The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS COOMBAR, was commissioned. COOMBAR was laid down in Port Glasgow, Scotland, in 1912, and requisitioned for the RAN from her owners, Wm Crosby & Co, Melbourne, ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 29 April 1941
HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), engaged a German E boat with her main armament in Kasos Strait, off Crete. The E boat withdrew at high speed. ...
Australian Naval History on 28 April 1941
A Seagull amphibian aircraft from HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), was shot down by German aircraft off Anti Kyrethia, Greece. The aircraft crashed into the sea, but her crew of three, (Flight ...
Australian Naval History on 27 April 1941
HMA Ships STUART, VENDETTA, VAMPIRE, and WATERHEN, (destroyers), sailed from Suda Bay to Alexandria as escort to convoy GA12. RAN ships evacuating troops from Greece, picked up the last message ...
Australian Naval History on 26 April 1941
HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), carried 911 Australian and New Zealand troops, and HMAS STUART, (destroyer), evacuated 109, from Tolos to Suda Bay, Crete. Earlier that night STUART had ferried 600 troops ...
Australian Naval History on 24 April 1941
Operation Demon, (the evacuation of Greece from 24-29 April), took place. HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), and HMA Ships STUART, VAMPIRE, VENDETTA, VOYAGER, and WATERHEN, (destroyers, the Scrap-Iron Flotilla?), all took part ...
Australian Naval History on 22 April 1941
HMAS GEELONG, (minesweeper), was launched at Williamstown, VIC. ...
Australian Naval History on 21 April 1941
HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), sank an Italian supply schooner in a night action off Derna, Libya. HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), and HM Ships AJAX and ORION, (cruisers), provided support for the bombardment ...
Australian Naval History on 20 April 1941
HMAS VAMPIRE, (destroyer), took off the crew of the burning tanker BRITISH JUDGE, while under heavy air attack north of Crete. ...
Australian Naval History on 19 April 1941
HMA Ships STUART, VOYAGER, and WATERHEN, (destroyers), covered a landing by British Commandos on enemy positions near Bardia, Libya. The German raiders ATLANTIS and KORMORAN rendezvoused in the Indian Ocean. ...
Australian Naval History on 18 April 1941
Twelve telegraphists, and two stewards of the Women’s Emergency Signalling Corps, (WESC), commenced duty at the Harman W/T Station in Canberra. The WESC was the forerunner of the Women’s Royal ...
Australian Naval History on 16 April 1941
HMAS KATOOMBA, (minesweeper), was launched at Poole and Steele’s Yard, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 April 1941
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BURNIE was commissioned. BURNIE was laid down at Mort’s Dock, Sydney, on 3 June 1940, and launched on 25 October 1940. HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), ...
Australian Naval History on 14 April 1941
HMAS SYDNEY embarked Australian delegates for the ABDA conference and departed for Singapore, arriving on the 19/4/41. HMAS WATERHEN, (destroyer), rescued 430 patients and medical staff from the hospital ship ...
Australian Naval History on 13 April 1941
The destroyers HMAS STUART and HMS GRIFFIN, bombarded enemy positions at Sollum, Libya. ...
Australian Naval History on 12 April 1941
The siege of Tobruk started and went on for 242 days, until the 8 December. The Tobruk Ferry involved RAN destroyers making 139 runs, with HMAS VENDETTA alone making 39. ...
Australian Naval History on 10 April 1941
HMAS Canberra joined military convoy WS 6 as relief for HMS PHOEBE ...
Australian Naval History on 8 April 1941
HMAS PARRAMATTA, (sloop), towed the damaged cruiser HMS CAPETOWN to the port of Massawa. The cruiser had been attacked and torpedoed by Italian destroyers in the Red Sea. ...
Australian Naval History on 6 April 1941
The Seagull amphibian from HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), crashed and sank when taking off in Cook Strait. HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), was in company with AUSTRALIA, and landed its Seagull aircraft on ...
Australian Naval History on 5 April 1941
The trading schooner GERARD was commissioned into the RAN as an auxiliary patrol vessel. ...
Australian Naval History on 3 April 1941
HMAS PARRAMATTA, (sloop), passed a flotilla of Italian destroyers at night while escorting a convoy off Port Sudan. No sighting report was made by either side. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 April 1941
HMAS VOYAGER, (destroyer), sank the heavily damaged cargo ships HOMEFIELD, and COLOUROUS XENOX, after savage German air attacks in the central Mediterranean. ...
Australian Naval History on 1 April 1941
Three sailors from HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), who were captured after volunteering to man a shore-based gun in August 1940, were released from prisoner-of-war camp in Eritria, East Africa. They were ...
Australian Naval History on 31 March 1941
The Italian submarine DAGABUR sank the cruiser HMS BONAVENTURE which was escorting convoy GA 8. 310 survivors were picked up by HMAS Stuart and HMS Hereward. HMAS Stuart heavily depth ...
Australian Naval History on 30 March 1941
The Mediterranean Fleet returned to a vociferous welcome from ships at Alexandria after the Battle of Matapan. HMA Ships PERTH, STUART, and VENDETTA were detached after the battle to escort ...