On This Day
1944 > WW2
On This Day - 1944
- December 9, 1944
CDRE H. B. Farncomb hoisted his pennant as Commodore Commanding the Australian Squadron, and Commander Task Group 74.1, in HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), at Manus.
- December 7, 1944
HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), was re-commissioned in Sydney. Damage inflicted by a Japanese torpedo in 1943 required 17 months in dockyard hands for repairs.
- December 5, 1944
LEUT W. F. Cook, RAN, was appointed to command HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer). Cook, aged 28, was the youngest officer appointed to command an Australian fleet destroyer.
- December 3, 1944
HMAS Lismore arrived at Fremantle, her first call at an Australian port since leaving Darwin for Singapore on 20 March 1941. Her absence of 3 years, 8 months and 13 days from Australia was longer than that of any other Royal Australian Navy ship of World War II
- December 1, 1944
The 21st and 22nd Minesweeping Flotillas, HMA Ships BURNIE, BALLARAT, MARYBOROUGH, LISMORE, WHYALLA, GOULBURN, KALGOORLIE, TOOWOOMBA, and BENDIGO, and HMA Ships GAWLER, GERALDTON, CESSNOCK, CAIRNS, IPSWICH, TAMWORTH, WOLLONGONG, PINE, and LAUNCESTON, were attached to the British Pacific Fleet.
- November 28, 1944
HMA Ships KALGOORLIE and TOWNSVILLE, (minesweepers), completed a three months’ search for mines in the Great Barrier Reef, during which time 491 mines were swept. The mines were laid by HMAS BUNGAREE, in 1942 and 1943.
LEUT K.R. Hudspeth, RANVR was awarded his third DSC, while commanding the midget submarine X-20 off the beaches of Normandy, prior to the Allied landing.
- November 27, 1944
The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS KARINA, was commissioned.
The air/sea rescue vessel AIR WATCH, (SBLT W. A. Bach, RANVR), was commissioned.
- November 25, 1944
HMA Ships KALGOORLIE and TOWNSVILLE, (minesweepers), swept the passages in the Great Barrier Reef for enemy mines.
- November 22, 1944
The Fremantle-based British submarine HMS STRATAGEM, was sunk by a Japanese destroyer in Malacca Strait.
- November 21, 1944
The Fremantle-based British submarine HMS Tantalus, (LCDR H. S. Mackenzie, RN), made a vain search for the Commandos of Operation Rimau on Merapas Island. The landing party found signs of a hurried departure by the Commandos.