The
Midshipmen of Class Of '63 - HMAS SYDNEY read
a true account of this notorious 1960's tragedy
The
first Australian Serviceman to be killed in action in World War Two
was an R.A.N Gunner. Commissioned Gunner J.H. Endicott was mortally
wounded by shrapnel when on 11 July 1940 HMAS VAMPIRE was straddled
by bombs whilst in action in the Mediterranean Sea off Crete.
On
5 January 1945, during the Battle of Lingayen Gulf, Philippines, HMAS
Arunta suffered two sailors killed by a near miss from a Japanese
aircraft.
HMAS Patricia
Cam (Aux. Minesweeper) was sunk by Japanese aircraft whilst minesweeping
off Wessel Island, Northern Territory on 22 January 1943. One sailor
was killed and seven wounded.
Tank
Landing Ship HMAS Tarakan
On 25 January
1950 the Tank Landing Ship HMAS Tarakan was gutted by fire following
an explosion whilst berthed at Garden Island, Sydney. 7 Sailors and
one dockyard employee were killed.
"HMAS
"Tarakan". She was tied up alongside at Garden Island on
the 25th January 1950. At 0800 the returning liberty men were getting
changed when a spark ignited the petrol fumes emanating from the huge
empty fuel tanks and consequently the Ship exploded.
Seven Sailors and one Dockyard worker were killed. I can only find
four names so far.
They are Stoker
Jeffory Bolton, Stoker John Robertson, AB Frank Manning, Leading Hand
Fitter
Reg Saunders and AB Frank Tysoe.
I will quote
Harry Shand who was on board at the time.
"There
is the smell of petrol in the air and suddenly there is a terrific
explosion, the deck lifts under your feet, you are flying through
the air among splintered tables, plates, cups, dixies, clothes and
other bodies." Unquote.
Harry says
that they were lucky that most of the crew were on leave, the Bow
doors were open and the blast went out. Lucky they were not at sea
as there was a lot of help near at hand and so on.
Submitted
by Tom Hamilton
HMAS Nizam
- 11 February 1945 lost 10 men overboard when a freak wave caused
the destroyer to broach to off Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia. The
estimated angle of the keel was between 60 and 70 degrees
HMAS Napier
- On 7 March 1945 lost two sailors overboard when the ship rolled
heavily off King Island in Bass Strait.
On
19th February 1942, Japanese aircraft attacked Darwin and the following
ships sustained damage and casualties. A total of 7 Sailors were killed
and 40 wounded.
HMAS
SWAN (Sloop) - 3 Killed
HMAS GUNBAR (Boom Ship) - 1 Killed 9 Wounded
HMAS KARAKARA (Boom Ship) - 2 Killed
HMAS KANGAROO (Boom Ship) - 1 Killed.
An
ex-RN AB was killed when the stores ship HMAS Woomera blew up and
sank off Sydney in 1960. The usual cook, Charlie Corsy, was not onboard
at the time having been severely assaulted and robbed in the Domain
the night before.
HMAS
Warranambool
Lost In Minesweeping Ops 1947
Message begins.
The 20th Mine
Sweeping Flotilla had begun to Sweep the Great Barrier Reef in February
1947 to clear the 18,000 (yes .18,000) Mines that had been laid by
HMAS "Bungaree", as well as the odd ones that had been left
by the German and Japanese.
On 13th September
1947 we were sweeping at Cockburn Reef on the Great Barrier Reef,
North of Cairns.
As the watch
on deck was being changed for the First dog watch, HMAS Warrnambool
hit a Mine.
AB J.H.Hyland
from Wynyard ,Tasmania, and Stoker A.G Garrett from West Melbourne,
were killed outright and Signalman N.L.Lott from Yarraville ,Victoria
was last seen hanging onto a fishing line that was hooked over the
stern of the 'Warrnambool".
Another lad
died on board "Swan" as we were taking the survivors back
to Cairns. Total four dead and many injured. The fourth lad who was
among the 26 seriously injured, died in Cairns Hospital.
As we were
by this time back on Cockburn Reef clearing the reaining 83 Mines,
Submitted by
Tom Hamilton
ALLIED
CHINESE SHIPS
( Commissioned for service during WWII)
HMAS PING WO
Stoker II V.C Button, RANR H1870, aged 18 years. Accidentally drowned
on 25 December 1942. Interred Brisbane General Cemetery, Queensland,
Ref. RS Plot 10 Section 53 Allot.14
HMAS WHANG
PU
Std. W. M. Fisher, RANR PA 2609. Aged 24 years Accidentally drowned
20 June 1945
Buried on Morotai then re-interred AMBON WAR CEMETERY, Indonesia:
Ref. 30.E.9.
HMAS YUNNAN
Able Seaman F. C Little, RANR. H2051. Accident. 3 Oct. 1945
Interred Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong Ref. I.E.4
Submitted By
Merv Wildy
WERE
THEY THE FIRST?
Submitted by ALF KITSON OAM
Ex WWII Yeoman Signals RANR, ONPA 31, member of Allied Chinese Ships’
Assn. and shipmate of the late Able Seaman T.W. Todd
Alf has
produced a copy of an article WERE THEY THE FIRST? by Robin Pennock
published in ‘WARTIME’ ISSUE NO 20 pp 44-45 describing
the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Able Seamen T W Todd and
W L E Danswan (both RANR and members of a RMS party) when a German
mine exploded during an attempt to render it safe on the beach at
Beachport, South Australia.
According
to Pennock the German sea raider PINGUIN (HK33) and auxiliary minelayer
PASSAT mined the approaches to the Australian east coast ports and
Adelaide in late 1940. Two minefields closed off Spencer Gulf and
Gulf St Vincent. During the night of 7-8 November PASSAT laid a minefield
across 10 miles of Backstairs Passage using the lighthouses at Cape
Willoughby and Cape Jervis (both fully operational) as accurate navigational
aids.
The passenger/cargo
vessel HERTFORD, the first ship to be mined on 7 December, was towed
stern first into Port Lincoln for temporary repairs so that she could
proceed to Sydney.
On 12
July 1941 a mine found floating in Rivoli Bay near Beachport by a
local fisherman was towed to shore near the town jetty. Subsequently
he towed it away from the jetty and left it on the beach.
A RMS
party, dispatched from Adelaide Naval Headquarters, comprising an
officer and Able Seamen Todd and Danswan decided to fit a demolition
charge to the mine and fire it from the safety of the sandhills. Unfortunately
a railway truck severed their wires and new ones had to be fitted.
These did not function properly: after waiting the regulation 15 minutes
Todd and Danswan approached the mine which exploded unexpectedly when
one of it’s horns was activated by wave action.
In all
some 40 moored mines from these minefields were washed ashore at various
parts of the Australian coast during WWII Pennock believes that Todd
and Danswan were the first casualties caused by enemy action on Australian
soil.
WE
WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Lest
We Forget
