The Japanese submarine I-24 attacked the merchant vessel ECHUNGA, 17 miles south-east of Port Kembla, but was kept at bay by the ship’s gun, until HMAS KALGOORLIE, (corvette),arrived on the ...
Australian Units
Australian Naval History on 3 June 1942
At 2200 hours the Australian coastal steamer AGE, came under attack from gunfire from a Japanese submarine, near Norah Head, NSW. The ship reached Newcastle without being hit. At midnight ...
Australian Naval History on 1 June 1942
During the attack on Sydney Harbour by Japanese midget submarines, a torpedo fired by one of the submarines at USS CHICAGO, (cruiser), missed the target and struck the sea wall ...
Australian Naval History on 31 May 1942
Three Japanese midget submarines were released from their mother submarines off the east coast of Australia and commenced an attack on Sydney Harbour. The alarm was raised when one of ...
Australian Naval History on 29 May 1942
The destroyer HMAS NEPAL, (CMDR F.B. Morris, RAN), was commissioned at Woolston, England. A Japanese Navy seaplane from the submarine I-21, flew over Sydney and Newcastle, at night, to conduct ...
Australian Naval History on 27 May 1942
The lugger HMAS GRIFFIOEN, was commissioned. GRIFFIOEN was acquired on loan from the Royal Netherlands Navy. The auxiliary patrol vessel HMAS KURU, (LEUT J Joel, RANVR), made contact with the ...
Australian Naval History on 22 May 1942
The repair ship HMAS PING WO, (LCDR D. M. Clarke, RANR), was commissioned. PING WO was a former Yangtse River ferry The ship had escaped from Singapore in February 1942, ...
Australian Naval History on 21 May 1942
HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer), was quarantined at Kilindini with an epidemic of influenza aboard. ...
Australian Naval History on 16 May 1942
HMAS HORSHAM, (minesweeper), was launched at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, and HMAS BUNBURY, (minesweeper), was launched at Evans Deakin, Brisbane They were a part of the programme of 60 vessels of ...
Australian Naval History on 13 May 1942
HMAS TOWNSVILLE, (minesweeper), was launched at Evans Deakin, Brisbane. ...
Australian Naval History on 12 May 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS CAIRNS, (LCDR R. E. MacMillan, RANR(S)), was commissioned. CAIRNS was laid down at Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 31 March 1941, and launched on ...
Australian Naval History on 8 May 1942
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and HOBART continued to patrol the western part of the Coral Sea, to prevent Japanese transports moving towards Port Moresby. US air attacks in the eastern Coral ...
Australian Naval History on 7 May 1942
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and HOBART, (Task Force 44, under RADM John Crace, RN), were attacked by 19 Japanese land based aircraft during the Battle of the Coral Sea. While some ...
Australian Naval History on 2 May 1942
Coastwatcher Major D. G. Kennedy, DSO, reported from Ysabel Island the massing of Japanese shipping in Thousand Ship Bay, for an attack on the Solomon Islands. HMAS INVERELL, (minesweeper), was ...
Australian Naval History on 1 May 1942
The N class destroyer HMAS NEPAL, (CMDR F. B. Morris, RAN), was commissioned. NEPAL, (formerly NORSEMAN), was laid down at John I Thornycroft Yard, Southampton, England, on 9 September 1939, ...
Australian Naval History on 30 April 1942
The Tribal class destroyer HMAS ARUNTA, (CMDR J. C. Morrow, DSO, RAN), was commissioned. ARUNTA was laid down at Cockatoo Island Dockyard on 15 November 1939, and launched on 30 ...
Australian Naval History on 28 April 1942
HMAS BENDIGO, (minesweeper), picked up 50 survivors from the Dutch merchant vessel DUPLIEX, sunk off Java Head. The patrol vessel HMAS LAURABADA, (LEUT Ivan Champion, RANVR), evacuated the last troops ...
Australian Naval History on 19 April 1942
HMAS VOYAGER, (destroyer), was in a near collision with the troop ship QUEEN MARY, south of Melbourne. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 April 1942
HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), reached Port Phillip after an epic 72 day tow from Singapore. The destroyer had been immobilized in dry dock at Singapore when the Japanese invaded, and was ...
Australian Naval History on 13 April 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS GERALDTON, (LCDR H. M. Harris, RNR), was commissioned. GERALDTON was laid down at Poole and Steel’s Yard, Sydney, on 20 March 1940. She was ...
Australian Naval History on 11 April 1942
The destroyer HMS QUICKMATCH, (later HMAS QUICKMATCH), was launched at White’s Yard in England. ...
Australian Naval History on 9 April 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS LAUNCESTON, (LCDR P.G. Collins, RANR), was commissioned. LAUNCESTON was laid down at Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 23 December 1940, and launched on 30 ...
Australian Naval History on 7 April 1942
HMAS WARRAMUNGA, the second Tribal class destroyer built in Australia, was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney. The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS KALGOORLIE, (LCDR H.A. Litchfield, RANR), was commissioned. KALGOORLIE ...
Australian Naval History on 3 April 1942
A lifeboat, commanded by PO J. Tyrrell, containing 23 survivors from HMAS PERTH, (cruiser), surrendered to the Japanese at Semangka Bay, Sumatra. The party set out to sail to Australia ...
Australian Naval History on 2 April 1942
ADML Sir James Somerville ordered his battleships HMS RAMILLES, REVENGE, RESOLUTION, and ROYAL SOVEREIGN, to withdraw to Addu Atoll to avoid a clash with ADML Naguma’s superior modern fleet. The ...