On This Day
1940 > WW2
On This Day - 1940
- December 18, 1940
The auxiliary minesweeper HMAS GUNBAR, was commissioned. GUNBAR was laid down in Ardrossan, Scotland, in 1911. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the North Coast Steam Navigation Co, NSW, on 30 September 1940.
- December 17, 1940
The cruiser HMAS SYDNEY, (CAPT J. A. Collins, RAN), sailed from Suda Bay to join the fleet in the Adriatic Sea.
- December 16, 1940
HMA Ships VOYAGER and VENDETTA, (destroyers), supported HMS TERROR, (monitor), in the bombardment of Bardia, Libya.
- December 15, 1940
CAPT H. L. Waller, RAN, in HMAS STUART, (destroyer), was appointed Senior Naval Officer Afloat to command the Inshore Squadron comprising HMA Ships VAMPIRE, VENDETTA, VOYAGER, and WATERHEN, (destroyers), HMS TERROR, and a number of minesweepers, gunboats, and anti-submarine trawlers.
- December 12, 1940
HMAS PERTH arrived at Aden for escort duty in the Red Sea until 22 December and HMS HOBART departed Aden for Fremantle where she arrived on the 28th.
- December 11, 1940
An Australian National Security Regulation was issued, making the fitting of minesweeping paravanes compulsory on all Australian ships over 800 tons.
- December 10, 1940
HMAS BALLARAT, (minesweeper), was launched at Williamstown Dockyard, VIC.
- December 6, 1940
HMAS BATHURST, (minesweeper), was commissioned under LEUT A. V. Bunyan, RANR(S), at Sydney. BATHURST was the first of 60 vessels of this class built in Australia for the RAN, RN, and the RIN.
- December 5, 1940
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS BATHURST, (LCDR A. V. Bunyan, RANR), was commissioned. BATHURST was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 10 February 1940, and launched on 1 August 1940. Mrs A. B. Doyle, (Wife of CAPT Doyle, RAN, Engineering Manager of Garden Island Dockyard), performed the launching ceremony.
- December 3, 1940
The Australian Naval Board asked the British Admiralty to redeploy Australian ships in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, to counter the operations of German raiders.