HMAS Australia (D84)

HMAS "Australia" (D84), launched in 1927, was a County-class heavy cruiser built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ship is believed to have been the first ship damaged by a kamikaze attack, and to be the ship hit the most times by kamikazes.Fact|date=September 2008

"Australia" was laid down by John Brown and Company of Clydebank at Glasgow, Scotland on 26 August 1925. She was launched on 17 March 1927 and commissioned on 24 April 1928, two months before sister ship HMAS "Canberra". [http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Canberra_(I) Royal Australian Navy, "HMAS CANBERRA (I)" (official history)] ]

Operational History

World War II

After World War II began, "The Aussie" (as the ship was affectionately known within the RAN), first fired her main armament of eight 8 inch guns in anger off the coast of Dakar, in late 1940, when it took part in Operation Menace. "Australia" damaged the Vichy French destroyer "L'Audacieux", which as a result was beached on 23 September–24 September. "Australia" received hits from shore batteries and her Supermarine Seagull V reconnaissance plane, detached from No. 9 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force, was shot down by Vichy French Curtiss Hawks.

During 1941, "Australia" escorted convoys and patrolled the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Following the onset of the Pacific War, "Australia" was re-deployed to the South West Pacific Area. In May 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea, the ship survived a brief but intense attack from Japanese torpedo bombers. From 26 August 1942 until mid-1944, "Australia" joined Task Force 61, providing supporting fire and surface protection for Allied land forces at land battles including the invasion of Guadalcanal and the New Guinea campaign, including the Allied landings in New Britain.

On 21 October 1944, in the lead-up to the Battle of Leyte Gulf, "Australia" was hit by a Japanese plane carrying a 200 kg (441 lb) bomb, in the first-ever kamikaze attack. The plane struck the superstructure, above the bridge, spewing burning fuel and debris over a large area. However, the bomb failed to explode; if it had, the ship might have been effectively destroyed. At least 30 crew members died as a result of the attack, including the commanding officer, Captain Emile Dechaineux; among the wounded was Commodore John Collins, the Australian force commander.

On 25 October "Australia" was hit again and was forced to retire to the New Hebrides for repairs. The ship returned to combat in January 1945; by the end of the war, she had survived being hit by kamikazes on six separate occasions, which had resulted in the loss of 86 lives. This was "Australia's" last action, as she was still undergoing repairs when the war ended.

1945-1956

Following the end of the war, "Australia" served as a training ship. She was paid off for disposal on 31 August 1954 and sold for scrap to the British Iron and Steel Corporation (Salvage) on 25 January 1955, left Sydney under tow on 26 March 1955, and was broken up at the Thomas W. Ward Shipbreaking Yard at Barrow-in-Furness in 1956.

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-fornv/austral/aussh-ag/austr2.htm HMAS Australia history and images] , U. S. Naval Historical Center