The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS DUBBO, was commissioned. DUBBO was laid down in Mort’s Dock, Sydney, on 13 October 1941, and launched on 7 March 1942. ADML V.C. Crutchley ...
On This Day
Australian Naval History on 29 July 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BROOME, (LCDR R. A. Denovan, RANVR), was commissioned. BROOME was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 31 May 1941, and launched on ...
Australian Naval History on 25 July 1942
HMAS WAGGA, (minesweeper), was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney. HMAS VIGILANT, (auxiliary patrol vessel), commanded by SBLT H. A. Bennett, RANR, sailed from Darwin on her first voyage to occupied ...
Australian Naval History on 24 July 1942
Approval to form a Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service of 580 personnel (280 telegraphists plus 300 other duties) was granted ...
Australian Naval History on 23 July 1942
HMAS LAURABADA, (auxiliary patrol vessel), was commissioned. ...
Australian Naval History on 22 July 1942
HMAS QUIBERON, (destroyer), was completed at J. Samuel White’s, UK. ...
Australian Naval History on 21 July 1942
Coastwatcher SBLT C. L. Page, RANVR, was escorted by the Japanese to Nemboe Island for execution. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 July 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS WALLAROO, (LEUT E. S. Ross, RANR), was commissioned. WALLAROO was laid down in Poole & Steel Ltd., Sydney, on 24 April 1941, and launched ...
Australian Naval History on 14 July 1942
HMAS PENGUIN, (shore establishment in Sydney), was commissioned. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 July 1942
HMAS PENGUIN, was commissioned as a naval depot at Balmoral, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 11 July 1942
HMAS WARREGO, (sloop), escorted the transport TASMAN, with the advance guard of Milne Force embarked, into Milne Bay. The Japanese were to suffer their first defeat in this area. HMAS ...
Australian Naval History on 6 July 1942
HMAS QUIBERON was commissioned at Cowes, Isle of Wight. The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS MERCEDES, was commissioned. MERCEDES, (as HMS MEDUSA), was laid down in Taikoo Dockyard, Singapore, in 1913. The ...
Australian Naval History on 2 July 1942
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, CANBERRA, and HOBART, joined the Allied Fleet for Operation Watchtower, the invasion of the Solomon Islands. ...
Australian Naval History on 1 July 1942
The unmarked POW transport MONTEVIDEO MARU, was torpedoed and sunk by USS STURGEON, (submarine), off Luzon, Philippines. Onboard were 1035 Australian POW’s, including 835 men from the 2/22 Infantry Battalion, ...
Australian Naval History on 30 June 1942
From the outbreak of WWII, to 30 June 1942, Australian naval dockyards fitted 288 merchant ships with defensive armament, 275 with para-vane mine protection gear, and degaussed 296 vessels. In ...
Australian Naval History on 29 June 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS IPSWICH, (LCDR J.S. McBryde, RANR) was commissioned. IPSWICH was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 6 March 1941, and launched on 11 ...
Australian Naval History on 26 June 1942
LCDR G. M. Haynes, RAN, commanded No. 828 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, in attacks on Axis shipping in the Mediterranean. He was awarded the DSO for conspicuous gallantry in leading ...
Australian Naval History on 23 June 1942
HMAS BANGALOW, (survey tender), was commissioned. The vessel was also employed as minesweeper, and a troop transport, in forward areas. HMAS KAPUNDA, (minesweeper), was launched at Poole & Steel, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 22 June 1942
RADM Muirhead Gould, reported that four Japanese midget submarines had entered Sydney Harbour on the night of 31 May-1 June. Examination of enemy records after the war, showed that only ...
Australian Naval History on 19 June 1942
HMAS LATROBE, (minesweeper), was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 17 June 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS CASTLEMAINE, (LCDR P. J. Sullivan, RANR(S)), was commissioned. CASTLEMAINE was laid down in Williamstown Dockyard, Melbourne, on 17 February 1941, and launched on 7 ...
Australian Naval History on 16 June 1942
Australian Coastwatcher SBLT Cornelius Lyons Page, RANVR, was captured by the Japanese on Tabar Island. Page was later executed. The tug HMAS ELWING was commissioned. ELWING was laid down in ...
Australian Naval History on 15 June 1942
HMAS NESTOR was severely damaged when near-missed by two heavy bombs, 100 miles north of Tobruk. NESTOR was an escort for the Operation Vigorous convoy to Malta. The destroyer was ...
Australian Naval History on 14 June 1942
HMA Ships NAPIER, NIZAM, NESTOR, and NORMAN, (destroyers), were subjected to ceaseless air attacks whilst escorting an eleven-ship eastern Mediterranean convoy, and were forced to turn back to Alexandria, well ...
Australian Naval History on 13 June 1942
RADM V. A. C. Crutchley, VC, DSC, RN, was appointed to command the Australian Squadron. He had been awarded his VC for services in HMS VINDICTIVE, during the raid on ...