- Author
- Thomson, Max
- Subjects
- Ship histories and stories, WWII operations
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- HMAS Katoomba, HMAS Gympie, HMAS Gladstone I, HMAS Hawkesbury I
- Publication
- March 1998 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
HAWKESBURY later took aboard a platoon of AIF men, Netherlands East Indies officials, interpreters and other experts for a lengthy and detailed surveillance of vast areas of the Dutch East Indies during which a dozen or more local Japanese surrender ceremonies were conducted, enemy supplies dumped, civilian administration restored and the welfare of the local people checked.
On numerous occasions Japanese prisoners of war were taken aboard HMAS HAWKESBURY.
Finally the frigate repatriated a number of Netherlands servicemen and civilian internees who had been prisoners and took them to Morotai.
But it was those days and nights in Singapore when HMAS HAWKESBURY had aboard several hundred Changi and Burma Railway survivors with all they had to relate, which stands uppermost in the memories of the frigate’s 160 crewmen. HAWKESBURY’S assignment to give Navy escort to the ships that brought our prisoners-of-war back home to Australia was probably the most coveted assignment ever given a ship of the RAN.