On This Day

On This Day - 14 May

1918

HMAS PARRAMATTA, (torpedo boat destroyer), towed an anti-submarine balloon in the Adriatic. An observer from the ship rode in a wicker basket suspended from the balloon, and communicated with the bridge by telephone.

1924

The turret ship HMAS CERBERUS, (which had been renamed PLAYTPUS II), was sold for 80 pounds, and taken to Williamstown Dockyard for dismantling. The hulk was later sunk as a breakwater at Black Rock, in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne. CERBERUS has commenced service with the Victorian Navy in 1871, and had become part of the Australian Navy in 1901.

1941

Australian merchant vessel RABAUL, was sunk by the German raider ATLANTIS, 700 miles north-west of Walrus Bay. Nine members of the ship's crew were killed in action.

1943

HMAS CENTAUR, (hospital ship), was sunk by a Japanese submarine, (believed to be I178), off the Queensland coast near Brisbane. CENTAUR was on her second journey north to Port Moresby to collect wounded Australian troops, and was clearly marked and illuminated as a hospital ship. A single torpedo struck the ship at about 0400, and the CENTAUR caught fire and sank within two to three minutes. Of the 332 crew and medical staff onboard, some 268 were killed in the attack or later drowned. Japanese submarines were extremely active off the east coast of Australia between February and June 1943, and attacked or sank 14 ships.

1945

On May 14, 1945 , while towing the 30-ton ketch STINGRAY from Coconut Island to Thursday Island , HMAS WATCHER , commanded by Commissioned Officer from Warrant Rank Francis G. Squire RANR [S], grounded one mile off Harvey Rock Light. The ship was a total loss but there were no casualties. CMDR G. C. Oldham, RAN, LEUT J. S. Austin, RAN, and LEUT J. S. Mesley, RAN, were awarded the DSC for gallantry while serving in HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. CAPT J. M. Armstrong, RAN, was awarded the DSO for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, whilst commanding HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), during the Battle of Lingayen Gulf, and subsequent landings on Luzon. The award of the US Navy Cross for the same operations was made in 1946. HMA Ships HOBART, ARUNTA, WARRAMUNGA, SWAN, WARREGO, COLAC and IPSWICH, were involved in operations which saw the capture of the Wewak Peninsula in New Guinea.

1956

HMAS Melbourne became the Flagship of the Australian Fleet, a post she held for the next 25 years.

1991

Sea King helicopters from 817 Squadron, (RAN), rescued 38 people cut off by flood waters on the NSW south coast. The Squadron was later awarded a NSW Police Commendation for the operation.

2020

The Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS Creswell graduated the largest officer cohort in its 107-year history, with 168 members of New Entry Officers' Course (NEOC) 62 completing their initial training