The Battle of Crete commenced, and lasted until 31 May, 1941. HMA Ships PERTH, STUART, VAMPIRE, VENDETTA, VOYAGER, WATERHEN, NAPIER and NIZAM, (destroyers), were all involved in evacuating Allied troops ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 18 May 1941
The sloop HMAS YARRA, (LCDR W. H. Harrington, RAN), provided close support for British troops landing at Basra, Iraq, during the Allied takeover of the country. HM Ships FALMOUTH, COCKCHAFER, ...
Australian Naval History on 16 May 1941
HMAS Vampire (I) delivered 102 troops & stores to Tobruk to support the besieged 7th & 9th AIF Divisions. Vampire departed Tobruk the next day just as an air raid ...
Australian Naval History on 15 May 1941
CAPT J. Burnett, RAN, took over command from CAPT J. Collins, CB, RAN, of HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser). Just over 6 months later SYDNEY was sunk in her ill fated action ...
Australian Naval History on 14 May 1941
Australian merchant vessel RABAUL, was sunk by the German raider ATLANTIS, 700 miles north-west of Walrus Bay. Nine members of the ship’s crew were killed in action. ...
Australian Naval History on 12 May 1941
HMAS WHYALLA, (minesweeper), was launched at Whyalla, SA. ...
Australian Naval History on 11 May 1941
The tug HMAS WATO, was commissioned. WATO was laid down in J. T. Ettingham & Co in 1904 for the Adelaide Steam Tug Co, and served with the RN in ...
Australian Naval History on 10 May 1941
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BENDIGO, (LEUT S. J. Griffith, RANR), was commissioned. BENDIGO was laid down at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 12 August 1940, and launched on ...
Australian Naval History on 9 May 1941
HMAS VENDETTA evacuated wounded from Tobruk during the night of 9/10 May to Alexandria ...
Australian Naval History on 8 May 1941
HMAS NESTOR’S log recorded:- ‘At 2100 what we believed to be the conning tower of a submarine was sighted on the port bow and course was altered to ram. However ...