HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), narrowly evaded torpedoes fired by USS ABNER READ, (destroyer), off Leyte. Minutes before, the destroyer had been turned into a fireball when a Japanese kamikaze aircraft crashed ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 31 October 1944
HMAS MURCHISON was launched at Evans Deakin, QLD. ...
Australian Naval History on 27 October 1944
CAPT C.A.G. Nichols, RN, commanding HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), reported the ship’s crew were at action stations for 146 hours out of 168, in the week ending 20 October. CAPT J.M. ...
Australian Naval History on 25 October 1944
HMA Ships SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), and ARUNTA, (destroyer), were engaged in the Battle of Surigao Strait. ARUNTA fired her main armament and torpedoes in a clash with Japanese ships YAMASHIRO, MICHISHIO, ...
Australian Naval History on 24 October 1944
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), was escorted by HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (Tribal class destroyer), to Manus Island for emergency repairs. ...
Australian Naval History on 23 October 1944
The Fremantle-based US submarines DARTER and DACE sank two Japanese heavy cruisers and damaged a third. DARTER torpedoed the ATAGO and TAKAO in Balabac Strait. TAKAO escaped damage. DACE torpedoed ...
Australian Naval History on 21 October 1944
A Japanese kamikaze aircraft crashed into the foremast of HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), killing 30 officers and ratings, including CAPT E. F. V. Dechaineux, RAN, AUSTRALIA’s commanding officer. Sixty-four officers and ...
Australian Naval History on 20 October 1944
HMAS Glenelg was able to render signal aid to a sorely harassed American patrol at the mouth of the Woske River near Maffin Bay, Dutch New Guinea. While proceeding close ...
Australian Naval History on 19 October 1944
The Fremantle-based Dutch submarine ZWAARDFISCH sank the ITSUKUSHIMA, Japan’s largest minelayer. The American tanker YORK landed survivors from HMAS GEELONG at Langemak, New Guinea. ...
Australian Naval History on 18 October 1944
HMAS GEELONG, (minesweeper), was sunk in a collision with the US tanker YORK, off Langemak, New Guinea. CAPT H. Birkland of the YORK reported in his log:- ‘We struck the ...
Australian Naval History on 17 October 1944
HMA Ships NORMAN and QUIBERON, (destroyers), operated with Force 63 in Operation Millet, the air strike and bombardment of the Nicobar Islands. LCDR J. M. Alliston, RN, assumed command of ...
Australian Naval History on 16 October 1944
HDML 1074 was rammed at night by an unidentified vessel while under tow by USS PEBBLE. The craft was severely damaged, but reached Leyte safely. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 October 1944
The destroyer HMAS VENDETTA, (LEUT W. F. Cook, RAN), sloop, HMAS SWAN, (LCDR D. W. Hodges, RANR), frigate, HMAS BARCOO, (LCDR C. G. Hill, RANR), and ML802, (LEUT V. T. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 October 1944
US Ships CANBERRA and HOUSTON, (cruisers), were torpedoed off Leyte. USS CANBERRA was named in honour of HMAS CANBERRA, (cruiser), lost at Savo Island in 1942, and USS HOUSTON was ...
Australian Naval History on 6 October 1944
The Fremantle-based submarine HMS TALLY HO, sank a Japanese submarine chaser in the Malacca Strait. ...
Australian Naval History on 5 October 1944
The Fremantle-based Dutch submarine ZWAARDFISCH, sank the German submarine U 168 off Java. The German submarine was transporting vital scientific equipment from Germany to Japan. ...
Australian Naval History on 1 October 1944
HM Ships GLENEARN and LOTHIAN, the first RN landing ships to operate in the Pacific, joined HMAS WESTRALIA, (landing ship infantry), at Humboldt Bay. ...
Australian Naval History on 30 September 1944
HMS TERRIBLE, (aircraft carrier, later HMAS SYDNEY), was launched at Devonport, England. ...
Australian Naval History on 29 September 1944
Former HMAS Uki transferred back to the RAN by USN and subsequently returned to her owners on 27 October 1944. ...
Australian Naval History on 28 September 1944
The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, informed the House of Commons: ‘We owe it to Australia and New Zealand to help them remove forever the Japanese menace to their homelands. ...
Australian Naval History on 26 September 1944
HMAS Hawkesbury was called upon to assist the burning tanker Misson Ridge following her collision with the Liberty Ship Don Marquis. After taking off the crew she succeeded in quelling ...
Australian Naval History on 25 September 1944
CAPT C. A. G. Nichols, RN, relieved CAPT Showers in command of HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser). CAPT Showers took up the appointment of 2nd Naval Member of the Australian Naval Board. ...
Australian Naval History on 20 September 1944
The air/sea rescue vessels AIR FOAM, (ex-AIR WAVE, SBLT Middleton RANVR), AIR MIST, (SBLT J. R. Needle, RANVR), and AIR REST, (SBLT R. W. Stinger, RANVR), were commissioned. The ammunition ...
Australian Naval History on 19 September 1944
LEUT Leon Verdi Goldsworthy, DSC, GM, RANVR, was awarded the GC for undaunted courage in rendering safe various German mines between 12 June, 1943 and 10 April, 1944. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 September 1944
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SHROPSHIRE with ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA bombarded targets on Halmahera and Morotai. ...