse, RANVR), ferried ashore 575 troops from the New Zealand ship WAHINE, wrecked on Masela Island, near Darwin, NT.

August 1, 1951

HMAS BATAAN, (Battle class destroyer), fought a gun duel with enemy batteries on the west coast of Korea.

July 30, 1951

The first intake of 500 RAN National Service recruits commenced training following the Governments decision to reintroduce compulsory service the previous year. After 6 weeks basic training followed by technical training the recuits completed 6 months of National Service Training in a naval unit at sea. By the end of National Service in 1957 the RAN had trained nearly 7000 servicemen and the last one was discharged from the RAN on 7th June 1957.

July 24, 1951

HMAS Murchison was in action off the coast of Korea, destroying Chinese vehicles while on a coastal patrol. Murchison remained on patrol until 4 August bombarding shore installations, troop concentrations, gun emplacements and store dumps firing some 1,100 rounds of 4-inch ammunition.

May 29, 1951

HMAS Bataan sailed from Hong Kong for home after eleven months service with the United Nations in Korean waters. Bataan was en route to Japan for her sixth post-war tour of duty with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force when the Korean War began on 25 June 1950.

April 9, 1951

HMS DUCHESS, (Daring class destroyer), was launched at Thorneycroft’s Yard, England. DUCHESS was loaned to the RAN to replace HMAS VOYAGER, (destroyer), which had been sunk in 1964 during a collision with HMAS MELBOURNE, (aircraft carrier). She was purchased outright by the RAN in 1972, but was paid off in 1977.

March 14, 1951

The Battle class destroyer HMAS ANZAC, (CMDR J. Plunket-Cole, RAN), was commissioned. ANZAC was laid down in Williamstown Dockyard, Melbourne, on 23 September 1946, and launched on 20 August 1948. Mrs Collins, (Wife of RADM J. A. Collins RAN), performed the launching ceremony. CMDR Plunket-Cole was appointed Commander, 10th Destroyer Flotilla.

March 1, 1951

HMAS LABUAN, (tank landing ship), arrived at Fremantle from Antarctica.

February 21, 1951

At Sasebo HMAS Bataan met her namesake, the United States light carrier USS Bataan, which had been operating in Korean waters for several weeks.

February 20, 1951

HMAS Cowra recommissioned as a Training Ship for National Service Ratings

February 5, 1951

The destroyers, HMAS WARRAMUNGA and USS LIND, inflicted heavy damage and casualties on North Korean forces when they foiled an attempted ambush. The ships were returning to a pre-arranged rendezvous with an intelligence group landed several days before by USS LIND. The recognition flashed from the shore was incorrect, and the destroyers replied with their full armament.

January 29, 1951

The flagship, HMAS AUSTRALIA, led the international fleet gathered in Sydney Harbour to celebrate Australia’s Golden Jubilee. The fleet consisted of:- HMA Ships:- CONDAMINE, CULGOA, GLADSTONE, LATROBE, SHOALHAVEN, SYDNEY, and TOBRUK. HM Ships; TELEMACHUS, and TACTITIAN HMNZ Ships; BELLONA, TAUPO, and HAWEA.SAN Ship; TRANSVAAL HMCS ONTARIO. INS RAJPUT. Pakistani ships SHAMSER and SIND.

January 5, 1951

The evacuation of Inchon, Korea, was completed. HMA Ships BATAAN and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers) assisted US, British and Dutch ships to evacuate nearly 70000 personnel. Over 1400 vehicles, and 63000 tons of stores were also evacuated from the port.

December 23, 1950

Blair Bowden was appointed the first Director of the permanent WRANS with the rank of First Officer.

December 5, 1950

HMA Ships BATAAN and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), assisted the Commonwealth Fleet in evacuating Chinnampo, Korea.

November 6, 1950

The British Commonwealth Brigade, holding Chinese Communist troops on the Chongchon River in Korea, called for naval gun support. HMA Ships WARRAMUNGA and SHOALHAVEN were deployed with the UN Fleet on the Korean coast.

October 12, 1950

HMAS WARRAMUNGA screened USS MISSOURI as she bombarded the North Korean industrial city of Chongjin, 55 km from the Manchurian border.

September 27, 1950

HMAS Bataan in company with HMCS Athabaskan assumed responsibility for blockading the Kunsan area. On the same day, both ships carried out an intensive bombardment of Youjiko To Island where Marines had been repulsed with losses the previous afternoon

September 15, 1950

HMA Ships BATAAN and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), operated with the bombardment fleet off Wonsan, Korea.

August 24, 1950

The frigate HMAS SHOALHAVEN, (CMDR I. H. McDonald), joined the Commonwealth Fleet blockading the coast of Korea.

August 1, 1950

HMAS Australia (II) was engaged in a mercy mission to the Australian Antarctic base at Heard Island where a member of the staff, Dr Serge Udovikoff, was ill. Apart from the uncomfortable conditions created by gale force winds that gusted up to 65 knots, sleet, snow and hail, the ship experienced feed water difficulties due to the increased prevalence of plankton in the sea. Use of ship’s water was restricted to drinking and teeth cleaning and no one was allowed to wash. Weather conditions were no better when Australia (II) arrived at Heard Island, but when a reasonable break occurred the cutter was lowered and Dr Udovikoff eventually brought on board for the journey to Fremantle.

HMAS Bataan, operating off Haeju as a unit of the UN forces, became the first RAN vessel in the Korean War to engage an enemy shore battery. While patrolling the approaches to the port, Bataan was fired upon from shore by 7 guns and she quickly returned fire taking out 4 of the guns with a barrage of 150 rounds. Later HMS Belfast joined and both vessels bombarded the area until all guns were silenced.