The RAN comprised 324 vessels, ranging from 4 cruisers, to 44 miscellaneous craft. Of this number, 19, (six destroyers and 13 minesweepers), were serving overseas with the Eastern Fleet. The ...
Australian Units
Australian Naval History on 1 October 1943
The repair ship/works ship/store-carrier HMAS WHANG PU, was commissioned. WHANG PU was laid down in Hong Kong for the China Navigation Co Ltd, in 1920. The vessel was a former ...
Australian Naval History on 27 September 1943
During Operation Jaywick, limpet mines were fastened to seven ships in Singapore Harbour, by Commandos launched from the Special Services vessel HMAS KRAIT. The largest ship attacked was the 10,000 ...
Australian Naval History on 26 September 1943
Z Special Force, (Operation Jaywick), operatives enter Singapore Harbour in kayaks, and planted limpet mines on seven Japanese merchant ships. They then escaped undetected, to rendezvous with HMAS KRAIT. The ...
Australian Naval History on 12 September 1943
HMAS WOLLONGONG, (corvette), shared the sinking of the German submarine U617, in the Straits of Gibraltar, with HM Ships HAARLEM and HYANCINTH, and two Wellington bombers. ...
Australian Naval History on 4 September 1943
Engaged in the Allied landing at Lae, New Guinea, HMA Ships SHEPPARTON and BENALLA, (corvettes), carried out a close bombardment of enemy troop positions. A preliminary survey of the landing ...
Australian Naval History on 3 September 1943
HMAS SHEPPARTON and ML 817, were straddled in a heavy attack by Japanese bombers at Morobe, New Guinea. Neither ship suffered casualties, but 50 holes were counted above the waterline ...
Australian Naval History on 27 August 1943
Aerial image of RFA BISHOPDALE by the RAAF showing her deck layout including her defensive armament – 12 pounder gun forward, 4 inch AA aft, single oerlikon AA guns are ...
Australian Naval History on 26 August 1943
HMAS BARCOO, (frigate), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 13 August 1943
35 German Heinkel HE 111 torpedo bombers, and 12 Junkers JU 88 escorts from Kampfgruppe 26, (a specialist torpedo bomber squadron), attacked a convoy being escorted by HMA Ships GAWLER, ...
Australian Naval History on 12 August 1943
HRH King George VI inspected HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), at Scapa Flow, Scotland. ...
Australian Naval History on 4 August 1943
Japanese bombers attacked HMAS COOTAMUNDRA, (corvette), and the merchant ship MACUMBA, off Thursday Island. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 August 1943
HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), underwent temporary repairs at Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides after being torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. Four of HOBART’S officers, and nine other ranks, were killed. ...
Australian Naval History on 31 July 1943
The Brisbane based USS GUARDFISH, (submarine), landed a survey party in Japanese occupied territory on the west coast of Bougainville. The Fremantle based USS GRAYLING, (submarine), landed a ton of ...
Australian Naval History on 25 July 1943
HMA Ships GAWLER, IPSWICH, LISMORE, and MARYBOROUGH, were on anti submarine patrol off Syracuse, Sicily, when the Luftwaffe attacked the city, shipping in the harbour, and the anti-submarine patrol. IPSWICH ...
Australian Naval History on 24 July 1943
The seine trawler June commissioned in the RAN as HMAS June. She was renamed HMAS Winter in October 1943 to avoid confusion with the minesweeper HMAS Junee HMAS HAWKESBURY was ...
Australian Naval History on 24 July 1943
HMAS HAWKESBURY, (frigate), was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 20 July 1943
HMAS HOBART was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-G011, while steaming to Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides. The torpedo struck aft on the port side causing considerable damage in ...
Australian Naval History on 13 July 1943
HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), was the only Australian ship engaged in the second battle of Kolombangara, Solomon Islands. HMA Ships GERALDTON, CAIRNS, CESSNOCK, and WOLLONGONG, (minesweepers), patrolled off the beaches of ...
Australian Naval History on 12 July 1943
HMAS STRAHAN, (minesweeper), was launched at Newcastle, NSW. ...
Australian Naval History on 10 July 1943
The invasion of Sicily, (Operation Husky), began. Among the escort ships for the troop convoys were HMA Ships CAIRNS, CESSNOCK, GAWLER, GERALDTON, IPSWICH, LISMORE, MARYBOROUGH, and WOLLONGONG, (corvettes). Over the ...
Australian Naval History on 9 July 1943
HMAS GAWLER, (minesweeper), escorting a convoy for the invasion of Sicily, (Operation Husky), dropped back to investigate a transport which had fallen behind. GAWLER signalled ‘Follow father’. At first light ...
Australian Naval History on 1 July 1943
HMAS HARMAN, (shore establishment in Canberra), was commissioned. ...
Australian Naval History on 25 June 1943
The cruiser HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (CAPT J. A. Collins, CB, RAN), was commissioned. SHROPSHIRE was laid down in Wm Beardmore & Co Ltd, Dalmuir, Scotland, on 24 February 1926, and launched ...
Australian Naval History on 21 June 1943
HMAS IPSWICH, (minesweeper), contributed one officer and ten ratings to the guard of honour to welcome HRH King George VI, at Tripoli. The Brisbane based USS GATO, (submarine), sank the ...