HMAS Australia, history

HMAS Australia (I84/D84/C01), a County-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), was a formidable vessel that played a significant role in World War II. One of two Kent-subclass ships ordered for the RAN, Australia was designed to be a powerful and versatile warship, capable of engaging enemy surface ships, aircraft and even shore installations. Launched in 1928 and commissioned in 1929, she served prominently throughout the war, participating in the Mediterranean theatre, the Indian Ocean and eventually the Pacific theatre. Her primary duties included escorting convoys, providing anti-submarine protection, engaging enemy surface vessels and supporting amphibious landings. Despite her impressive firepower and resilience, Australia faced numerous challenges during the war, including the loss of her sister ship, HMAS Canberra, during the Battle of Savo Island. The ship was eventually decommissioned in 1955 and scrapped, leaving behind a legacy of courage, determination and sacrifice that remains ingrained in the history of the RAN.

Design

Australia, a County-class heavy cruiser, emerged from the design efforts of Eustace Tennyson-D’Eyncourt. It displaced a standard of 10,000 tons, measured 590 feet long between perpendiculars and 630 feet 4 inches overall, with a beam of 68 feet 3 inches and a maximum draft of 21 feet 4 inches. Propulsion consisted of eight Yarrow boilers feeding Curtis and Parsons turbines, delivering 80,000 shaft horsepower and a top speed of 31 knots. The ship’s range extended to 2,270 nautical miles at maximum speed and an economical 10,000 nautical miles while cruising at 11 knots. The ship’s crew comprised 64 officers and 678 sailors in 1930, later reducing to 45 officers and 654 sailors from 1937 to 1941. When serving as a flagship, Australia’s crew increased to 710; during wartime, the crew complement reached 815.

Armament and armour

Australia, a formidable vessel of the Royal Australian Navy, was designed with a powerful array of weaponry. Her primary armament consisted of eight 8-inch (200 mm) guns, housed in four twin turrets – ‘A’ and ‘B’ forward, and ‘X’ and ‘Y’ aft – each gun capable of firing 150 shells. Secondary armament comprised four 4-inch (100 mm) guns in four single mounts, each with 200 shells, further augmented by four 2-pounder pom-poms for anti-aircraft defense, carrying 1,000 rounds each. For close-range defense, a combination of .303-inch (7.7 mm) machine guns were deployed: initially four Vickers and twelve Lewis guns, with the number of Lewis guns later reduced to eight. Two sets of quadruple 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes added another dimension to her offensive capabilities. The ship also boasted four 3-pounder quick-firing Hotchkiss guns as saluting guns. In 1939, as part of a modernization program, the four single 4-inch guns were replaced with four twin Mark XVI guns. The torpedo tubes were removed in 1942, and the ‘X’ turret was decommissioned in 1945. The ship’s close-range anti-aircraft armament underwent a series of transformations throughout her service. Two quadruple 0.5-inch (13 mm) machine gun mounts were added in the mid-1930s to reinforce the .303-inch weapons. These were replaced in late 1943 by seven single 20mm Oerlikons, which were subsequently upgraded to double mountings by early 1944. In 1945, these were finally replaced by eight single 40 mm Bofors guns. Australia was designed to carry a single amphibious aircraft. Initially, a Supermarine Seagull III served this purpose, which was replaced in 1936 by a Supermarine Walrus. Both aircraft were operated by the Royal Australian Air Force’s Fleet Co-operation Unit, starting with No. 101 Flight RAAF, which evolved into No. 5 Squadron RAAF in 1936 and was later renumbered as No. 9 Squadron RAAF in 1939. As the aircraft catapult wasn’t installed until September 1935, the Seagull was initially launched by the ship’s recovery crane

Acquisition and construction

HMAS Australia, a County-class cruiser, was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 24 April 1928, marking the culmination of a five-year development plan for the RAN. Ordered in 1924, her construction began at the John Brown and Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, on 26 August 1925. Launched on 17 March 1927 by Dame Mary Cook, the wife of the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, the cruiser faced initial challenges with her exhaust funnels. The original short funnels proved problematic during sea trials, with smoke affecting the bridge and aft control position. This led to the funnels being lengthened by 15 feet, and the taller funnels originally intended for the under-construction HMAS Canberra were ultimately transferred to Australia as she neared completion. The ship’s badge also underwent a design process, with initial designs being rejected by both Richard Lane-Poole, commander of the Australian Squadron, and William Napier, First Naval Member of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board. Ultimately, the Coat of Arms of Australia was chosen as the basis, incorporating the symbols of the six states and the Federation Star crest. While no motto was initially given, the ‘Endeavour’ motto from the battlecruiser Australia was added when the badge design was updated prior to the planned acquisition of HMS Invincible, which was to be renamed HMAS Australia. Australia’s construction cost was 1.9 million pounds, closely matching the original estimate. Built by John Brown, she and her sister ship, HMAS Canberra, were the only County-class vessels constructed in Scotland, representing a significant contribution to the development of the Royal Australian Navy.

Operational history

Early career

The HMAS Australia, a formidable cruiser, embarked on a journey of exploration and duty upon her completion of sea trials in August 1928. Setting sail from Portsmouth, she traversed the globe, touching upon the shores of Canada, the United States, and various Pacific islands, eventually reaching her namesake country, Australia, in October. The Great Depression’s economic strain forced the Royal Australian Navy to scale back its fleet, leaving the Australia, Canberra, and Albatross as the primary active vessels, with only one S-class destroyer remaining in service. Despite these limitations, the Australia continued to fulfill her role, undertaking cruises to the Pacific islands in 1932 and a visit to New Zealand the following year. In 1934, the cruiser embarked on an exchange duty to the United Kingdom, carrying the Duke of Gloucester aboard, and was subsequently assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet. Her duties included representing Australia at King George V’s Silver Jubilee Naval Review in 1935 and preparing for potential war during the Abyssinian crisis. While initially intended to cover the withdrawal of the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious after a potential attack on Taranto, the crisis subsided before any action was required. The Australia remained in the Mediterranean until 1936, when she embarked on a journey back to Australia, accompanied by the new light cruiser HMAS Sydney. They arrived in Sydney in August, marking the end of a significant period in the history of the HMAS Australia and her crucial role in maintaining Australia’s naval presence on the world stage.

After returning to Australia spent the latter part of 1936 near Sydney and Jervis Bay, with a visit to Melbourne in November. In April 1937, the warship sailed to New Zealand, then embarked on a three-month northern cruise in July, stopping at ports in Queensland, New Guinea, and New Britain. Following a return visit to Melbourne in November, Australia cruised to Hobart in February 1938 before being placed in reserve on 24 April 1938. She underwent a modernization refit at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, where her single 4-inch guns were replaced with twin mountings, belt armor up to 4.5 inches thick was added over the machinery spaces, and improvements were made to handling arrangements for the ship’s aircraft and boats. Despite the modernization being scheduled for completion in March 1939, delays occurred due to inconsistencies between Australia’s construction and the provided drawings. The cruiser was recommissioned on 28 August but did not leave the dockyard until 28 September.

HMAS Australia World War II

1939–1941

After the start of World War II, Australia was initially tasked with patrolling Australian waters. In late November to early December, Australia, Canberra, and Sydney searched for the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee in the Indian Ocean. In January 1940, Australia escorted Anzac convoy US 1 from Sydney to Fremantle and then sailed to Colombo before returning to Fremantle.

Australia relieved HMAS Adelaide as the cruiser assigned to the western coast until early February, when she was replaced by HMAS Sydney and returned to the east coast. In May, Australia and Canberra escorted Anzac convoy US 3 to Cape Town before being offered for service under the Royal Navy. Australia was accepted for service in European waters and spent time escorting ships around southern and western Africa.

In July, Australia and HMS Hermes sailed to Dakar to shadow the French battleship Richelieu. Attempts to disable the battleship were made, and Australia fired in combat for the first time when a French aircraft approached the Allied ships. After leaving Dakar, Australia caught up with an England-bound convoy and was later assigned to the Royal Navy’s 1st Cruiser Squadron at Scapa Flow. The cruiser participated in searches for enemy ships off Norway and around the Faroe Islands and Bear Island in the following months.

Australia was assigned to Operation Menace in early September, replacing the torpedoed British cruiser Fiji. On the morning of 19 September, Australia, after relieving HMS Cumberland on patrol off Dakar, located three French cruisers. Australia and Cumberland began to shadow the French cruisers until they lost sight in the dark. One of the French ships, the cruiser Gloire, encountered engine troubles and turned back to Konakri, where Australia soon found her. The Australian cruiser was then tasked with escorting Gloire to Casablanca, a task which the French cruiser accepted. The two ships sailed together until the morning of 21 September, when Gloire’s captain assured Australia that they would complete the voyage unescorted, allowing the Australian cruiser to intercept the main body of the Allied fleet the following day.

On 23 September, Australia was fired upon by shore batteries at Dakar while engaging and repelling two Fantasque-class destroyers, sustaining no damage. Later that day, Australia, along with the British destroyers Fury and Greyhound, engaged the French destroyer L’Audacieux, setting her ablaze. Despite poor visibility on 24 September, Australia participated in shelling Dakar and the French warships in the harbor. During the withdrawal to the rest of the fleet, the Australian cruiser faced an unsuccessful attack by high-altitude bombers. The following day, Australia and HMS Devonshire shelled French ships anchored at Dakar, damaging a destroyer and several cruisers. However, Australia was hit by two 6-inch shells, resulting in the loss of her Walrus aircraft and crew. Operation Menace was deemed a failure on 26 September, leading to Australia being ordered to return to the United Kingdom two days later.

In the early days of October, Australia provided escort for a fleet of troop transports making their way back from Gibraltar to the United Kingdom. Later, on the 29th of October, Australia was involved in a rescue operation when a Short Sunderland flying boat crashed off the coast of Greenock, Scotland during a storm. The cruiser managed to recover nine out of the thirteen crew members, while the other four were unfortunately lost at sea. In November and December, Australia underwent a refit in Liverpool. However, the ship faced some challenges during this time. On the night of 20th December, a German air raid targeted the dry-dock where Australia was berthed, but luckily the torpedo dropped alongside the ship and did not explode. The following night, the ship sustained damage from a bomb blast near its port side, resulting in cracked scuttles and damage to the catapult.

Australia began the year 1941 by escorting Convoy WS5B from the British Isles to the Middle East via South Africa. After handing over the convoy to HMS Hawkins off Mombasa on 22 January, the cruiser participated in the search for the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer, although it was unsuccessful. Following this, Australia conducted searches for the auxiliary cruisers Pinguin and Atlantis in the Indian Ocean. The cruiser then sailed back to Sydney with two troopships, arriving on 24 March. In the following month, Australia escorted Convoy US10 for the initial part of the journey from Australia to Suez. It then proceeded to Singapore to collect Admiral Ragnar Colvin and his staff after the Singapore Conference.

In June, Australia was involved in escorting convoys across the Tasman Sea and delivered Convoy US11A to Trincomalee in mid-July. Subsequently, the ship was assigned to the South Atlantic Station. In November, the cruiser sailed to the Kerguelen Islands to search for German commerce raiders. After discovering evidence of enemy activity, Australia deployed magnetic sea mines as a precautionary measure. These mines remained in place as of 2008. Due to the loss of HMAS Sydney and the deteriorating situation in Southeast Asia, Australia received orders on 3 December to hand Convoy WS12X to HMS Dorsetshire and return home. On 29 December, the cruiser was designated as the Flagship of the Australian Squadron.

1942

On January 31st, the ships Australia and HMNZS Leander departed from Sydney and set sail towards Wellington. This journey marked the beginning of their mission. By February 1942, the Australian cruiser had become the flagship of the newly established ANZAC Squadron. In early March, Australia was given the task of shelling Gasmata in New Britain. However, on March 7th, the operation was called off and the ships were redirected to provide protection for the American aircraft carriers USS Lexington and USS Yorktown. These carriers were launching an air raid in response to the Japanese capture of Lae and Salamaua. After the successful raid, Upon encountering any Japanese ships en route to Port Moresby, the US carrier groups engaged a Japanese force heading for the Solomon Islands. The ships arrived at their designated patrol area at approximately 14:00, where they encountered eleven unidentified aircraft at 14:27. Despite firing at the aircraft from maximum range, no damage was inflicted. Subsequently, the ships were targeted by twelve Japanese twin-engine torpedo bombers at 15:06. Fortunately, both Australia and Chicago managed to evade the torpedoes, resulting in the destruction of at least five enemy aircraft. At 15:16, nineteen Japanese heavy bombers dropped their payload on the Allied ships. Although the bombing was accurate, none of the ships were directly hit, and the only casualties were from shrapnel aboard Chicago. Shortly after, the ships faced another attack from three heavy bombers, which proved to be less accurate than the initial bombing. It was later revealed that these three aircraft belonged to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Australia and the Anzac Squadron headed towards Nouméa.

On the evening of 12 March, while sailing close to the Louisiade Islands, a ship’s stoker was fatally stabbed fourteen times and succumbed to peritonitis overnight. Prior to his demise, the stoker disclosed to the ship’s surgeon that he had been threatened due to his knowledge of a homosexual relationship between two other stokers, which ultimately led to the vicious attack. Subsequently, the two accused stokers were confined, and a court-martial was conducted from 15 to 18 March, while the ship was anchored at Nouméa. The stokers were found guilty of committing the first-ever murder on an Australian warship. In accordance with British naval regulations, which the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) adhered to, the men were to be executed by hanging from the cruiser’s yardarm. However, despite Captain Harold Farncomb’s zealous prosecution of the two individuals, he successfully petitioned for the postponement of the death sentences until the ship’s return to its home port. The men’s convictions under British military law meant that the Australian government had no authority to commute their sentences until an appeal for clemency was made to King George VI. The King then decided to reduce their sentence to life imprisonment. This situation arose because Australia had not yet adopted the Statute of Westminster 1931, which defined the Dominions as sovereign governments capable of amending or repealing previous British legislation affecting them. The Australian government passed a bill ratifying the Statute on 9 October, prompted by the murder and issues related to legal control of shipping in Australian ports and the National Security Act. The sentences of the two stokers were reduced multiple times, and they were eventually released in September 1950.

On 22 April, the Anzac Squadron underwent a reclassification and became Task Force 44, while Australia remained as the flagship. Towards the end of April, Australia returned to Sydney for a week to undergo repairs and maintenance, primarily focusing on the outer port propeller shaft. During this period, the Americans received intelligence about an imminent Japanese invasion of Port Moresby. Consequently, on 1 May, Australia set sail alongside Hobart to rendezvous with American forces in the Coral Sea. At 07:00 on 7 May, Rear Admiral John Gregory Crace, who was commanding Task Force 44 from Australia, received orders to lead his ships (Australia, the cruisers Hobart and USS Chicago, and the destroyers USS Perkins, USS Walke, and USS Farragut) to the Jomard Passage. Upon encountering any Japanese ships en route to Port Moresby, the US carrier groups engaged a Japanese force heading for the Solomon Islands. The ships arrived at their designated patrol area at approximately 14:00, where they encountered eleven unidentified aircraft at 14:27. Despite firing at the aircraft from maximum range, no damage was inflicted. Subsequently, the ships were targeted by twelve Japanese twin-engine torpedo bombers at 15:06. Fortunately, both Australia and Chicago managed to evade the torpedoes, resulting in the destruction of at least five enemy aircraft. At 15:16, nineteen Japanese heavy bombers dropped their payload on the Allied ships. Although the bombing was accurate, none of the ships were directly hit, and the only casualties were from shrapnel aboard Chicago. Shortly after, the ships faced another attack from three heavy bombers, which proved to be less accurate than the initial bombing. It was later revealed that these three aircraft belonged to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).

Despite Vice Admiral Herbert F. Leary’s plans to train aircrews in naval vessel recognition in response, General George Brett of the USAAF refused to implement them or acknowledge the occurrence of the friendly fire incident. In the absence of new orders, Crace made the decision to relocate his ships during the night, positioning them 220 nautical miles away from Port Moresby. This strategic move aimed to enhance their ability to intercept a potential Japanese invasion force passing through the Jomard Passage or the China Strait. However, the lack of instructions from the American commander left Crace reliant on intercepted radio messages to monitor the progress of the main battle. The Australian task force, along with the rest of the fleet, remained in their designated area until 01:00 on May 10th. At that point, Crace ordered them to withdraw south to Cid Harbour on Whitsunday Island. Due to the absence of reports and intelligence regarding both the American and Japanese forces, Crace concluded that both had withdrawn, eliminating any immediate threat to Port Moresby.

On 13 June, Rear Admiral Victor Crutchley took over from Crace as the commander of Task Force 44 and assumed command aboard Australia. A month later, on 14 July, Australia led Task Force 44 from Brisbane to rendezvous in Wellington with the amphibious assault force for the landings at Guadalcanal and the surrounding islands. Departing from New Zealand on 22 July, the force conducted rehearsal landings at Koro Island from 28 to 31 July. On the evening of 1 August, they joined the rest of the attack force south of Fiji, consisting of three carrier groups and additional transports, before heading towards the Solomon Islands. Starting on 6 August, the various elements began positioning themselves, with Australia leading Squadron X, which included four other cruisers, nine destroyers, nine transports, and six store ships, towards the main landing site on the north side of Guadalcanal.

Squadron X transited the channel between Guadalcanal and Savo Island during the early morning of 7 August, arriving at the assault point off Lunga Point at 06:47. Australia and the other warships engaged in sporadic firing on shore targets while moving into position, followed by a coordinated bombardment before the first wave of landing craft reached the beach unopposed just after 08:00. Despite several retaliatory air attacks against Squadron X, each was successfully repelled by the squadron’s anti-aircraft fire, resulting in no damage to Australia. In anticipation of a potential naval attack during the night, Crutchley divided his forces around Savo Island, with Australia leading Canberra, USS Chicago, and two destroyers patrolling the southern waters, while a second group of three heavy cruisers and two destroyers patrolled the northern passage. During the night of 7–8 August, the ships protected the transports or served as picket ships. No incidents occurred, and the same arrangement was maintained at 18:30 for the night of 8–9 August. At 20:45, Crutchley was summoned to meet urgently with US Admiral Richmond K. Turner, the overall commander of the amphibious landings, aboard the transport USS McCawley to discuss the proposed withdrawal of the carrier groups. Australia then left the patrol group. The meeting ended at 01:15 on 9 August, and instead of returning to the southern patrol, Crutchley instructed Australia to patrol around the transports. Shortly before 02:00, the southern patrol force was attacked by a six-ship Japanese task force, resulting in irreparable damage to Canberra. Three US cruisers were lost in the subsequent attack on the northern patrol force.

After unloading their cargo, the naval force withdrew on 9 August. It took Australia until 13 August to reach Nouméa. Task Force 44’s ships were replenished at Nouméa and then set sail on 19 August to rejoin the three carrier groups. This decision was made in response to intelligence indicating that a large Japanese fleet was heading towards the Solomon Islands. Upon their arrival on 21 August, Crutchley and Australia were given command of the carriers’ combined surface defence group, which included cruisers and the battleship USS North Carolina. Air attacks took place between the Allied and Japanese forces on 24-25 August, but the Japanese fleet was successfully repelled without Australia or the other warships having to directly engage. On 31 August, Task Force 44 was detached from the carrier groups and sailed to Brisbane, arriving on 3 September. Four days later, Australia joined the task force in sailing to Milne Bay, where Japanese warships had previously attacked Allied ships and shore positions multiple times. However, Task Force 44 did not encounter any enemy vessels during this mission. Following this, the ships were assigned to patrol the Coral Sea.

1943

On 10 January 1943, Australia and the rest of Task Force 44 ceased their patrol duties. Throughout the three months stationed, no Japanese aircraft or ships were spotted. Task Force 44 was subsequently withdrawn and divided into smaller units. Two rapid response forces were formed, while the third group, consisting of Australia and three American destroyers, was assigned to conduct exercises in Moreton Bay. In early February, Australia’s group sailed to Sydney, where the cruiser underwent radar installation. On 17 February, they set off to rendezvous with the convoy bringing back the 9th Division from the Middle East. The convoy arrived in Fremantle on 18 February, and later sailed towards the Great Australian Bight, where Australia and her escorts joined them. Without any noteworthy incidents, the ships safely reached Sydney on 27 February. Following this, Australia and her destroyers returned to their previous positions in northern waters.

On 15 March 1943, the United States Seventh Fleet implemented a new numbering system, resulting in Task Force 44 being re-designated as Task Force 74.[74][75] In an effort to investigate rumors of Japanese landings along the south-eastern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia was dispatched on 11 April, but no evidence of Japanese activity was found.[11] The task force’s ships continued their duties of convoy escorting, refits, and patrols until 29 June, when Australia and five other ships were deployed to safeguard the sea lines of communication in the Coral and Arafura Seas, as well as provide assistance to any transports in those areas.[75] However, as no Japanese forces were encountered and no calls for assistance were received, the ships withdrew to the Flinders Group on 4 July.[75] Six days later, Task Force 74 was sent to Espiritu Santo to reinforce the United States Third Fleet, which had suffered losses of four cruisers (one sunk, three undergoing major repairs) during the New Georgia Campaign due to torpedoes.[76] Upon arrival on 16 July, Australia and the other ships were assigned to patrol Espiritu Santo’s western waters.[77] As the sun set on 20 July, Task Force 74 was en route back to Espiritu Santo when HMAS Hobart was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. Crutchley, the commander, believed that the submarine had targeted Australia from a long distance, but it is possible that the task force’s speed was underestimated, causing the torpedoes to miss the heavy cruiser and instead hit Hobart.

In October, Australia returned to Australian waters. At the beginning of the month, the cruiser was the sole ship assigned to Task Force 74. However, on 13 October, the destroyer USS Bagley joined her, and the two vessels reached Milne Bay two days later, in anticipation of potential sea attacks on the recently captured town of Finschhafen. No counterattack occurred, and on 21 October, the two ships departed for Brisbane, where the task force was reinforced with two cruisers and four destroyers. They then set sail for Milne Bay, where they stayed until receiving orders to proceed to Port Purvis on Florida Island in the Solomons on 11 November to provide support for the Third Fleet following the Bougainville invasion. Despite arriving on 13 November, Australia and the task force were instructed to return to Milne Bay two days later, as a USN cruiser division had arrived. On 15 December 1943, Australia and Task Force 74 took part in the Arawe landings by escorting the landing force and conducting pre-landing bombardment. Australia also led the landing and escort force for the Cape Gloucester landing, departing from Milne Bay on the evening of 25 December. At 06:00 on 26 December, Australia initiated a two-and-a-half-hour shelling of targets near the Gloucester airstrip before the landing, after which she sailed to Buna, where she remained for the remainder of the year.

1944

In the early days of January 1944, Australia made its way back to Milne Bay and then proceeded to Sydney on 12 January for an extensive eight-week refit. During this refit period, Captain Farncomb was replaced by Captain Emile Dechaineux. On the morning of 7 February, Crutchley transferred his flag to HMAS Shropshire, but the role of Flagship was returned to Australia on 21 March, just three days after rejoining Task Force 74 at Milne Bay. On the morning of 20 April, Australia and Task Force 74 rendezvoused with three other task forces of the Seventh Fleet near Manus Island. The combined force was assembled to provide support for the amphibious landings at Aitape, Humboldt Bay, and Tanahmerah Bay. The following evening, Australia separated from her task force and joined the attack force for Tanahmerah Bay. Arriving off the bay at 03:00 on 22 April, Australia took the lead in a half-hour shore bombardment to cover the initial wave of the amphibious landing at 06:00. After successfully providing cover and allowing the 24th Infantry Division to land with minimal opposition, the warships withdrew to safeguard the transports. Later in the day, Australia, accompanied by two destroyers, patrolled the coastline, eliminating any Japanese barges or supply dumps they encountered. Task Force 74 remained in the Hollandia area for the remainder of the month, offering support to the landed forces, and eventually arrived in Seeadler Harbour on 4 May.

Australia and Task Force 74 arrived back at Tanahmerah Bay on 16 May to provide escort for troopships heading to Wakde Island. The task force, along with Task Force 75, left the troopships on 17 May at 04:30 and conducted a shore bombardment around Sawar and Sarmi after 06:00. Following their support during the Battle of Wakde, the task forces sailed to Humboldt Bay for replenishment. On 25 May, the task force was temporarily renamed Task Group 77.2 and departed at 22:00 to offer escort and fire support for the amphibious landing at Biak. Australia bombarded Biak Island on 27 May at 06:30. In the subsequent days, Australia and its accompanying ships provided cover patrols and fire support for the Allied forces on land. Anticipating a strong naval response from the Japanese, Crutchley received orders on 1 June to return to Humboldt Bay with Australia and Task Force 74. They were then to merge with Task Force 75 to form a joint fleet, stationed northeast of Biak from 4 June onwards to intercept any Japanese forces encountered. While en route on the evening of 4 June, the fleet came under attack by Japanese dive-bombers, but Australia emerged unscathed. Crutchley’s force withdrew on 6 June for replenishment at Humboldt Bay before returning the following day. Aerial sightings of a Japanese force were reported on 7 June, leading to radar contact at 23:19. At 23:31, as the Japanese ships launched torpedoes, Crutchley ordered his destroyers to close in for an attack, while positioning Australia and the cruisers within firing range. The Japanese ships abandoned their barges, turned, and fled, prompting the Allied destroyers to pursue until 02:30 on 8 June, after which they retreated. The cruisers disengaged almost immediately as they could not match the speed of the Japanese destroyers. The Japanese escaped with minimal damage

On June 12th, the joint task force returned to Seeadler Harbour, marking the end of Crutchley’s two-year term as Rear Admiral Commanding Australian Squadron. The following day, Commodore John Augustine Collins assumed command of both the Australian Squadron and Task Force 74 aboard Australia, becoming the first graduate of the Royal Australian Naval College to hold such a position. Throughout June, Australia remained in port before setting sail on June 24th with Task Forces 74 and 75 to conduct a shore bombardment in preparation for the attack on Noemfoor Island. On July 2nd, Australia bombarded Noemfoor Island in the morning, then proceeded to Hollandia and later Seeadler Harbour. On July 12th, Australia led Task Force 74 to Aitape to provide naval gunfire support for Allied forces, disrupt Japanese troop movements by barge, and eliminate gun emplacements along the waterways. Subsequently, on July 14th, Australia shelled the Yakamal area of Aitape, followed by the Marubian area on July 17th, and another attack on Yakamal on July 20th. On July 22nd, Collins moved his flag to Shropshire, and Australia, along with HMAS Warramunga, headed to Sydney for maintenance dockings.

On 26 August, the cruiser set sail from Sydney alongside twelve other ships from Task Forces 74 and 75. Together, they arrived at Seeadler Harbour on 1 September. On 3 September, Collins reembarked and Australia was designated as the lead ship of Task Group 75.2 for the Morotai landings. It served as part of the escort and bombardment force. On 15 September, the cruiser conducted a shelling operation around Cape Gila from 06:50 to 07:40. However, the shelling had to be cut short by ten minutes due to shell fragments from Australia falling near the USS Fletcher, a destroyer positioned on the other side of the cape to cover the landings. Australia remained stationed to provide fire support until the evening of 16 September. At that point, Australia and the other ships assigned to Task Force 74 were allowed to withdraw to Mios Woendi. Australia stayed there until 27 September, when Task Forces 74 and 75 departed for Manus Island to participate in exercises. During this period, the cruiser had the honor of being visited by British Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Roger Keyes.

Task Force 74 was integrated into Task Unit 77.3.2 on 11 October, with the mission of providing close cover for the landing force during the Leyte recapture operation. The unit departed for Hollandia on the same day. On 13 October at 15:30, Task Group 77.3, which included Australia and its companions, embarked on a seven-day journey to Leyte. Australia began shelling targets at 09:00 on 20 October in preparation for the upcoming amphibious landings. Throughout the day, the ship provided gunfire support and attacked targets of opportunity. Around 06:00 on 21 October, Japanese aircraft attempted to bomb the Allied ships in Leyte Bay. An Aichi D3A dive-bomber targeted Shropshire but veered away due to heavy anti-aircraft fire. The damaged Aichi then flew at low level along the port side of Australia before colliding with the cruiser’s foremast. Although most of the aircraft fell into the water, debris and burning fuel showered the bridge and forward superstructure of Australia. The collision resulted in the death of seven officers, including Captain Dechaineux, and twenty-three sailors. While Commodore Collins and nine other officers, along with fifty-two sailors and an AIF gunner, were wounded, opinions among observers aboard Australia and nearby Allied ships varied regarding the collision. Some believed it was accidental, while the majority viewed it as a deliberate ramming aimed at the bridge. Commander Harley C. Wright took temporary control of the ship following the attack. Historian George Hermon Gill asserts in the official war history of the RAN that Australia was the first Allied ship hit by a kamikaze attack. However, other sources, such as Samuel Eliot Morison in History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, disagree, stating that it was not a preplanned suicide attack. The pilot likely acted on their own initiative, with similar attacks by damaged aircraft occurring as early as 1942. Australia sailed for Kossol Passage with HMAS Warramunga and the US Ships Honolulu and Richard P. Leary after the attack. The Australian ships then proceeded to Manus and Espiritu Santo for repairs. Australia’s repairs were completed by 28 November, and she rejoined the joint Australian-American task force on 4 December. Five days later, Farncomb, now a commodore, replaced Collins aboard Australia.

1945

In the beginning of 1945, Australia and the ships under its command were incorporated into Task Group 77.2, which served as the escort and fire support force for the invasion of Lingayen Gulf. Australia assumed the rear position of the Task Group when it departed from Leyte on the morning of 3 January. Its primary responsibility was to provide fire support for the landings at San Fabian. During the journey to Lingayen Gulf, the invasion force faced numerous kamikaze attacks. At 17:35 on 5 January, Australia was struck on its portside amidships. This resulted in the loss of 25 lives and left 30 individuals wounded, with officer casualties numbering 3 and 1 respectively. The majority of the casualties were from the gun crews of the port-side secondary and anti-aircraft guns. Despite the damage sustained, it was determined that the ship could continue with the operation and was not required to withdraw. The ships arrived at the gulf early on January 6th, and by 11:00, Australia had started the pre-landing bombardment. A second kamikaze crashed into the cruiser at 17:34 between the starboard 4-inch guns, resulting in the death of 14 individuals and injuring 26. The casualties were mainly gun crews, and from that point on, there were only enough trained personnel to operate one 4-inch gun on each side of the cruiser. Another aircraft made an attempt to crash into Australia at 18:28, but it was taken down by USS Columbia, which had been damaged by kamikaze attacks earlier in the day, before it could hit. Australia, tasked with a counter-battery role, experienced minimal activity on January 7th. The following day, she was targeted twice by kamikazes in rapid succession: at 07:20, a twin-engine bomber landed in the water 20 yards (18 m) from the cruiser and skidded to collide with the ship’s port side, then another aircraft attacked at 07:39, once again being shot down just before hitting the port side at the waterline. The hull of the ship suffered a significant blow when the second attacker detonated a bomb, resulting in a 14-by-8-foot hole and causing a 5-degree tilt. Despite the explosion and the abundance of debris and shrapnel, only a few cases of shock were reported, and the casualties remained minimal. Consequently, Australia was able to proceed with the planned bombardments for the day. On 9 January, the landing force arrived, and the cruiser commenced shelling designated targets in preparation for the upcoming amphibious assault. However, at 13:11, the fifth suicide aircraft targeting Australia during the operation struck. Its intended target was the cruiser’s bridge, but instead, it collided with a mast strut and the forward exhaust funnel before plunging into the water. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the crash inflicted damage upon the funnel, radar, and wireless systems. Consequently, the decision was made to withdraw the cruiser for necessary repairs.Australia participated in escorting the transport ships back to Leyte on the evening of 9 January, along with several Allied ships that were damaged by kamikaze strikes. After temporary repairs were made to the cruiser, it sailed to Sydney via Manus for permanent repairs and a refit, arriving home on 28 January. The ship then docked at Cockatoo Island for further repair and the initial stages of the refit, which included modifications such as the removal of ‘X’ turret and the aircraft catapult, as well as shortening the funnels by 5 feet each. Due to prioritizing repairs for British Pacific Fleet vessels, Australia left the dock on 17 May and set sail for England via the Panama Canal on 24 May. The cruiser arrived at Plymouth on 2 July and underwent a major refit from August to December. Australia was awarded eight battle honours for its wartime service, including “Atlantic 1940–41”, “Pacific 1941–43”, “Coral Sea 1942”, “Savo Island 1942”, “Guadalcanal 1942”, “New Guinea 1942–44”, “Leyte Gulf 1944”, and “Lingayen Gulf 1945”. Naval historian John Bastock noted that Australia likely engaged in more actions and covered more miles than any other ship in the RAN during the war.

Post-war

The cruiser returned to Sydney on 16 February 1946, and she was placed into reserve for the rest of the year, during which the final components of the refit were completed.[45][135] On 16 June 1947, Australia was recommissioned and designated flagship of the Australia Squadron.[135] On 18 August, the cruiser sailed to Tokyo to serve with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.[45][135] She remained in the region until the end of the year, and returned to Australia on 10 December.[45] With the exceptions of visits to New Zealand in 1948 and New Guinea in 1949, Australia remained in home waters for the next three-and-a-half years.[11] During 1949, the designation of Flagship was transferred to the light aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney.[135] By the start of 1950, Australia had been reassigned to training duties.[135]

Australia visited New Zealand from 24 February to 31 March 1950.[11] The cruiser was deployed on a ‘mercy mission’ to Heard Island in late July, to collect the island’s doctor, who had developed appendicitis, and transport him to the mainland for treatment.[140] Given only 24 hours notice, the ship’s company loaded provisions and cold-weather gear, while removing all unnecessary equipment to improve fuel consumption, before sailing on 27 July.[140] Better-than-expected weather on the outbound voyage was countered by poor conditions at Heard Island, with Australia forced to loiter for a day before a boat could be safely launched to collect the doctor.[140] The cruiser reached Fremantle on 14 August.[141] Because of structural damage to Australia caused by Southern Ocean conditions, the Australian government announced that RAN vessels would not be deployed for similar incidents in the future, although the RAN performed three medical evacuations at the nearby Macquarie Islands in later years.[

In May 1951, Australia conveyed Sir John Northcott, the Governor of New South Wales, to Lord Howe Island for jubilee celebrations. In July, the cruiser made a stop in New Caledonia. In 1952, the cruiser visited New Guinea, New Britain, and the Solomon Islands, and conducted a training cruise to New Zealand from mid-September to 6 October. Australia paid a visit to New Zealand in October 1953. In February and March 1954, the cruiser was part of the escort for the Royal Yacht Gothic during the Australian leg of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation world tour. Subsequently, in May, Australia transported Governor-General Sir William Slim, along with his wife and staff, on a cruise of the Coral Sea, Great Barrier Reef, and Whitsunday Passage. During this journey, a disabled Dutch landing ship was located and towed to Cairns.

HMAS Australia Decommissioning and fate

Australia, a warship of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), concluded its service on 31 August 1954 and was designated for disposal. With a remarkable career spanning 26 years, it held the record for the longest service of any RAN warship at that time. The ship was subsequently sold for scrapping to the British Iron & Steel Corporation on 25 January 1955. On 26 March, the cruiser was towed from Sydney Harbour by the Dutch-flagged tugboat Rode Zee, accompanied by two other tugs, for its journey to Barrow-in-Furness via the Suez Canal. They reached their destination on 5 July. The dismantling of Australia took place throughout 1956 at Thos. W. Ward’s Shipbreaking Yard in Barrow-in-Furness. As a testament to its legacy, one of the cruiser’s 8-inch gun barrels is now exhibited outside the Australian War Memorial. Additionally, a memorial honoring the ship’s company, particularly those who lost their lives during World War II, was unveiled at Henley Beach, South Australia, on 1 May 2011.

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