The Fremantle-based USS BOWFIN, (submarine), sank four Japanese cargo schooners with gunfire, near Macassar Strait. ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 6 November 1943
Coastwatchers CAPT C. W. Seton, RAN, and LEUT A. N. A. Waddell, RAN, of M-Special Unit, met US Marines on the beach at Choiseul, Solomon Islands, and guided them in ...
Australian Naval History on 2 November 1943
LEUT J.Plunkett-Cole, RAN, assumed command of HMAS NEPAL, (destroyer). Plunkett-Cole was the only RAN officer to command all four N class destroyers in the Australian Squadron. ...
Australian Naval History on 25 October 1943
The Fremantle-based USS GUARDFISH, (submarine), landed a party of Coastwatchers on Bougainville. ...
Australian Naval History on 22 October 1943
HMAS KURU, (auxiliary patrol vessel), which played an important role in supplying the Australian Commandos operating in occupied Timor, was paid off. The vessel later sank at her moorings in ...
Australian Naval History on 21 October 1943
Coastwatcher SBLT Rev W. G. G. Wiedemann, RANVR, enlisted direct into the service from his Victorian parish, to provide on-the-spot information for the planned Allied landing at Cape Gloucester. Wiedemann ...
Australian Naval History on 20 October 1943
The Fremantle-based US Ships KINGFISH and CABRILLA, (submarines), were deployed on missions in Philippine waters. KINGFISH landed British Coastwatchers and their equipment in Borneo, laid a minefield off the Celebes, ...
Australian Naval History on 19 October 1943
The commando ship KRAIT arrived back at Exmouth Gulf, WA, after the raid on Singapore, (Operation Jaywick). ...
Australian Naval History on 11 October 1943
LEUT H. E. Carse. RANVR, recorded in KRAIT’s log that on the passage through Lombok Strait, after the successful commando raid on Singapore Harbour, (Operation Jaywick), a modern Japanese destroyer ...
Australian Naval History on 8 October 1943
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS COWRA, (A/LCDR W. J. Gilles, RANR), was commissioned. COWRA was laid down in Poole & Steel Yard, Sydney, on 12 August 1942, and launched ...
Australian Naval History on 5 October 1943
The tanker ANNA KNUDSEN, was torpedoed by a submarine of the German Monsoon Group, in the Indian Ocean. HMAS TAMWORTH, (corvette), towed the damaged vessel to Aden. ...
Australian Naval History on 3 October 1943
HMAS PARKES, (minesweeper), was launched at Evans Deakin, QLD. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 October 1943
The RAN comprised 324 vessels, ranging from 4 cruisers, to 44 miscellaneous craft. Of this number, 19, (six destroyers and 13 minesweepers), were serving overseas with the Eastern Fleet. The ...
Australian Naval History on 1 October 1943
The repair ship/works ship/store-carrier HMAS WHANG PU, was commissioned. WHANG PU was laid down in Hong Kong for the China Navigation Co Ltd, in 1920. The vessel was a former ...
Australian Naval History on 28 September 1943
The Fremantle based USS CISCO, (submarine), was sunk by Japanese aircraft off Mindanao. Six parties of Coastwatchers were landed on New Britain by USS GROUPER, (submarine), to prepare for an ...
Australian Naval History on 27 September 1943
During Operation Jaywick, limpet mines were fastened to seven ships in Singapore Harbour, by Commandos launched from the Special Services vessel HMAS KRAIT. The largest ship attacked was the 10,000 ...
Australian Naval History on 26 September 1943
Z Special Force, (Operation Jaywick), operatives enter Singapore Harbour in kayaks, and planted limpet mines on seven Japanese merchant ships. They then escaped undetected, to rendezvous with HMAS KRAIT. The ...
Australian Naval History on 22 September 1943
LCDR J. M. Bland, RANR(S), commanding a naval beach party, landed with the first wave, and guided troops ashore under heavy enemy fire, at Finschhafen, New Guinea. Bland was killed ...
Australian Naval History on 17 September 1943
LEUT L. V. Goldsworthy, RANVR, rendered safe and removed a German aerial mine which had lain dormant under a coaling wharf at Southampton, England. Goldsworthy was awarded the GM for ...
Australian Naval History on 13 September 1943
Australian Coastwatcher SBLT A. Kirkwall Smith, RANVR, led a 12-day reconnaissance of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, to gather information on terrain, beaches and enemy defences for the planned landing of ...
Australian Naval History on 12 September 1943
HMAS WOLLONGONG, (corvette), shared the sinking of the German submarine U617, in the Straits of Gibraltar, with HM Ships HAARLEM and HYANCINTH, and two Wellington bombers. ...
Australian Naval History on 4 September 1943
Engaged in the Allied landing at Lae, New Guinea, HMA Ships SHEPPARTON and BENALLA, (corvettes), carried out a close bombardment of enemy troop positions. A preliminary survey of the landing ...
Australian Naval History on 3 September 1943
HMAS SHEPPARTON and ML 817, were straddled in a heavy attack by Japanese bombers at Morobe, New Guinea. Neither ship suffered casualties, but 50 holes were counted above the waterline ...
Australian Naval History on 2 September 1943
The Australian Commando vessel KRAIT, (LEUT H. E. Carse, RANVR), sailed from Exmouth Gulf, WA, to attack Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour. The commander of Operation Jaywick was Major I ...
Australian Naval History on 27 August 1943
Aerial image of RFA BISHOPDALE by the RAAF showing her deck layout including her defensive armament – 12 pounder gun forward, 4 inch AA aft, single oerlikon AA guns are ...