The Japanese submarine I-180 sank the Australian merchant ship ORMISTON, off Coffs Harbour, NSW. The ship reached port under its own steam. The Fremantle-based USS GUDGEON, (submarine), sank the Japanese ...
Australian Naval History on 12 May 1943
Australian Naval History on 10 May 1943
On the 10th of May 1943, whilst on a return voyage from Thursday Island to Darwin, Maroubra was strafed by a fleet of nine Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi Zero fighters ...
Australian Naval History on 9 May 1943
HMAS LATROBE, (minesweeper), suffered heavy air attacks off the south coast of New Guinea. ...
Australian Naval History on 7 May 1943
HMAS ADELE, (auxiliary patrol vessel, formerly HMAS FRANKLIN), was wrecked on the breakwater at Port Kembla. ...
Australian Naval History on 5 May 1943
HMAS ABRAHAM CRIJNSSEN, (minesweeper), was returned to the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Dutch minesweeper had escaped from the Netherlands East Indies in 1942, and had been commissioned into the RAN. ...
Australian Naval History on 2 May 1943
Coastwatchers LEUT L. J. Bell, RANVR, LEUT D. A. Lewis, AIF, and a half-caste bearer, were murdered by natives at Bena Bena, New Guinea. ...
Australian Naval History on 1 May 1943
The mobile port war W/T and signal station vessel HMAS LOOKOUT, was commissioned. LOOKOUT was laid down in 1939, owned by Point Lookout and Amity Resorts and Cruises Pty Ltd, ...
Australian Naval History on 30 April 1943
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS COOTAMUNDRA, (LEUT G.A. Johns, RANR(S)), was commissioned. COOTAMUNDRA was laid down at Poole & Steel Yard, Sydney, on 20 February 1942, and launched on ...
Australian Naval History on 29 April 1943
The Japanese submarine I-180 torpedoed the merchant ship WOLLONGBAR off Port Macquarie, NSW. The Brisbane based USS GATO, (submarine) landed a party of 16 Australian Coastwatchers on Teop Island, in ...
Australian Naval History on 27 April 1943
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BENALLA, (LCDR L. N. Morrison, RANR(S)), was commissioned. BENALLA was laid down at Williamstown Naval Dockyard, VIC, on 24 March 1942, and launched on ...
Australian Naval History on 26 April 1943
The Japanese submarine I-26, torpedoed and sank the merchant ship LIMERICK off Cape Byron, NSW. The survivors were rescued by HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper). A RAAF Catalina flying boat of 11 ...
Australian Naval History on 24 April 1943
The Japanese submarine I-26 torpedoed the merchant vessel KOWARRA off Sandy Cape, NSW. ...
Australian Naval History on 20 April 1943
USS CANBERRA, (cruiser), was launched at Quincey, USA, by Lady Dixon, wife of the Australian Minister to the USA. The ship was named in honour of HMAS CANBERRA, (cruiser), lost ...
Australian Naval History on 15 April 1943
Japanese bombers attacked naval installations at Darwin, NT. The bombers were met by strong fighter defence. HMS MAJESTIC which later was commissioned as HMAS MELBOURNE, was laid down at Barrow-in-Furness, ...
Australian Naval History on 14 April 1943
HMA Ships KAPUNDA, WAGGA, and WHYALLA, (minesweepers), fought off repeated attacks by 100 Japanese aircraft at Milne Bay, New Guinea. ...
Australian Naval History on 12 April 1943
In New Guinea waters, an enemy formation of thirty-seven aircraft attacked MV Gorgon, one of the ships of a convoy being escorted by HMAS Kapunda. One of the planes was ...
Australian Naval History on 11 April 1943
The Japanese submarine I-177 torpedoed the Yugoslav merchant ship RECINA, 19 miles off Cape Howe. Nine survivors were picked up by HMAS MORESBY, (survey ship). The minesweeper HMAS PIRIE, (LCDR ...
Australian Naval History on 10 April 1943
LEUT L. V. Goldsworthy, RANVR, recovered ground, magnetic and acoustic mines from ports in England. He was awarded the GC for his bravery and gallantry in rendering safe mines between ...
Australian Naval History on 3 April 1943
HMAS STAWELL, (minesweeper), was launched at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC. ...
Australian Naval History on 28 March 1943
Australian transports BANTAM and MASAYA were sunk by Japanese dive bombers at Oro Bay, New Guinea. BANTAM was later salvaged and towed to Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 24 March 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 ...
Australian Naval History on 23 March 1943
Task Force 74 was constituted at Challenge Bay. It consisted of Task Group 74-1, HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and HOBART, (cruisers), and Task Group 74-2, HMA Ships ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), ...
Australian Naval History on 22 March 1943
The Bathurst class minesweeper (corvette), HMAS GLADSTONE, (LEUT J. W. Penny RANR(S)), was commissioned. GLADSTONE, was laid down in Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 4 August 1942, and launched on ...
Australian Naval History on 21 March 1943
HMAS QUICKMATCH, (destroyer), escorted the former RAN seaplane carrier, HMS ALBATROSS from Durban to Madagascar. ...
Australian Naval History on 20 March 1943
The examination vessel HMAS ELLAN, was commissioned. ELLAN was laid down in 1942, and requisitioned from her owner W. F. Hobson, Sydney. ...