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HMAS Westralia – A brief summary of WW2 Service

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Subjects
Ship histories and stories, WWII operations
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None noted.
RAN Ships
Publication
March 1989 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

October 1944

  • 1 October – Westralia arrived Hollandia.
  • 9 October – 800 men of U.S. 21st Regiment embarked, destination Leyte in Philippines.
  • 13 October – ‘Panaon’ Attack Group included Westralia, Manoora and Kanimbia departing Hollandia for Surigao Straits.Unsuccessful attack on ship by Japanese ‘Tony’ aircraft.
  • 0902 – 20 October – Westralia commenced disembarking troops.
    • Enemy bomber attacked group.
    • Westralia joined in barrage with all guns. Bombs dropped by plane without effect.
  • 25 October – Returned Humboldt Bay.
  • 30 October
    • Commander A.V. Knight, R.A.N.R.(S), relinquished command, handing over to Lieut. Commander E.W. Livingstone R.A.N.R.(S).
    • During 17th months of Commander Knight’s command{
      • 1,259 Officers and 20,025 O.R’s were trained in the ship in amphibious warfare.
      • 1048 Officers and 18,460 O.R’s were transported in and to for-ward areas with 30,829 tons military equipment (including vehicles) handled, mostly by ship’s landing craft.

November – December 1944

  • Several reinforcement trips to Leyte followed initial landing.
  • Early December Westralia anchored off Cape Torokina, Bougainville embarking equipment and men of 37th U.S. Division.
  • Proceeded to transport area in Huon Gulf.

19 December 1944

  • Convoy sailed for Seeadler Harbour in Admiralty Islands. Shore leave granted Ship’s Company — Festive Season celebrated happily.

1945

January 1945

  • 1 January, Monday, Westralia at sea as Unit of Luzon Attack Force, armada of 955 ships. Objective, capture of Manila, capital of Philippines.
  • Large force of U.S. 6th Army being landed on Southern shores of Lingayen Gulf.
  • Westralia unit of 215 ships in Task Force 79, Lingayen Attack Force. Japanese aircraft attacked convoy, all shot down.
    • U.S.S. Kitkun Bay, an escort carrier hit by suicide bomber and disabled.
    • A ‘Zeke’ made suicide attack on Westralia. Well aimed fire from ship’s guns caused aircraft to disintegrate and crash ten feet astern. Ship officially credited with kill.
    • Other attacks on convoy during next few days.
  • 9 January – After a bombardment of shore positions at Lingayen and San Fabian, troops left ship in boats and unloading continued throughout the day. Ship proceeded to San Pedro Bay in Leyte Gulf arriving 12th January.
  • 22 January – Sailed to Morotai where U.S. troops and cargo taken aboard for another voyage to Philippines, thence to Brisbane via Hollandia and Madang.

March – April 1945

  • 2 March – Reached Brisbane. Urgent work on ship’s refrigerators began.
  • 20 March – Fire broke out in No. 4 hatch, magazine flooded, damage caused ten day delay.
  • 30 March – Embarked 5, 547 men of U.S. Submarine Repair Unit. Next day another 14 Officers and 187 Ratings of RAN. taken aboard. RAN. personnel disembarked Madang,
  • 7-19April – Ship arrived Manus on 7th, Morotai reached 19th. 2/24th Australian Infantry Battalion  embarked for attack on Tarakan Island, Borneo.

May – August 1945

  • 1 May – After preliminary bombardment by two cruisers and six destroyers , troops of 26th Australian Infantry Brigade were landed.
  • Returning Morotai, Brigades of 9th Div embarked for Brunei Bay Ops. — Oboe 6.
  • 10 May – After bombardment and aircraft attack, first assault troops lowered for attack on Balikpapan
  • 0904 – 1 July – Westralia first wave assault troops (3rd wave of actual assault) landed.
  • 4 July – More 7th Div. embarked Morotai for Balikpapan. Ship returned Morotai. From here she sailed for Wewak, Manus Island and Lae
  • 29 July – Returned Brisbane.
  • 6 August – Nearly 1,100 men of Third Australian Division embarked for Bougainville but most of ship’s detachment of Engineers disembarked for leave on instructions Army Department.
  • 11 August – Reached Torokina.

15 August 1945

  • Japs surrender.
  • Westralia spent next few months on a variety of tasks ranging from Bougainville, New Britain, Netherlands, East Indies, Philippines, and Darwin.
  • Down to Tasmania, moving 787 Italian POWs to Melbourne.One thousand cases of ‘Food for Britain’ also loaded at request of Lord Mayor of Hobart.

8 October 1945

  • Commander E.W. Livingstone relinquished command, and Lieut. Commander H.J. Weston R.A.N.R.(S) assumed command.

1946

May – September 1946

  • 25 May – Westralia departed Sydney for Kure, Japan via Darwin and Morotai.
  • 19 June – Kure reached, departed 26th, sailing via Rabaul to Sydney
  • 27 July – Arrived Sydney, lying at Cruiser Wharf, Cockatoo Island.
  • August and September – de-storing took place preparatory to paying off.

19 September 1946

  • Paid off by Commander H.J. Weston.
  • Ship’s Company discharged to HMAS Penguin.
  • Colours were lowered and presented to Engineer Cdr B.C. Cumberland, R.A.N.R.(S) who was Chief Engineer designate on Westralia’s return to owner for retention in ship as souvenir of her sterling war service.

During period of service as L.S.I., Westralia steamed 120,978 miles at average speed of 12.3 knots.

 

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