 |
 |
RAN |
|
As part of the combined ABDA navies in the Far East, the RAN struggled to fulfill its role in an ever over stretched and dangerous theatre of war. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, its destruction of two of Britain's capital ships and its ability, as aggressor, to choose its targets and concentrate meant the allied navies were continually on the backfoot. The RAN ships available were mostly the smaller corvettes (Bathurst class minesweepers). As the Japanese land forces swept down the Malayan peninsula the Australian vessels operated in the dangerous coastal waters. The threat of air attack was ever present. When the Repulse and Prince of Wales were sunk the Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire was near enough to rescue 225 survivors. The Vampire was also attempted to oppose a Japanese landing on the night of 26 January. In the ensuing action with six enemy destroyers and a light cruiser the Vampire was forced to break off the engagement. The HMS Thanet with whom she was partnered in this sortie was lost. The Australian corvettes were used for patrol work along the coast and as escorts for ships and convoys approaching and leaving Singapore. Initially the Bendigo, Burnie, Goulbourn and Maryborough were allocated these tasks. In December the light cruiser Hobart and minesweeping sloop Yarra joined them. Three more corvettes, the Wollongong, Toowoomba and Ballarat arrived in January 1942. The Yarra escorted the last inbound convoy into Singapore under intense aerial attack in early February. She shot down a Japanese plane and possibly two others as she came to the assistance of the stricken transport Empress of Asia on 5 February. 1800 men were rescued from the sinking ship. The Australian ships were withdrawn from the Singapore area after its fall and concentrated with other allied ships in the Dutch ports along the north coast of Java. |
|
|