The main units of the British Pacific Fleet, one battleship, four fleet carriers, three cruisers and 10 destroyers arrived at Fremantle. The BPF was to number 336 vessels at its ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 30 January 1945
HMAS WARREGO (sloop), and her US tender, YMS 316, carried out inshore surveys and buoyed wrecks off Bataan Peninsula while US troops fought their way off the landing beaches. ...
Australian Naval History on 29 January 1945
HMAS WARREGO and US motor minesweeper YMS 316 marked inshore shoals for the US landings at Subic Bay, Philippines. The vessels continued this activity until 19 February, often landing armed ...
Australian Naval History on 26 January 1945
HMAS NORMAN, (destroyer), supported RN units in Operation Sankey, the assault on Cheduba Island, Burma. ...
Australian Naval History on 21 January 1945
HMA Ships NAPIER and NORMAN supported RN units involved in Operation Matador, which was the assault on Rameree Island, Burma. ...
Australian Naval History on 17 January 1945
A fire broke out at No. 8 Berth, North Wharf, (Port of Fremantle), and engulfed the merchant ship MV PANAMANIAN, which was alongside loading flour. The fire took seven days ...
Australian Naval History on 16 January 1945
Japanese aircraft sank the Fremantle-based British submarine HMS PORPOISE, in Malacca Strait. PORPOISE had been involved in the ill-fated operation RIMAU, when she conveyed Z force operatives to the Singapore ...
Australian Naval History on 12 January 1945
HMAS NAPIER, (destroyer), and the Royal Indian Navy ships JUMNA and NARBADA, supported by HDML1248 and ML854, launched the assault on Myebon, Burma, (operation Pungent). ...
Australian Naval History on 11 January 1945
Twenty German POWs escaped via a tunnel from the officers’ POW camp at Dhuringle, VIC. One of the escapees was CAPT Theodore Detmers, who was the Commanding Officer of the ...
Australian Naval History on 10 January 1945
HMA ships COWRA and KAPUNDA, (minesweepers), bombarded Japanese troop positions at Halmahera, New Guinea. ...
Australian Naval History on 9 January 1945
HMAS AUSTRALIA suffered her fifth kamikaze attack. The Japanese aircraft struck the cruiser on the top of her third funnel. CMDR G.H. Gill, RANVR, reported: “Australia was the recipient of ...
Australian Naval History on 8 January 1945
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), was hit twice by kamikaze bombers in 15 minutes. The first aircraft skidded into the ship’s port side and the second exploded alongside, blowing a hole 4.3m ...
Australian Naval History on 6 January 1945
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), was hit by a Japanese kamikaze plane for the third time. The ship’s casualties were 14 killed and 26 wounded. ...
Australian Naval History on 5 January 1945
The Battle of Lingayen Gulf, 5 to 9 January. HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, ARUNTA, WARRAMUNGA, GASCOYNE and WARREGO were engaged. HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and ARUNTA were hit by Japanese kamikaze ...
Australian Naval History on 3 January 1945
LCDR J. M. Ramsay, RAN, of HMAS NAPIER, (destroyer), embarked in ML 829 for a reconnaissance of Akyab, Burma. He was the first Allied officer to enter the port since ...
Australian Naval History on 2 January 1945
Japanese bombers attacked the 85-ship Minesweeping and Hydrographic Group in Surigao Gulf. HMA Ships WARREGO, (sloop), and GASCOYNE, (frigate), were on the escort screen which shot down one of the ...
Australian Naval History on 1 January 1945
LCDR R. Lauchlan, RAN, was appointed to OBE for outstanding service as Squadron Anti-submarine Officer to CDRE(D), Eastern Fleet, in the Burma Campaign. ...
Australian Naval History on 30 December 1944
Three officers and 22 ratings of the RAN lost their lives in the Indian Ocean during the year, as a result of enemy submarine attacks on Allied shipping. The services ...
Australian Naval History on 27 December 1944
HMA Ships NAPIER and NEPAL, (destroyers), anchored off Teknaf, 15 miles up the Naf River in Burma. The destroyers were supporting the Indian Army’s drive south. ...
Australian Naval History on 26 December 1944
HMAS QUICKMATCH, (destroyer), picked up 67 survivors from the US merchant ship ROBERT J WALKER, torpedoed by a German submarine off Jervis Bay. ...
Australian Naval History on 25 December 1944
HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (Tribal class destroyer), in the Philippines, served the following Christmas menu: Breakfast; fresh fruit, tea and coffee, cereal, fried eggs and bacon; Dinner; roast turkey and ham, beans ...
Australian Naval History on 19 December 1944
CAPT H. B. Farncomb was promoted and appointed Commodore Commanding Australian Squadron. ...
Australian Naval History on 17 December 1944
HMS/m Rover (Lt. J. P. Angell RN) was involved in a collision with HMAS Bunbury off Perth, WA, in position 31°45’S, 115°13’E. Both vessels were damaged in this incident. ...
Australian Naval History on 16 December 1944
HMA Ships NAPIER and NEPAL, (destroyers), supported the 74th Indian Brigade as it drove south in the vicinity of the Naf River, Burma. ...
Australian Naval History on 14 December 1944
Australian Fleet Auxiliary Bishopdale, in San Pedro Bay Leyte Gulf, was hit by a crashing Japanese VAL dive bomber which struck the starboard upper bridge and then No: 3 wing ...