On This Day
1941 > WW2
On This Day - 1941
- December 31, 1941
HMA Ships NAPIER, NIZAM, and NESTOR, (destroyers), joined HM Ships AJAX, KINGSTON, ARROW, and GHURKA in the bombardment of German defence posts on the outskirts of Bardia.
- December 24, 1941
CAPT H. B. Farncomb, RAN, assumed command of HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), at Sydney.
- December 22, 1941
The boom working vessel HMAS KARANGI, was commissioned. KARANGI was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 5 February 1941, and launched on 16 August 1941. Mrs G. Hutcheson performed the launching ceremony.
- December 20, 1941
MIDN L. J. Tathan, RAN, and the crew of the whaler from HMS KANDAHAR which he was commanding in rescue operations, was killed when the boat was heavily strafed by German aircraft. KANDAHAR had gone to the rescue of HMS NEPTUNE, (cruiser), which had struck a mine before the aircraft launched their attack. KANDAHAR also struck a “mine, and was later sunk by HMS JAGUAR. The minefield was laid off Tripoli.
- December 19, 1941
HMS NEPTUNE, (cruiser), sank after striking a mine off the coast of Tripoli. Only one rating of the crew of 717 survived. Among those lost were the two RAN members of the ship’s company, ORD K. Campbell and ORD S. Kemp.
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS TOWNSVILLE, (LCDR J. Abbott, RAN(E)), was commissioned. TOWNSVILLE was laid down in Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 4 November 1940, and launched on 13 May 1941.
HMAS NIZAM reported she was lifted bodily out of the water by an underwater explosion in Alexandria Harbour. Shortly after, HM Ships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, (battleships), bottomed at their moorings. The tanker SAGONA, and HMS JERVIS, (destroyer), were severely damaged. The attack was launched by Italian frogmen.