Merchant vessel MERKUR was requisitioned by the RAN and converted to a victualling ship. ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 9 December 1942
HMAS LANIKAI, (auxiliary boom defence vessel), was commissioned. LANIKAI was lost in a storm in the Philippines in 1946. ...
Australian Naval History on 7 December 1942
HMAS BUNGAREE, (minelayer), laid a defensive minefield along the Great Barrier Reef QLD, to protect shipping lanes from Japanese submarine attacks. ...
Australian Naval History on 3 December 1942
HMAS COOTAMUNDRA, (minesweeper), was launched at Poole & Steel’s Yard, Sydney. On the same day HMAS PIRIE was launched at Whyalla, SA. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 December 1942
HMAS QUIBERON, (destroyer), with HM Ships ARGONAUT, AURORA, SINUS, and QUENTIN, sank the Italian destroyer FOLGORE, and four merchant ships, in a point-blank night attack off Skerki Bank, North Africa. ...
Australian Naval History on 1 December 1942
The minesweeper HMAS ARMIDALE, (LCDR D. H. Richards, RAN), was sunk by 12 Japanese bombers, 70 miles south of Betano Bay, Timor. ARMIDALE was involved in the re-supply of Australian ...
Australian Naval History on 30 November 1942
RAAF Beaufighters of No. 31 Squadron, drove off 14 Japanese fighters and bombers which were attacking HMA Ships CASTLEMAINE and ARMIDALE, (minesweepers), in the Arafura Sea. ...
Australian Naval History on 28 November 1942
HMAS QUIBERON and HMS QUENTIN sank the Italian submarine DESSIE, north of Bone, North Africa. HMA Ships BALLARAT and KATOOMBA, (minesweepers), were attacked by 10 Japanese dive bombers west of ...
Australian Naval History on 26 November 1942
HMAS ADELAIDE, (cruiser), intercepted the German blockade runner RAMSES in the Indian Ocean. RAMSES was sunk by gunfire, and 88 survivors, plus a dog and a pig, were picked up. ...
Australian Naval History on 23 November 1942
The Tribal class destroyer, HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (CMDR E. F. V. Dechaineux, RAN), was commissioned. WARRAMUNGA was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard on 10 February 1940, and launched on 7 ...
Australian Naval History on 22 November 1942
The minefield tender HMAS URALBA, was commissioned. URALBA was laid down in E Wright Yard, Tuncurry, NSW, in 1942. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the North ...
Australian Naval History on 18 November 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS HORSHAM, was commissioned. HORSHAM was laid down in Williamstown Naval Dockyard, VIC, on 26 June 1941, and launched on 16 May 1942. The Garden ...
Australian Naval History on 16 November 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS GLENELG, was commissioned. GLENELG was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 2 March 1942, and launched on 22 September 1942. Mrs H. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 November 1942
HMAS BURRA BRA, (target vessel), was commissioned. BURRA BRA was a former Sydney Harbour ferry, and was later employed as an anti-submarine training ship at Jervis Bay, NSW. ...
Australian Naval History on 12 November 1942
Coastwatcher SBLT M. Wright, RANVR, was landed by the US submarine S42 at Adler Bay, New Britain, to determine the natives’ loyalty. Wright remained a week behind the Japanese lines, ...
Australian Naval History on 11 November 1942
AB H. Hammond, RANR, was awarded the DSM for his courage and cool leadership. He commanded the single 4-inch gun mounted in the tanker ONDINA, in an engagement in which ...
Australian Naval History on 10 November 1942
Australian Coastwatcher, LEUT P. E. Mason, RANVR, signalled from Buin:- ‘At least 61 ships this area viz 2 Nati, 1 Aoba, 1 Mogambi, 1 Kis, 1 Tatsuta, 2 sloops, 33 ...
Australian Naval History on 9 November 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BOWEN, (LEUT G. L. Olsen, RAN), was commissioned. BOWEN was laid down in Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 9 February 1942, and launched on ...
Australian Naval History on 8 November 1942
HMAS QUIBERON, (destroyer), participated in Operation Torch, the Allied landing in North Africa. ...
Australian Naval History on 7 November 1942
Coastwatcher LEUT W. J. Read, RANVR, on the north end of Bougainville, reported a convoy of 12 Japanese ships steaming south for the Solomons. The USN requisitioned the following Australian ...
Australian Naval History on 6 November 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS LATROBE, was commissioned. LATROBE was laid down in Mort’s Dock, Sydney, on 27 January 1942, and launched on 19 June 1942. The Reverend A. ...
Australian Naval History on 4 November 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS GYMPIE, (LCDR C. W. J. Patterson, RANR), was commissioned. GYMPIE was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 27 August 1941, and launched ...
Australian Naval History on 3 November 1942
LEUT John Stuart Mould, GM, RANVR, was awarded the GC for outstanding courage and devotion to duty in the rendering safe of new types of enemy mines. ...
Australian Naval History on 1 November 1942
HMAS QUIBERON, (destroyer), was part of Force ‘Q’ which destroyed an Italian supply convoy. HMAS QUICKMATCH, (destroyer), was involved in the destruction of the Italian ship CORTELLAZZO off Capr Finisterre. ...
Australian Naval History on 30 October 1942
The sloop HMAS WARREGO, (LCDR A. D. C. Inglis, RAN), surveyed the passage from Milne Bay to Cape Nelson, New Guinea, for the amphibious assault on Buna by Australian and ...