HMA Ships CANBERRA, (cruiser), and VAMPIRE, (destroyer), arrived in Singapore, having escorted the liner AQUITANIA, which was carrying troops from Australia. HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer), on an early morning anti-submarine sweep ...
Australian Naval History on 25 January 1942
Australian Naval History on 23 January 1942
HMAS ARMIDALE was launched at Mort’s Dock, Sydney. ADML Royle informed the Australian War Cabinet that an invasion of Australia by the Japanese was a distinct possibility. ...
Australian Naval History on 22 January 1942
HMAS Katoomba was involved in a collision with the US tanker Pecos just outside Darwin Harbour. Holed on the port side and taking water, she was in danger of sinking. ...
Australian Naval History on 21 January 1942
Off Darwin, NT, HMA Ships DELORAINE, KATOOMBA, and LITHGOW, (corvettes), with the USS EDSALL, (destroyer), took part in depth-charge attacks which destroyed the Japanese submarine I124, the first warship of ...
Australian Naval History on 17 January 1942
HMAS ECHUCA was launched at Williamstown Naval Dockyard, VIC. The lugger, HMAS ST. FRANCIS, (LEUT (Brother) Andrew Smith, RANVR), sighted a Japanese submarine on the surface off Melville Island. In ...
Australian Naval History on 16 January 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS GEELONG, (LCDR C. G. Hill, RANR(S)), was commissioned. GEELONG was laid down at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, on 16 October 1940. Lady Dugan, (Wife of ...
Australian Naval History on 10 January 1942
HMAS Canberra departed Sydney with convoy MS.2 (troopship AQUITANIA) for Ratai Bay in the Sunda Straits, arriving on the 20th ...
Australian Naval History on 8 January 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS WHYALLA, was commissioned at Whyalla, SA. Lady Barclay-Harvey, (wife of the Governor of South Australia, Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey), performed the launching ceremony. WHYALLA was ...
Australian Naval History on 7 January 1942
HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), joined the ABDA Fleet at Batavia. The cruiser was returning to Australia after service in the Mediterranean when she was diverted to the Far East. ...
Australian Naval History on 6 January 1942
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS COLAC, (LCDR D. C. Northern, RANR(S)), was commissioned at Sydney. Miss M. Heady Sr, (staff of Morts Dock), performed the launching ceremony. COLAC was ...
Australian Naval History on 5 January 1942
CMDR S. H. K. Spurgeon, DSO, RAN, assumed command of HMAS STUART, (destroyer), at Williamstown, VIC. He commanded HMS ECHO in 1940, and took part in the Norwegian Campaign, He ...
Australian Naval History on 4 January 1942
Coastwatcher SBLT C. L. Page, RANVR, reported 22 Japanese heavy bombers passing over Tabar Island bound for Rabaul. ...
Australian Naval History on 3 January 1942
HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), arrived in Singapore with a convoy under escort, and was subjected to Japanese air attack at the naval base. A signal from the Dutch destroyer HMNS ISAAC ...
Australian Naval History on 2 January 1942
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, CANBERRA, and PERTH, (cruisers), with HMS ACHILLES escorted the first large troop reinforcement convoy to Port Moresby. ...
Australian Naval History on 31 December 1941
HMA Ships NAPIER, NIZAM, and NESTOR, (destroyers), joined HM Ships AJAX, KINGSTON, ARROW, and GURKHA in the bombardment of German defence posts on the outskirts of Bardia. ...
Australian Naval History on 24 December 1941
CAPT H. B. Farncomb, RAN, assumed command of HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), at Sydney. ...
Australian Naval History on 22 December 1941
The boom working vessel HMAS KARANGI, was commissioned. KARANGI was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 5 February 1941, and launched on 16 August 1941. Mrs G. Hutcheson ...
Australian Naval History on 20 December 1941
MIDN L. J. Tathan, RAN, and the crew of the whaler from HMS KANDAHAR which he was commanding in rescue operations, was killed when the boat was heavily strafed by ...
Australian Naval History on 19 December 1941
HMS NEPTUNE sank after striking a mine off the coast of Tripoli. Only one rating of the crew of 717 survived. Among those lost were the two RAN members of ...
Australian Naval History on 17 December 1941
HMA Ships SWAN, (sloop), and BANTAM, (transport), landed troop reinforcements on Ambon Island. HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer), was straddled twice by 15 inch shells from Italian battleships during the Battle of ...
Australian Naval History on 16 December 1941
HMAS YARRA passed through the Suez Canal to return to Australia. She arrived at Colombo on the 30/12/41 and Batavia on 11/1/42 for escort duties ...
Australian Naval History on 15 December 1941
HMAS NESTOR, (destroyer), sank the German submarine U127 south-west of Cape St Vincent. The following awards resulted from this action:- Bar to DSO CAPT A. S. Rosenthal; DSC Mr. R. ...
Australian Naval History on 14 December 1941
Three gallantry awards to RAN officers for service in the Mediterranean were announced: DSC CMDR M. J. Clark DSC CMDR G. McD. Wilson; Both received for gallantry in the Battle ...
Australian Naval History on 12 December 1941
HMAS NESTOR, (destroyer), opened fire on an aircraft showing a navigation light in the North Atlantic. The ‘aircraft’ was later identified as the planet Venus. HMAS MARRAWAH, (a former coaster), ...
Australian Naval History on 11 December 1941
The Australian Government requested the British Admiralty to return HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), and HMAS YARRA, (sloop), to Australian waters. The minesweeper HMS LADY SHIRLEY, (LCDR Callaway, RANVR), was sunk by ...