On This Day
1945 > WW2
On This Day - 1945
- September 8, 1945
HMAS VENDETTA transported 28 released European POW’s from Rabaul to Madang, for repatriation to Australia.
The surrender of Dutch Borneo by the Japanese was accepted on board HMAS Burdekin by Major General EJ Milford, General Officer Commanding 7th Australian Division, from Vice Admiral Mitchishi Kamada.
HMA Ships Glenelg, Junee, Cootamundra and Latrobe proceeded to Ambon and embarked Australian, American and Dutch prisoners of war and one Japanese prisoner for passage to Morotai
- September 7, 1945
The sloop HMAS Moresby (I), accompanied by ten other Australian warships (including HMAS Parkes) and two Dutch vessels, sailed from Darwin to conduct the ceremony of surrender of all Japanese forces in Timor
- September 6, 1945
The surrender of Dutch Borneo was signed by the Japanese, in HMAS BURDEKIN, (frigate).
Twenty five per cent of the 76,000 mines laid by British naval forces in WWII, were manufactured in Australia. British mines were responsible for the sinking of 1070 enemy vessels and for damaging 540.
- September 2, 1945
The formal surrender of Japan was signed on the USS MISSOURI, (battleship), in Tokyo Bay. The RAN was represented by CDRE J. A. Collins, CB, and HMA Ships SHROPSHIRE, HOBART, WARRAMUNGA, NAPIER, NIZAM, BATAAN, IPSWICH, CESSNOCK, and BALLARAT.
HMAS VENDETTA, (destroyer), became the first Allied warship to enter Rabaul Harbour since the surrender in 1942.
RAN losses in WWII were:- 3 cruisers, 4 destroyers, 2 sloops, 3 minesweepers, and 22 miscellaneous vessels. Personnel losses in action were:-191 officers and 1832 ratings. Losses from other causes were:- 28 officers and 119 ratings.HMAS WARRNAMBOOL was lost while minesweeping off the Queensland coast, in 1947, but was included in the war losses because cessation of hostilities had not been proclaimed.
- September 1, 1945
CMDR G. D. Tancred, RAN, was awarded the DSC for conspicuous gallantry in surveying forward combat areas in New Guinea and the Philippines.
- August 31, 1945
HMAS Fremantle arrived at Hong Kong and whilst based there as a unit of the 21st Minesweeping Flotilla, took part in a series of clearing sweeps in Chinese waters
- August 30, 1945
CAPT H. Buchanan, RAN, in HMAS NAPIER, accepted the surrender of Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. HMAS NIZAM, (CMDR W. F. Cook, RAN), leading HMAS NAPIER, (LEUT H. D. Stevenson), followed HMS KING GEORGE V into Tokyo Bay. They were the first RAN ships to enter the port after hostilities ceased.
- August 24, 1945
HM Submarine OTWAY, (formerly HMAS OTWAY), was sold out of service for breaking up.
- August 23, 1945
HMAS ST GILES was re-commissioned as a navy tug.
- August 22, 1945
HMA Ships MILDURA, CASTLEMAINE, BATHURST, BROOME, FREMANTLE, STRAHAN, and STAWELL, were formed into the Australian Minesweeping Flotilla, at Subic Bay, under LCDR J. M. Little, RANR.