On This Day

1942 > WW2

November 30, 1942

RAAF Beaufighters of No. 31 Squadron, drove off 14 Japanese fighters and bombers which were attacking HMA Ships CASTLEMAINE and ARMIDALE, (minesweepers), in the Arafura Sea.

November 28, 1942

HMAS QUIBERON and HMS QUENTIN sank the Italian submarine DESSIE, north of Bone, North Africa. HMA Ships BALLARAT and KATOOMBA, (minesweepers), were attacked by 10 Japanese dive bombers west of Buna. The ships escaped serious damage, shot down one aircraft, and damaged two. In the Indian Ocean HMAS Adelaide (I) intercepted the German blockade runner Ramses, flying a Norwegian ensign and identifying herself as Taiyang. Adelaide did not fall for the ruse and opened fire. Ramses’ crew abandoned ship and scuttled her.

November 26, 1942

HMAS ADELAIDE, (cruiser), intercepted the German blockade runner RAMSES in the Indian Ocean. RAMSES was sunk by gunfire, and 88 survivors, plus a dog and a pig, were picked up.

HMAS GLADSTONE, (minesweeper), was launched at Maryborough, QLD.

November 23, 1942

The Tribal class destroyer, HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (CMDR E. F. V. Dechaineux, RAN), was commissioned. WARRAMUNGA was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard on 10 February 1940, and launched on 7 February 1942. Mrs F. M. Forde, (wife of the Minister for the Army), performed the launching ceremony.

HMAS URALBA, (minefield tender), was commissioned. The vessel served on the east coast of Australia, and in New Guinea. In 1971, URALBA was sunk in Port Phillip, VIC, to form an artificial reef.

November 22, 1942

The minefield tender HMAS URALBA, was commissioned. URALBA was laid down in E Wright Yard, Tuncurry, NSW, in 1942. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners, the North Coast Steam Navigation Co, NSW, on 13 July 1942.

November 18, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS HORSHAM, was commissioned. HORSHAM was laid down in Williamstown Naval Dockyard, VIC, on 26 June 1941, and launched on 16 May 1942.

The Garden Island Company of the Volunteer Defence Corps commenced training. The Company was initially a RAN unit. It was armed with Oerlikon guns, machine-guns and small arms, and trained to resist commando-type raids on the dockyard. The unit was absorbed into the Army later in the war.

November 16, 1942

The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS GLENELG, was commissioned. GLENELG was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 2 March 1942, and launched on 22 September 1942. Mrs H. V. Evatt, (Wife of the Attorney- General and Minister for External Affairs), performed the launching ceremony.

November 13, 1942

HMAS BURRA BRA, (target vessel), was commissioned. BURRA BRA was a former Sydney Harbour ferry, and was later employed as an anti-submarine training ship at Jervis Bay, NSW.

November 12, 1942

Coastwatcher SBLT M. Wright, RANVR, was landed by the US submarine S42 at Adler Bay, New Britain, to determine the natives’ loyalty. Wright remained a week behind the Japanese lines, and was taken off by S42. He was awarded the DSC for outstanding gallantry.

HMAS FAURO CHIEF, (auxiliary ketch), drove off a Japanese submarine in a point-blank gun battle at Misima, Louisiade Archipelago. FAURO CHIEF matched her single Vickers machine-gun against the submarine’s 4-inch gun and other weapons.

November 11, 1942

AB H. Hammond, RANR, was awarded the DSM for his courage and cool leadership. He commanded the single 4-inch gun mounted in the tanker ONDINA, in an engagement in which the tanker and her escort, HMIS BENGAL, defeated the heavily armed Japanese raiders HOKOKU MARU and AIKOKU MARU, in the Indian Ocean. 1943 The Fremantle-based US Submarines BOEFIN and CAPELIN, sank three Japanese ships. BOWFIN torpedoed two small tankers in Sibutu Passage, and CAPELIN torpedoed the transport KUNITAMA MARU, north of Timor.