HMAS MILDURA - THE WAR YEARS 1941-1946
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This page includes more stories, anecdotes and photos from HMAS MILDURA's war years.
When you realize that nearly all steaming at night in wartime was without lights of any kind, it is a wonder that more collisions did not occur. Corvettes were not easy to maneuver and many of them were involved in collisions:
 HMAS BUNBURY after the collision with SEA ROVER
Damage to the MILDURA'S motor boat after the collision with the BERWICKSHIRE Sailor Grant Clark from Hobart remembered the incident well because the unexpected shore leave enabled him to get married and have a three day honeymoon. The BERWICKSHIRE (7,382 tons), formerly the "CLAN MACARTHUR (2)" sailed with the Clan Line from 1912 - 1920. It was then transferred to Scottish Shire Line, renamed BERWICKSHIRE. In 1944 she was torpedoed and sunk off Durban with 8 lives lost. Tubby Walsh (ex MILDURA) was a survivor the collision between aircraft carrier HMAS MELBOURNE and destroyer HMAS VOYAGER off the New South Wales coast in February 1964. When you joined the Navy during the war you were sent the following instructions (as sent to John Fethney, 1944): FORM R.R.17 NAVAL
RECRUITMENT OFFICE FILE NO. R.R.
7353/43 As an attested Naval Rating, you are hereby ordered to report at this office at 9.00am on Friday the 6th of October, 1944, for mobilization under the terms of a Proclamation of His Excellency, the Governor-General. You should bring the following items of kit for use until you are kitted up:-
The following items must not be brought by recruits:-
Acknowledgment Form below is to be completed and returned to this office immediately. Your Ration Book and Identity Card are to be surrendered to this office upon reporting, and your Ration Book must be in accordance with the attached list. LIEUT. COMMANDER
R.A.N.R. (S) HMAS MILDURA and US TASK FORCE 6814 After the surprise attack on the US Fleet at Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, Japanese forces had swept through the Pacific. The British naval base at Singapore was captured on February 16 and two days later massive air raids on Darwin. General McArthur fled the Philippines arriving in Australia on March 17. Japanese forces threatened Australia from Timor, the Solomon Islands, and northern New Guinea. Prime Minister Curtin announced that Australia had become "the last bastion between the west coast of America and the Japanese." HMAS MILDURA's arrival in Noumea on March 13, 1942, led the way for the US Army's first major operation in the South West Pacific. Six weeks after Pearl Harbour, US Task Force 6814 left Brooklyn with the mission of occupying and defending New Caledonia. The task force of 17,000 was not a division, being hastily put together from all over the US. It included infantry, artillery, engineers, ordnance, signals, medical, finance, and chemical units. Organization and training for subsequent jungle operations began on board. The convoy of seven large transports (including converted luxury liners) and naval escorts, had zig zagged across the Pacific, arriving in Melbourne on February 28th. Soldiers were billeted in Ballarat, Bendigo, Darley (near Bacchus Marsh), and Royal Park for a week. As artillery units had left without their guns they were re-equipped and trained by Australian soldiers. RAN corvettes HMAS MILDURA and HMAS GEELONG arrived in New Caledonia on March 13th and immediately began minesweeping the approaches to Noumea. The task force arrived three days later with the corvettes providing anti-submarine protection. C.O. Claude Guille's thought the convoy "...were the Japs and that we were for it...". Troops went over the side in landing nets and were immediately dispersed to the hills, because intelligence reports indicated an air attack. The SS ERICKSON had experienced power troubles on the voyage and was escorted into harbour four days later by the MILDURA. Morale on the island was low with the Japanese expected to invade at any time. Luxury goods were non-existent as there hadn't been a supply boat for two years. There was also strong local support for the Vichy among the French garrison. Defences were primitive; there was a gun guarding the harbour for which there was only 96 rounds left in the world and hadn't been fired for years. The only force to the north was a unit of 300 Australian commandos under command of Lt. Col. Matheson. They had been used to explore the interior, man observation posts and, in the event of invasion, harass the enemy as long as possible. The defence of New Caledonia was based on the protection of the southern city of Noumea with its harbour facilities, and three airports to the north. The corvettes maintained continuous minesweeping and anti-submarine patrols. On March 31, engine difficulties caused MILDURA to run aground on the reef surrounding Amedee Island. Stores, depth charges and ammunition were transferred to the GEELONG. On April 5 MILDURA left Noumea to return to Sydney for repairs at Chapman's dry dock. After the Japanese defeat in the Battle of the
Coral Sea on May 7 and 8, New Caledonia became an important supply
and staging post for the recapturing of the Pacific Islands. Troops
from the task force were later used in the US assault on Guadalcanal. C.O. Claude Guille's account of HMAS MILDURA running aground in Noumea, March 31, 1942.
Mick Toohey recalls that the subsequent dry docking and shore leave enabled him to get married. Grant Clark was on the bridge at the time and was required to give evidence at the official enquiry. When a cumbersome looking craft loomed over the horizon off the West Australian coast in September 1944 and exchanged identification there was a certain flurry on the MILDURA's bridge. We had never previously encountered HMS MAIDSTONE and a search of the books showed her to be a submarine mother ship. Much of our activity during the next few months was to be spent exercising with the RN subs she supported and which were soon to be busy attacking the Japanese supply lines many miles north. We were to meet up with the MAIDSTONE again in the Philippines at the end of the war when we hastily honed our minesweeping skills in preparation to enter Hong Kong harbour to take the Japanese surrender. The initial Japanese surrender took place on the deck of the MAIDSTONE. The MAIDSTONE, a Royal Navy submarine depot ship, 13,000 tons,displaced 8,900 tons with a complement of 502 including 43 as a replacement submarine crew. She had a speed of 17 knots with a primary armament of eight 4.5 inch guns. Maidstone. . Built 1939. Lbd 497 x 73 21.2 ft. Badly damaged when fire broke out at North Wharf, Fremantle, 17 January 1945. The ship continued in service until the 1970's. On 17 January 1945 the MILDURA was alongside in Fremantle when billowing black smoke was observed on the other side of the harbour. We soon learned that the MV PANAMANIAN being loaded with flour had caught fire. The PANAMANIAN was a Panama registered merchant ship, 13,639 tons. She was built 1903 - intended name was MINNELORA but launched as the PACIFIC MAIL; renamed PRESIDENT FILLMORE in 1929 and the PANAMANIAN in 1940. Lbd 616 x 65.3 x ? ft. Designed to carry 350 first class, 68 second class and 1,400 steerage class passengers. As the FILLMORE she was used on the New York - Panama - California - Japan - China - Mediterranean - New York "round the world" service until Nov.1931. The MAIDSTONE was at an adjacent berth. Sid Tiffin RN was in the MAIDSTONE at the time: "We caught fire and burnt from the bows to the bridge. We were towed out to Gage Roads as fast as possible because we were laden with ammunition and torpedoes for our subs. If we had gone up that day I think half of Fremantle would have gone with us."
The fire was caused by a hessian bag igniting from a loading winch, although some say it was during a two-up game played on a scorching hot afternoon. When thrown overboard it set fire to oil on the water, igniting the PANAMANIAN and the wharves. The bridge, saloon and promenade deck were soon ablaze. Ammunition for the 4 inch gun mounted on her stern and the anti-aircraft armament began to explode. Eventually it was extinguished with much concern and effort. One firefighter was killed when he fell into the burning hold. The damage to ships, cargo, and the wharf was estimated at 600,000 pounds. The New Zealand ship HMNZS ACHILLES played a leading role in fighting the fire. For two days the fire was fought by all the fire brigades in Perth and the brigades from the armed services. The PANAMANIAN was eventually repaired but was scrapped in Hong Kong during 1946-7. For details on the role of the ACHILLES crew, see this site: http://www.rnzncomms.net.nz/jackharker/achillesChapt16.html and Jack Loney's book, "Wrecks on the Western Australian Coast".
If you have any items to share, or would like to be contacted when this page is updated, please send an e-mail to the hmasmildura@hotmail.com
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