LEUT W. F. Cook, RAN, was appointed to command HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer). Cook, aged 28, was the youngest officer appointed to command an Australian fleet destroyer. ...
Australian Units
Australian Naval History on 3 December 1944
HMAS Lismore arrived at Fremantle, her first call at an Australian port since leaving Darwin for Singapore on 20 March 1941. Her absence of 3 years, 8 months and 13 ...
Australian Naval History on 1 December 1944
The 21st and 22nd Minesweeping Flotillas, HMA Ships BURNIE, BALLARAT, MARYBOROUGH, LISMORE, WHYALLA, GOULBURN, KALGOORLIE, TOOWOOMBA, and BENDIGO, and HMA Ships GAWLER, GERALDTON, CESSNOCK, CAIRNS, IPSWICH, TAMWORTH, WOLLONGONG, PINE, and ...
Australian Naval History on 28 November 1944
HMA Ships KALGOORLIE and TOWNSVILLE, (minesweepers), completed a three months’ search for mines in the Great Barrier Reef, during which time 491 mines were swept. The mines were laid by ...
Australian Naval History on 27 November 1944
The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS KARINA, was commissioned. The air/sea rescue vessel AIR WATCH, (SBLT W. A. Bach, RANVR), was commissioned. ...
Australian Naval History on 25 November 1944
HMA Ships KALGOORLIE and TOWNSVILLE, (minesweepers), swept the passages in the Great Barrier Reef for enemy mines. ...
Australian Naval History on 19 November 1944
HMAS BURDEKIN, (frigate), bombarded Japanese positions on Halmahera Island. ...
Australian Naval History on 15 November 1944
CAPT Buchanan recorded in Reports of Proceedings of HMAS ARUNTA, (destroyer):- ‘HMAS ARUNTA contributed her share to the heavy concentration of fire that destroyed an enemy aircraft soon after ABNER ...
Australian Naval History on 12 November 1944
HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (Tribal class destroyer), carrying mail to TG77.1 in the Philippines, signalled the flagship HMAS SHROPSHIRE:- ‘Intend to visit you first’. SHROPSHIRE replied: ‘Shall open fire if you don’t’. ...
Australian Naval History on 7 November 1944
HMA Ships VENDETTA, (destroyer), SWAN, (sloop), and BARCOO, (frigate), completed their bombardment of Wide Bay, New Britain. The guns were directed by Australian Coastwatchers. ...
Australian Naval History on 6 November 1944
HMAS GASCOYNE, (frigate), shot down a Japanese kamikaze aircraft aimed at HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), in Lingayen Gulf. HMA Ships VENDETTA, BARCOO, and SWAN, bombarded Japanese positions at Wide Bay, New ...
Australian Naval History on 5 November 1944
HMAS NORMAN, (destroyer), picked up 71 survivors of the merchant ship MARION MOLLER, sunk by the German submarine U861 north of Trincomalee, Ceylon. ...
Australian Naval History on 4 November 1944
Engaged in Operation Battleaxe, HMA Ships VENDETTA, SWAN and BARCOO, provided gun support for the Australian landing at Jacquinot Bay. HMAS CONDAMINE, (frigate), was launched at the State Dockyard, Newcastle. ...
Australian Naval History on 1 November 1944
HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), narrowly evaded torpedoes fired by USS ABNER READ, (destroyer), off Leyte. Minutes before, the destroyer had been turned into a fireball when a Japanese kamikaze aircraft crashed ...
Australian Naval History on 31 October 1944
HMAS MURCHISON was launched at Evans Deakin, QLD. ...
Australian Naval History on 27 October 1944
CAPT C.A.G. Nichols, RN, commanding HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), reported the ship’s crew were at action stations for 146 hours out of 168, in the week ending 20 October. CAPT J.M. ...
Australian Naval History on 25 October 1944
HMA Ships SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), and ARUNTA, (destroyer), were engaged in the Battle of Surigao Strait. ARUNTA fired her main armament and torpedoes in a clash with Japanese ships YAMASHIRO, MICHISHIO, ...
Australian Naval History on 24 October 1944
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), was escorted by HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (Tribal class destroyer), to Manus Island for emergency repairs. ...
Australian Naval History on 21 October 1944
A Japanese kamikaze aircraft crashed into the foremast of HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), killing 30 officers and ratings, including CAPT E. F. V. Dechaineux, RAN, AUSTRALIA’s commanding officer. Sixty-four officers and ...
Australian Naval History on 20 October 1944
HMAS Glenelg was able to render signal aid to a sorely harassed American patrol at the mouth of the Woske River near Maffin Bay, Dutch New Guinea. While proceeding close ...
Australian Naval History on 19 October 1944
The Fremantle-based Dutch submarine ZWAARDFISCH sank the ITSUKUSHIMA, Japan’s largest minelayer. The American tanker YORK landed survivors from HMAS GEELONG at Langemak, New Guinea. ...
Australian Naval History on 18 October 1944
HMAS GEELONG, (minesweeper), was sunk in a collision with the US tanker YORK, off Langemak, New Guinea. CAPT H. Birkland of the YORK reported in his log:- ‘We struck the ...
Australian Naval History on 17 October 1944
HMA Ships NORMAN and QUIBERON, (destroyers), operated with Force 63 in Operation Millet, the air strike and bombardment of the Nicobar Islands. LCDR J. M. Alliston, RN, assumed command of ...
Australian Naval History on 15 October 1944
The destroyer HMAS VENDETTA, (LEUT W. F. Cook, RAN), sloop, HMAS SWAN, (LCDR D. W. Hodges, RANR), frigate, HMAS BARCOO, (LCDR C. G. Hill, RANR), and ML802, (LEUT V. T. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 October 1944
US Ships CANBERRA and HOUSTON, (cruisers), were torpedoed off Leyte. USS CANBERRA was named in honour of HMAS CANBERRA, (cruiser), lost at Savo Island in 1942, and USS HOUSTON was ...
