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Australian Naval History on 20 October 1941

Australian Naval History on 20 October 1941

On This Day · Oct 20, 1941 ·

HMAS VENDETTA departed Alexandria for Singapore and passed through the Suez Canal on the 21st. HMAS HOBART and HM Ships AJAX and GALATEA bombarded enemy batteries east of Tobruk. ...

Australian Naval History on 17 October 1941

On This Day · Oct 17, 1941 ·

HMAS CESSNOCK, (minesweeper), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney. CESSNOCK was sold out of service in 1947, and was renamed NAN-AU ...

Australian Naval History on 14 October 1941

David Stratton · Oct 14, 1941 ·

HMAS Lithgow swept a German mineoff Tasman Island ...

Australian Naval History on 9 October 1941

On This Day · Oct 9, 1941 ·

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS TOOWOOMBA, (LCDR P. H. Hurst, RAN), was commissioned. TOOWOOMBA was laid down in Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 6 August 1940, and launched on ...

Australian Naval History on 7 October 1941

On This Day · Oct 7, 1941 ·

N. J. O. Makin became Minister for the Navy, succeeding W. M. Hughes. HMAS CAIRNS, (minesweeper), was launched at Walker’s, QLD. The ship was transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy ...

Australian Naval History on 6 October 1941

On This Day · Oct 6, 1941 ·

HMAS BROOME, (minesweeper), was launched at Evans Deakin, QLD. ...

Australian Naval History on 4 October 1941

On This Day · Oct 4, 1941 ·

The German submarine U111 was sunk by HMS LADY SHIRLEY, (trawler), off the Canary Islands. Forty German prisoners were taken by the trawler. For outstanding courage in the action, the ...

Australian Naval History on 30 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 30, 1941 ·

HMAS NESTOR, (destroyer), arrived at Devonport, England, for docking and repairs after being damaged by a premature depth charge explosion off Gambier. Several turbine feet were broken, and structural damage ...

Australian Naval History on 27 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 27, 1941 ·

HMAS STUART, (destroyer), arrived home at Williamstown, VIC, for a refit ...

Australian Naval History on 25 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 25, 1941 ·

HMAS VOYAGER, (destroyer), arrived home at Sydney for a refit. ...

Australian Naval History on 24 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 24, 1941 ·

The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS WARRAWEE, was commissioned. WARRAWEE was laid down in 1909. ...

Australian Naval History on 23 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 23, 1941 ·

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS WARRNAMBOOL, (LEUT E. J. Barren, RANR(S)), was commissioned. WARRNAMBOOL was laid down in Mort’s Dock, Sydney, on 13 November 1940, and launched on 8 ...

Australian Naval History on 21 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 21, 1941 ·

The production of mines in Australia reached 3000 per year. Orders were received for 1500 for the Admiralty, 2500 for the RAN, 300 for New Zealand, and 100 for Noumea ...

Australian Naval History on 20 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 20, 1941 ·

HMAS SYDNEY, (cruiser), was damaged by heavy seas in the Great Australian Bight. A turret was jammed to port, and the training gear was damaged. ...

Australian Naval History on 18 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 18, 1941 ·

HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer), struck a submerged wreck in Tobruk Harbour, and tore away 6 metres of her forecastle deck. The collision did not impair NIZAM’s seaworthiness, and she returned to ...

Australian Naval History on 17 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 17, 1941 ·

HMAS Napier loaded 300 troops of the Surrey Regiment, and 1000 demijohns of rum, for Tobruk. HMAS Nizam was near missed by a bomb while leaving Tobruk harbour and her ...

Australian Naval History on 16 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 16, 1941 ·

The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS KIANGA was commissioned. KIANGA was laid down in Narooma, NSW, in 1922. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the Illawarra & South Coast ...

Australian Naval History on 15 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 15, 1941 ·

The N class destroyer HMAS NORMAN, (CMDR H. M. Burrell, RAN), was commissioned. NORMAN was laid down in John I Thorneycroft & Co, Southampton, England, on 27 July 1939, and ...

Australian Naval History on 14 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 14, 1941 ·

The auxiliary boom defence vessel HMAS KARA KARA, was commissioned. KARA KARA was laid down in Saltney, England, in 1926. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, Sydney ...

Australian Naval History on 6 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 6, 1941 ·

In the first two years of WWII, Australian shipyards fitted 214 ships with defensive armament, degaussed 198, and equipped 216 with paravane sweeping equipment ...

Australian Naval History on 5 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 5, 1941 ·

HMAS CANBERRA, (cruiser), escorted the troop ships QUEEN MARY and QUEEN ELIZABETH from Sydney, to join troop convoy US 12A. ...

Australian Naval History on 3 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 3, 1941 ·

The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS MARRAWA, was commissioned. MARRAWA was laid down in Holland in 1910. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, Australian Steamships Pty Ltd, Melbourne, in ...

Australian Naval History on 2 September 1941

On This Day · Sep 2, 1941 ·

Awards for conspicuous service in the Persian Gulf were gazetted, as follows:-DSO CAPT W. L. Adams, RN, (of HMS KANIMBLA). DSO CMDR W. H. Harrington, RAN, (of HMAS YARRA) ...

Australian Naval History on 30 August 1941

On This Day · Aug 30, 1941 ·

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BALLARAT, (LCDR A. D. Barling, RANR(S)), was commissioned. BALLARAT was laid down in Williamstown Dockyard, VIC, on 17 April 1940, and launched on 10 ...

Australian Naval History on 29 August 1941

On This Day · Aug 29, 1941 ·

The following gallantry awards were made to personell of HMAS YARRA for her action in the Persian Gulf:- DSO: LCDR W. H. Harrington, RAN; DSM: PO N. Fraser, DSM: PO ...

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This podcast series examines Australia’s Naval history, featuring a variety of naval history experts from the Naval Studies Group and elsewhere.
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