Dentists were first attached to destroyer flotillas in the RAN. HMA Ships SHROPSHIRE, HOBART, ARUNTA, LACHLAN, HAWKESBURY, WESTRALIA, MANOORA, and KANIMBLA, engaged in the invasion of Brunei. ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 9 June 1945
HMAS Wollongong berthed at Port Kembla to visit her namesake city. Owing to the minimum depth of water at Wollongong, and to the regret of the local council, the corvette ...
Australian Naval History on 7 June 1945
HMAS LACHLAN, (frigate), surveyed and laid navigation buoys in Brunei Bay for the Australian invasion. During the operation LACHLAN placed buoys within 30 metres of the beach. HMS ALBATROSS, former ...
Australian Naval History on 4 June 1945
The stores carrier HMAS FALIE, (LCDR C. V. Wood, RANVR), departed Madang under the tow of the tug TANCRED. On 8 June TANCRED caught fire and was in danger of ...
Australian Naval History on 3 June 1945
HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), was towed to Finschhafen, New Guinea, after suffering damage from Japanese shore batteries at Bougainville. ...
Australian Naval History on 26 May 1945
HMAS SWAN, (sloop), entered Boram Harbour, New Guinea, and carried out a bombardment of the Japanese occupied villages of Banahiton and Passam. HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), destroyed a Japanese gun position ...
Australian Naval History on 25 May 1945
HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), bombarded Japanese positions in Choiseul Bay, New Britain. ...
Australian Naval History on 23 May 1945
The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS ANACONDA, (LEUT C. T. G. Haultain, RAN), was commissioned. HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), arrived at Torokina, Bougainville, to disrupt Japanese barge traffic along the ...
Australian Naval History on 20 May 1945
HMAS NORMAN,(destroyer), took under tow HMS QUILLIAM, (destroyer), which was damaged in a collision with HMS INDOMITABLE, (aircraft carrier). HMAS KIAMA, (minesweeper), bombarded Japanese troop positions and installations on the ...
Australian Naval History on 19 May 1945
HMAS Adelaide recommissioned as a tender to the Sydney shore establishment HMAS Penguin. ...
Australian Naval History on 18 May 1945
HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), towed the damaged ML427 off Moem Reef to Madang, (New Guinea). The motor launch had run aground on the reef two days before ...
Australian Naval History on 16 May 1945
HM Ships INDOMITABLE, (aircraft carrier), and QUILLIAM, (destroyer), collided off Okinawa. HMAS NORMAN, (destroyer), stood by to assist the damaged QUILLIAM. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 May 1945
HMA Ships SWAN, (sloop), BUNBURY, (corvette), and three motor launches, shelled Boram Point, Wewak, in support of Australian ground attacks. ...
Australian Naval History on 14 May 1945
On May 14, 1945 , while towing the 30-ton ketch STINGRAY from Coconut Island to Thursday Island , HMAS WATCHER , commanded by Commissioned Officer from Warrant Rank Francis G. ...
Australian Naval History on 11 May 1945
HMAS SWAN, (sloop), recorded in her journal the results of a bombardment in the Wewak area of New Guinea:- ’89 Japanese dead were found after the landing in the area, ...
Australian Naval History on 10 May 1945
HMA Ships HOBART, ARUNTA, and WARRAMUNGA, with HMS NEWFOUNDLAND, provided covering fire for the Australian amphibious assault on Wewak, New Guinea. In the assault HMA Ships COLAC and IPSWICH, (minesweepers), ...
Australian Naval History on 8 May 1945
RAN ships and establishments received the signal announcing the end of hostilities against Germany. The Admiralty signalled all ships to ‘Splice the Main Brace’. ...
Australian Naval History on 7 May 1945
The Admiralty signalled all British naval authorities and ships throughout the world: ‘German High Command has surrendered unconditionally all German Land, Sea and Air Forces in Europe. Effective from British ...
Australian Naval History on 6 May 1945
HMAS LACHLAN carried out a detailed survey of Tarakan Roads. ...
Australian Naval History on 5 May 1945
LEUT George Gosse, RANVR, rendered safe a new type of German oyster mine in the mud on the bed of Bremen Harbour, Germany. The following is an extract from the ...
Australian Naval History on 3 May 1945
HMA Ships NAPIER, NEPAL, NIZAM and NORMAN, (destroyers), screened the escort carriers STRIKER and RULER, and the fleet oilers WAVE KING and WAVE MONARCH, in the Okinawa area. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 May 1945
HMA Ships WESTRALIA and MANOORA, (landing ships), completed landing Australian troops at Tarakan. HMA Ships SWAN, (sloop), and COLAC and IPSWICH, (minesweepers), bombarded Japanese positions at Wewak, New Guinea, in ...
Australian Naval History on 1 May 1945
HMA Ships QUICKMATCH and QUIBERON, (destroyers), operated off Sakishima, Japan, while screening battleships of the British Pacific Fleet. HMA Ships NEPAL, NORMAN, NIZAM, QUICKMATCH, and QUIBERON supported American landings in ...
Australian Naval History on 30 April 1945
HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (destroyer), bombarded Sadua Island, North Borneo, in support of landings by Australian troops. ...
Australian Naval History on 27 April 1945
The River class frigate, HMAS DIAMANTINA, (LCDR M.G. Rose, RANVR), was commissioned. DIAMANTINA was laid down at Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 12 April 1943, and launched on 6 April ...