On This Day

On This Day - 24 March

1940

Volunteers from ships of Australia's "Scrap Iron Flotilla", in the Mediterranean, embarked on a mission to block the Danube River at a feature known as the Iron Gates. The operation was planned by DNI from a suggestion made by LCDR M. Minshall, RNVR, who had voyaged down the river on an intelligence mission shortly before the outbreak of hostilities. Coordinator for the operation was LCDR Ian Fleming, creator of the fictional hero James Bond. LCDR Fleming smuggled 14 tons of explosives across Europe on the Orient Express. The operation was discovered by German agents before the RAN-manned barges reached the target. In the withdrawal one barge loaded with explosives was detonated beneath a railway viaduct. All Australian members of the Commando-style mission succeeded in returning to their ships.

1942

US Congress accepted an Australian proposal for dividing the Pacific into distinct naval operational zones. The two areas proposed were the Southwest Pacific and the Southern Pacific. "Harris's Navy", an unusual flotilla of small vessels led by Burns Philp's 300 ton steamer LAKATOI, commanded by Patrol Officer G. C. Harris, evacuated hundreds of troops and civilians from New Britain under the nose of the Japanese.

1943

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS FREMANTLE, (LEUT A. N. Boulton, RANR(S)), was commissioned. FREMANTLE was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 11 February 1942, and launched on 18 August 1942.

1944

The Fremantle based USS BOWFIN, (submarine), sank the Japanese transports SHINKYO MARU and BENGAL MARU. An explosion and fire onboard the Fairmile motor launch, HMAS ML 427, caused the deaths of three RAN personnel. ML 427 was alongside the wharf at HMAS LADAVA, (Milne Bay), undergoing repairs when a spark from a battery terminal ignited fuel in the bilge. Those who died, (or subsequently died from their injuries), were Stoker C. J. Jones, Motor Mechanic R. L. McKee, and Motor Mechanic E. J. Williams. Motor Mechanic J. A. Page, who was passing by, saw the explosion and stopped to render assistance. He subsequently rescued two men from the vessel and was later awarded the British Empire Medal, (BEM), for gallantry.

1945

HRH the Duke of Gloucester officially opened the Captain Cook Graving Dock at Garden Island, Sydney. A ribbon suspended across the dock entrance was cut by HMAS LACHLAN, (frigate). The building of the dock was the largest engineering project undertaken in Australia up to that time. At the peak of its activity 4000 men were employed, 24 hours a day, on the project. The dock was designed to accommodate the largest warships afloat, and the super liners QUEEN MARY and QUEEN ELIZABETH.

1953

The first rescue operation by a helicopter of the RAN was effected when an injured lighthouse keeper was rescued from Point Perpendicular Lighthouse, NSW.

1965

During the Indonesian ‘Confrontation’ to detect Indonesian boats smuggling arms or infiltrating Malaysia Fairey Gannets flew night-time patrols along the Strait of Malacca from HMAS Melbourne. Returning after a night sortie A/SBLT(P) Hutchison touched down on HMAS Melbourne at 0431 in Fairey Gannet WN456. The aircraft caught an arrestor wire, but the arrestor-hook broke allowing the aircraft to race unrestrained along the flight deck. Despite heavy braking the aircraft crashed over the ship’s port side into the sea. Two of the crew were rescued but after a lengthy search A/SBLT(P) Hutchison was never found.

1975

The destroyer escort HMAS PARRAMATTA, (CMDR J. D. Foster, RAN), became the first RAN warship to visit the scene of the killing of CAPT James Cook, RN, at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii.

2000

TU 645.1.1, (LCH Task Group consisting of HMA Ships BALIKPAPAN, BRUNEI, LABUAN, and TARAKAN), awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation for service in East Timor.

2003

A boarding Party from HMAS KANIMBLA lead by LCDR M. D. Edwards, RAN, captured a number of Iraqi tugs in the Northern Arabian Gulf. Onboard these tugs, and a barge being towed by them, were 186 sea mines which were ready to be deployed, (one of the mines was later presented to the Australian War Memorial as a relic). Later that day a steaming party from KANIMBLA took control of the two tugs, and steamed them to Kuwait Naval Base, where they arrived the next day. During this short period the tugs flew the Australian White Ensign.

2006

The landing craft heavy, HMA Ships WEWAK, (LCDR Williams, RAN), LABUAN, (LCDR M. A. Verho, RAN), and TARAKAN, (LEUT C. J. Doolin, RAN), along with two Sea King helicopters from 816 Squadron, (under the command of LCDR R. Jose, RAN, and LCDR S. Palmer, RAN, respectively), were committed to providing support, to clean up, and restore services to, the area around Innisfail, QLD, following the devastation of northern Queensland by cyclone Larry. Named operation Larry Assist, the three LCH'S were under the overall command of LCDR Williams, and designated as CTG 627.3 .