On This Day
1945 > WW2
On This Day - 1945
- June 30, 1945
The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS MOTHER SNAKE, (LEUT R. T. Patterson, RAN), was commissioned.
- June 28, 1945
The British Pacific Fleet, under second in command VADM Rawlings, sailed from Sydney for operations against the Japanese home islands.
- June 27, 1945
HMA Ships SHROPSHIRE and HOBART, (cruisers), bombarded Japanese positions at Klandasan in preparation for the landing at Balikpapan.
- June 26, 1945
The Tribal class destroyer HMAS BATAAN, (CMDR H. M. Burrell, RAN), was commissioned. BATAAN, (as KURNAI), was laid down at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, on 18 February 1942, and launched on 15 January 1944. Mrs. MacArthur, (Wife of General Douglas MacArthur), performed the launching ceremony.
- June 25, 1945
TG74.1, HMA Ships SHROPSHIRE, HOBART, and ARUNTA, and US Ships HART and METCALF, concentrated at Tawitawi for the assault on Balikpapan.
- June 23, 1945
The Fremantle-based USS HARDHEAD, (submarine), sank the Japanese ships No.833, (shuttle boat), and Nos. 113 and 117, (submarine chasers), in the Java Sea.
- June 22, 1945
HMAS ARUNTA, (destroyer), landed troops at Miri Lutong.
HMA Ships DUBBO, KIAMA, and LITHGOW, (minesweepers), shelled Japanese positions on Bougainville.
- June 21, 1945
LEUT E. M. Howitt, RANVR, was awarded the US Legion of Merit for services in the Philippines, while on loan and serving with US patrol boats. With his knowledge of the local coastline, they sank 20 Japanese supply and troop barges, two auxiliary ketches and a torpedo boat.
- June 19, 1945
SBA Alec Hill was executed by the Japanese after being a POW since February 1945. SBA Hill was from HMAS Manoora which had arrived at Morotai in January 1945 and in February 1945 unknown to authorities on board Manoora, ratings, eager for some excitement, managed to persuade the RAAF pilots flying from Morotain to allow them to accompany them on operational sweeps over enemy held islands in the Celebes. For several days sailors joined their air force counterparts on these exceedingly dangerous missions until tragedy struck when a Beaufighter from 31 Squadron in which Sick Berth Attendant Alec Hill had ‘hitched a ride’ was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft fire. The pilot, Pilot Officer William McGuigan, and Hill survived a force landing in the sea but Flight Sergeant Allan Lewis did not. Both men made it safely ashore but were subsequently captured by the Japanese becoming prisoners of war. Following four months in captivity at Tonsea Lama the pair were transferred to the Japanese Naval Prison at Manado. A few days later, on 19 June 1945, they were taken from the prison and executed by bayoneting at the same time as two Dutchmen and two Indonesians. The discovery was made following the cessation of hostilities and Hill’s remains were subsequently buried in the Morotai War Cemetery on 9 November 1945. Over the ensuing decades the war graves were relocated on two occasions and SBA Hill now rests in Plot 28 Row D Grave 5 in the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Ambon. He was to be Manoora’s only death through enemy action during the war.
- June 18, 1945
HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), bombarded Japanese positions on Labuan Island.