On This Day
1944 > WW2
On This Day - 1944
- March 15, 1944
Southwest Pacific Force, which included units of the RAN in the Pacific, was re-designated the Seventh Fleet.
- March 14, 1944
HMAS SHEPPARTON, (minesweeper), landed troops at Talasea, New Britain.
HMAS BENALLA, (minesweeper), surveyed Seeadler Harbour, Manus Island, while under enemy gunfire.
- March 11, 1944
HMAS ARUNTA, (destroyer), along with US destroyers, closed to 4000 yards to bombard Japanese positions at Seeadler Harbour, Manus Island.
- March 7, 1944
CAPT E. F. V. Dechaineux, RAN, assumed command of HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser).
- March 4, 1944
HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), and US Ships NASHVILLE, PHOENIX, DALY, and HUTCHINS, destroyed Japanese guns on Hauwei Island, near Hollandia, New Guinea.
- March 3, 1944
The destroyer, HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (CAPT E. F. V. Dechaineux, RAN), and the US Ships AMMEN and WELLES, shelled Japanese targets in Hyane Harbour, Manus Island. Later in the day all three ships came under enemy air attack.
- March 2, 1944
RADM V. Crutchley, VC, RN, commanding Task Force 74 was ordered to position his ships north and northwest of the Admiralty Islands for the attack on Hyane Harbour.
HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (destroyer), and US Ships AMMEN and BUSH, (destroyers), attacked Japanese fortifications on Hauwei Island off Hollandia, New Guinea.
- February 29, 1944
HMA Ships SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyer), were units of the covering force for the American landings in the Admiralty Islands.
- February 23, 1944
The fleet tug HMAS SPRIGHTLY, was commissioned. SPRIGHTLY was laid down in Levingston Shipbuilding Co, Orange, Texas, USA, on 6 June 1942, and launched on 7 August 1942. She was transferred to the RAN under the Lend-Lease Agreement in 1944.
HMAS TAMWORTH, (minesweeper), landed 133 survivors from the torpedoed tanker ERLING BROVIG at Aden. The tanker and the transports SAN ALVARO and E. G. SEUBERT, were torpedoed by the German submarine U188 in the Indian Ocean. SAN ALVARO stayed afloat after the attack but was later sunk by TAMWORTH with depth charges.
- February 17, 1944
ADML Royle, (First Naval Member), accompanied by Mr. Essington Lewis, (Director General of Munitions), boarded HMAS WARRAMUNGA at Milne Bay for a front-line tour of Buna, Langemak, and Lae.