On This Day
1943 > WW2
On This Day - 1943
- September 2, 1943
The Australian Commando vessel KRAIT, (LEUT H. E. Carse, RANVR), sailed from Exmouth Gulf, WA, to attack Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour. The commander of Operation Jaywick was Major I Lyons, and LEUT D. M. N. Davidson, RNR, was a member of the party.
The Fremantle-based USS BOWFIN, (submarine), landed supplies for resistance groups on Mindanao, and evacuated nine personnel.
- August 27, 1943
Aerial image of RFA BISHOPDALE by the RAAF showing her deck layout including her defensive armament – 12 pounder gun forward, 4 inch AA aft, single oerlikon AA guns are mounted port and starboard forward of the Amidships and after superstructure .
The surveying vessel, HMAS CAPE LEEUWIN, (lighthouse tender), was commissioned. CAPE LEEUWIN was laid down in Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 15 July 1924, and launched on 10 December 1924. She was requisitioned for the RAN, from her owners the Queensland Department of Commerce, in October 1941.
- August 26, 1943
HMAS BARCOO, (frigate), was launched at Cockatoo Island, Sydney.
- August 13, 1943
35 German Heinkel HE 111 torpedo bombers, and 12 Junkers JU 88 escorts from Kampfgruppe 26, (a specialist torpedo bomber squadron), attacked a convoy being escorted by HMA Ships GAWLER, IPSWICH, LISMORE and MARYBOROUGH, off Alboran Island near the Straits of Gibraltar. HM Ships SHOREHAM, WHITEHAVEN, HYTHE, ROMNEY, and RYE, were also part of the convoy escort. In the ensuing battle, two merchant ships were hit, but managed to reach port. Nine German aircraft were shot down, and several damaged. MARYBOROUGH was credited with shooting down one of the JU 88’s, and IPSWICH damaged four enemy aircraft. The RAN’s only casualty was one man wounded in GAWLER. The C-in-C Mediterranean, later signaled to the Australian ships:- I congratulate you, the escort force and Convoy MKS21 on your sterling defence of convoy against torpedo bomber attack. The enemy got a sore head he is likely to remember’.
- August 12, 1943
HRH King George VI inspected HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), at Scapa Flow, Scotland.
- August 6, 1943
Coastwatcher LEUT Evans, RANVR, rescued the Captain of the US vessel, PT109, (torpedo boat), LEUT John F. Kennedy, and his crew, on Wana Wana Island. The future President of the USA’s command, had been rammed and sunk by the Japanese destroyer AMAGIRI.
- August 4, 1943
Japanese bombers attacked HMAS COOTAMUNDRA, (corvette), and the merchant ship MACUMBA, off Thursday Island.
- August 3, 1943
The GC was awarded to LEUT Hugh Randall Syme, GM and Bar, RANVR, for conspicuous bravery in bomb and mine disposal.
- August 2, 1943
HMAS HOBART, (cruiser), underwent temporary repairs at Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides after being torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. Four of HOBART’S officers, and nine other ranks, were killed.
- July 31, 1943
The Brisbane based USS GUARDFISH, (submarine), landed a survey party in Japanese occupied territory on the west coast of Bougainville.
The Fremantle based USS GRAYLING, (submarine), landed a ton of supplies for resistance forces at Pandan Bay, Panay.
HMAS NIZAM, (destroyer), picked up two rafts of survivors from the merchant ship CORNISH CITY, in the Indian Ocean.