On this day:
1943 > WW2
There are 150 entries in this era
- 10 Oct 1943
The Fremantle-based USS BONEFISH, (submarine), sank the Japanese troop ship TEIBI MARU, in the South China Sea. On the same patrol BONEFISH torpedoed and sank the transport ISUCAGAWA MARU.
- 11 Oct 1943
LEUT H. E. Carse. RANVR, recorded in KRAIT’s log that on the passage through Lombok Strait, after the successful commando raid on Singapore Harbour, (Operation Jaywick), a modern Japanese destroyer approached to within 100 yards of KRAIT, during darkness. The destroyer did not use a searchlight, and after 5 minutes she sheered off, and went directly away from KRAIT.
- 19 Oct 1943
The commando ship KRAIT arrived back at Exmouth Gulf, WA, after the raid on Singapore, (Operation Jaywick).
- 20 Oct 1943
The Fremantle-based US Ships KINGFISH and CABRILLA, (submarines), were deployed on missions in Philippine waters. KINGFISH landed British Coastwatchers and their equipment in Borneo, laid a minefield off the Celebes, and sank the Japanese transport SANA MARU in the South China Sea. CABRILLA evacuated resistance agents from Negros Island.
- 21 Oct 1943
Coastwatcher SBLT Rev W. G. G. Wiedemann, RANVR, enlisted direct into the service from his Victorian parish, to provide on-the-spot information for the planned Allied landing at Cape Gloucester. Wiedemann wrote: ‘I was in the Parish of Kilmore, VIC, and they wanted anyone who had been on Cape Gloucester. They could not find anyone, so the Sixth Army got in touch with me, and we did a terrain study in Melbourne. Then, the next thing they wanted was for me to join up with the Marines as a civilian. Just as they were getting that through, they decided it would be better if I went up with the Marines as a combatant, and it was necessary for me to have a commission to move among the big fellows, generals, etc., so they thought of the Navy. They got busy and got things moving, so that I was able to commission, and was attached to HMAS LONSDALE for convenience sake. That was going on when we sailed on 26 September, 1943. I was brought into the RAN on 21 October, 1943′.
- 22 Oct 1943
HMAS KURU, (auxiliary patrol vessel), which played an important role in supplying the Australian Commandos operating in occupied Timor, was paid off. The vessel later sank at her moorings in Darwin Harbour, and was abandoned.
- 25 Oct 1943
The Fremantle-based USS GUARDFISH, (submarine), landed a party of Coastwatchers on Bougainville.
- 02 Nov 1943
LEUT J.Plunkett-Cole, RAN, assumed command of HMAS NEPAL, (destroyer). Plunkett-Cole was the only RAN officer to command all four N class destroyers in the Australian Squadron.
- 06 Nov 1943
Coastwatchers CAPT C. W. Seton, RAN, and LEUT A. N. A. Waddell, RAN, of M-Special Unit, met US Marines on the beach at Choiseul, Solomon Islands, and guided them in an assault on Japanese positions.
- 09 Nov 1943
The Fremantle-based USS BOWFIN, (submarine), sank four Japanese cargo schooners with gunfire, near Macassar Strait.
- 15 Nov 1943
The Fremantle-based USS SEAL, (submarine), sank the Japanese transport BOSTON MARU, off Palau. SEAL was damaged in the action when she was rammed by another vessel in the convoy, but reached port safely.
- 16 Nov 1943
HMAS JUNEE, (minesweeper), was launched at Poole & Steel, Sydney.
- 18 Nov 1943
The River class frigate HMAS GASCOYNE, (LCDR J. Donovan, RAN), was commissioned. GASCOYNE was laid down in Mort’s Dock, Sydney, on 3 July 1942, and launched on 20 February 1943. Lady Wakehurst, (Wife of the Governor of New South Wales), performed the launching.
- 26 Nov 1943
The Fremantle-based USS BOWFIN, (submarine), sank the Japanese tanker OGURASAN MARU, and the transport TAINAN MARU, off Mindanao.
- 27 Nov 1943
The Fremantle-based USS BOWFIN, (submarine), sank the Japanese transport VAN VOLLENHOVEN, in the South China Sea.
- 28 Nov 1943
The Fremantle-based USS BOWFIN, (submarine), sank the Japanese troop ship SYDNEY MARU, and the tanker TONAN MARU, in the South China Sea.
- 29 Nov 1943
HMA Ships ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), with the US Ships RALPH TALBOT and HELM, bombarded Japanese positions at Gasmata.
- 02 Dec 1943
The Fremantle-based USS BOWFIN, (submarine), sank a Japanese cargo yacht in Macassar Strait.
- 03 Dec 1943
The Fremantle-based USS NARWHAL, (submarine), landed Special Services troops, and 90 tons of stores, near Cabadaran, Mindanao. Two days later she sank a small Japanese transport in the same waters, with gunfire.
HMAS STUART, (destroyer), stood by and escorted to Brisbane USS GUARDFISH, (submarine), which was damaged in a collision with a tender.
- 06 Dec 1943
HMAS POYANG, (ammunition carrier), was commissioned.
- 08 Dec 1943
The Advisory War Council abolished convoys for shipping south of Newcastle. The order was issued following the reduction in Japanese submarine activities on the east coast of Australia.
- 09 Dec 1943
The Fremantle-based USS CAPELIN, (submarine), was lost with all hands off the Halmahera Islands.
- 15 Dec 1943
Engaged in Operation Dexterity, HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SHROPSHIRE, (cruisers), ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), bombarded Japanese positions, while HMAS WESTRALIA landed troops at Arawe.
- 19 Dec 1943
HMAS KALGOORLIE, (minesweeper), picked up 29 survivors from HMAS ARMIDALE’s whaler, 150 miles north-west of Darwin. ARMIDALE was sunk by Japanese bombers off Timor.
- 20 Dec 1943
HMAS GASCOYNE, (frigate), was commissioned under CMDR J. Donovan, RAN, at Sydney.
- 23 Dec 1943
HMAS IPSWICH, (minesweeper), picked up 134 survivors from the torpedoed transport PESHAWAR, and landed them at Madras, India. IPSWICH, and HMIS ORISSA, carried out depth-charge attacks on the submarine.
- 24 Dec 1943
HMAS IPSWICH, (minesweeper), landed 134 survivors from the torpedoed merchant ship PESHAWAR, at Madras, India.
- 25 Dec 1943
A Japanese coastwatcher on Cape Ward Hunt reported TF74, HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, WARRAMUNGA, and ARUNTA, and US Ships HELM and RALPH TALBOT, heading towards Cape Gloucester.
The Brisbane based USS PETO, (submarine), reconnoitred Boang Island in the Solomons, and landed a party of Coastwatchers.
- 26 Dec 1943
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SHROPSHIRE, (cruisers), with ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), bombarded the airfield at Cape Gloucester in support of US landings.
- 29 Dec 1943
CMDR D. H. Harries, RAN, assumed command of HMS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), to supervise refit and transfer to the RAN.