Australian History
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mando1463
Amanda
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The Great Depression, set off by the Wall Street Stock Market Crash in New York, hit Australia hard. The Premier of NSW proclaimed a plan to fight the Depression: reduction of interest on all government debts to Australians; suspension of all loan payments to all overseas creditors; the expansion of public works programmes; and bank funding of government works through controlled credit expansion. Although many agreed that this was a good way to go, the rest of the government did not agree. What was the name of this Premier of New South Wales?
farmeroz
Aaron
Might be a bit off topic.....
LAte one nightshift a mate and I were trying to work out which direction you should travel if you were going to do a trip around australia.
Eg if you travel clockwise around and us deiving on the left hand side of the road, how much further would it be compared to counter clockwise ? (Taking the inside line)
LAte one nightshift a mate and I were trying to work out which direction you should travel if you were going to do a trip around australia.
Eg if you travel clockwise around and us deiving on the left hand side of the road, how much further would it be compared to counter clockwise ? (Taking the inside line)
farmeroz said:
My suggestion is start a new thread on this topic. It's interesting and should start a good conversation
Rod
In early 1950 Clews entered into an initial five-year contract as a senior surveyor with the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority. Wiry and white haired, he wore a battered hat and loved being the first into new territory. His reconnaissance surveys, carried out on foot through harsh terrain, preceded the construction of roads and tunnels, and anticipated the work of hydrologists, other surveyors and blasting teams as the vast water-diversion project took shape. 'The Major's' courage and leadership made him a legend among fellow workers, many of whom were European refugees.
He was an army surveyor during WW2, and became famous during the 50s for surveying much of the NSW high country when working for the Snowy Mountains Authority, when the Snowy Mountains scheme was being developed.
OK, Just got to find that question I had.
Which Australian war ships were the first to engage the Japanese navy.
Nope. Before that.
Hmas perth the battle of the java sea
First action of any kind happened on 10 Dec 1941 when Japanese bombers sank HMS PRINCE OF WALES, (battleship), and HMS REPULSE, (battle-cruiser), in the South China Sea. HMAS VAMPIRE, (destroyer), picked up survivors. One of those lost in the sinking of HMS REPULSE was MIDN R. I. Davies, RAN, who commanded an Oerlikon gun on the port side of the battle-cruiser. The Naval Review wrote: An Australian midshipman was still firing his Oerlikon gun at an aircraft; several enemy aircraft were brought down by Midshipman Davies after the order to abandon ship had been given.
First engagement with the Japanese Navy was 21 Jan 1942, when off Darwin, NT, HMA Ships DELORAINE, KATOOMBA, and LITHGOW, (corvettes), with the USS EDSALL, (destroyer), took part in depth-charge attacks which destroyed the Japanese submarine I124, the first warship of the Japanese navy to fall victim to the RAN in WWII.
Then on 27 Jan 1942, HMAS VAMPIRE and HMS THANET, (destroyers) launched a night attack on a superior Japanese force landing troops at Endau, Malaya. The destroyers penetrated the enemy line and engaged vessels on both quarters at point-blank range. HMS THANET was lost in the engagement, VAMPIRE escaped reaching Singapore naval base some hours later.
First engagement with the Japanese Navy was 21 Jan 1942, when off Darwin, NT, HMA Ships DELORAINE, KATOOMBA, and LITHGOW, (corvettes), with the USS EDSALL, (destroyer), took part in depth-charge attacks which destroyed the Japanese submarine I124, the first warship of the Japanese navy to fall victim to the RAN in WWII.
Then on 27 Jan 1942, HMAS VAMPIRE and HMS THANET, (destroyers) launched a night attack on a superior Japanese force landing troops at Endau, Malaya. The destroyers penetrated the enemy line and engaged vessels on both quarters at point-blank range. HMS THANET was lost in the engagement, VAMPIRE escaped reaching Singapore naval base some hours later.
DrD you have it.
I should have phrased the question a bit better.
I was not aware of the 21 Jan Sub Attack but this is what I had.
I first read this in the book I'm reading at the moment and in recounts from servicemen aboard Vampire they slipped a smoke float astern. The Japs thought it was the smoke coming from the funnels of Vampire and they trained their guns into the smoke.
An enemy destroyer raced into the smoke screen to investigate and was hit by the shells her comrades were pouring into the smoke then the Jap destroyer replied with gunfire. "We Laughed, and left them fighting one another." and thus Vampire slipped away from a suicide mission without casualty.
The first three weeks of January 1942 saw Vampire continuing to shepherd shipping in and out of Singapore and Batavia. On 24 January she arrived at Singapore as part of the escort of a troop convoy of six strips. The next two days were spent at the naval base. On 26 January she was ordered to proceed with the destroyer HMS Thanet to attack Japanese transports reported to be lying off Endau some 80 miles north of Singapore. They had arrived that day and comprised in fact two transports escorted by the light cruiser Sendai, destroyers of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron and some smaller craft.
Vampire and Thanet sailed in the afternoon of 26 January and arrived off Endau after moonset shortly before 2:00 am the following morning. The two ships steamed in, Vampire leading at 15 knots into what was a veritable hornet's nest. In addition to the cruiser Sendai, there were covering the transport six destroyers, Hatsuyuki, Shirayuki, Fubuki, Yogiri, Asagiri and Amagiri.
At 2:37 am the dim shape of what CMDR Moran took to be a destroyer appeared on Vampire's starboard bow. Seeking the transports he continued in towards Endau and soon sighted a second 'destroyer' 'right ahead and close.' Vampire swung to port and fired two torpedoes without result. This ship, which was in fact a minesweeper patrolling outside the anchorage, sighted Vampire and gave the alarm. The two British destroyers continued their course towards Endau until shortly after 3:00 am and when not sighting the expected concentration they turned south east by east and increased to best speed.
At 3:18 am their luck ran out. A destroyer appeared on Vampire's port bow and she fired her remaining torpedo. Again she missed while Thanet altering course to starboard fired all her torpedoes but they too sped harmlessly past the target. The Japanese destroyer opened fire and the cruiser Sendai joined in the confused melee that followed. Hopelessly outnumbered Vampire and Thanet retired south east by east at top speed, returning the Japanese fire in the unequal engagement.
Thanet was hit and at about 4:00 am Moran saw 'great clouds of black smoke issuing from her.' He tried to cover her withdrawal with a smoke screen but she was doomed and was last seen from Vampire stopped and listing heavily to starboard. She sank shortly afterwards at about 4:15 am on 27 January. Vampire, unscathed, made good her escape and entered Singapore Harbour at 10:00 am that morning. The action off Endau brought Vampire's service in the Malayan theatre almost to a close.
I should have phrased the question a bit better.
I was not aware of the 21 Jan Sub Attack but this is what I had.
I first read this in the book I'm reading at the moment and in recounts from servicemen aboard Vampire they slipped a smoke float astern. The Japs thought it was the smoke coming from the funnels of Vampire and they trained their guns into the smoke.
An enemy destroyer raced into the smoke screen to investigate and was hit by the shells her comrades were pouring into the smoke then the Jap destroyer replied with gunfire. "We Laughed, and left them fighting one another." and thus Vampire slipped away from a suicide mission without casualty.
The first three weeks of January 1942 saw Vampire continuing to shepherd shipping in and out of Singapore and Batavia. On 24 January she arrived at Singapore as part of the escort of a troop convoy of six strips. The next two days were spent at the naval base. On 26 January she was ordered to proceed with the destroyer HMS Thanet to attack Japanese transports reported to be lying off Endau some 80 miles north of Singapore. They had arrived that day and comprised in fact two transports escorted by the light cruiser Sendai, destroyers of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron and some smaller craft.
Vampire and Thanet sailed in the afternoon of 26 January and arrived off Endau after moonset shortly before 2:00 am the following morning. The two ships steamed in, Vampire leading at 15 knots into what was a veritable hornet's nest. In addition to the cruiser Sendai, there were covering the transport six destroyers, Hatsuyuki, Shirayuki, Fubuki, Yogiri, Asagiri and Amagiri.
At 2:37 am the dim shape of what CMDR Moran took to be a destroyer appeared on Vampire's starboard bow. Seeking the transports he continued in towards Endau and soon sighted a second 'destroyer' 'right ahead and close.' Vampire swung to port and fired two torpedoes without result. This ship, which was in fact a minesweeper patrolling outside the anchorage, sighted Vampire and gave the alarm. The two British destroyers continued their course towards Endau until shortly after 3:00 am and when not sighting the expected concentration they turned south east by east and increased to best speed.
At 3:18 am their luck ran out. A destroyer appeared on Vampire's port bow and she fired her remaining torpedo. Again she missed while Thanet altering course to starboard fired all her torpedoes but they too sped harmlessly past the target. The Japanese destroyer opened fire and the cruiser Sendai joined in the confused melee that followed. Hopelessly outnumbered Vampire and Thanet retired south east by east at top speed, returning the Japanese fire in the unequal engagement.
Thanet was hit and at about 4:00 am Moran saw 'great clouds of black smoke issuing from her.' He tried to cover her withdrawal with a smoke screen but she was doomed and was last seen from Vampire stopped and listing heavily to starboard. She sank shortly afterwards at about 4:15 am on 27 January. Vampire, unscathed, made good her escape and entered Singapore Harbour at 10:00 am that morning. The action off Endau brought Vampire's service in the Malayan theatre almost to a close.
Good story BC.
I124 was mentioned in an earlier question.
RR
I124 was mentioned in an earlier question.
RR
Thanks BC a good story.
I tracked the answer down at the Navel History society site, which has a daily summary of RAN activity in WW2:
http://www.navyhistory.org.au/category/navy-day-by-day/1942/
I'm down the salt mine today, and will have to wait till later to post a Q.
Someone can pick it up if they like.
I tracked the answer down at the Navel History society site, which has a daily summary of RAN activity in WW2:
http://www.navyhistory.org.au/category/navy-day-by-day/1942/
I'm down the salt mine today, and will have to wait till later to post a Q.
Someone can pick it up if they like.
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