4 DEC 1990: The Royal Australian Navy’s involvement in the Persian Gulf was approved today. On this day, approval was given by the Australian Government for the Royal Australian Navy’s involvement in the Persian Gulf. Ultimately eight Australian ships served in the Gulf.
Crew
The Siege of Kut
3 DEC 1915: World War I and the Siege of Kut begins in Mesopotamia. Nine members of the Australian Flying Corps serving with 30 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, became trapped in Kut with the forces of Major General Charles Townsend when the town was besieged by the Turks. The Kut garrison surrendered in April 1916. […]
First Aircraft Deployed
2 DEC 1914: World War I and the first Australian military aircraft despatched to war. Australian aircraft and their crews left to form the ‘Mesopotamian Half Flight’, fighting in what is now Iraq. Many were captured at the fall of Kut in 1916. The AFC could only provide four officers and ground staff for what […]
Battle Over Sunchon
1 DEC 1951: Korea and today sees the Air battle over Sunchon, North Korea. In the largest air-to-air battle fought by the RAAF during the Korean war, twelve 77 Squadron Meteors met between 40-50 Chinese Mig-15s. The fight precipitated a change from an air interception to a ground attack role for No. 77 Squadron. The […]
HMAS Armidale Sunk
1 DEC 1942: World War II and HMAS Armidale is sunk. Armidale was sunk by Japanese aircraft near Timor. As the Armidale sank Able Seaman Teddy Sheean fired at attacking bombers until he was lost with his ship. Armidale was engaged in escort duties in the North Queensland – Port Moresby – Milne Bay area. […]
Korean Bomb Threat
The threat of a nuclear strike in Korea was real. As Chinese forces pushed back the United States forces from the Yalu River, Truman stated during a 30 November 1950 press conference that using nuclear weapons was “always [under] active consideration”, with control under the local military commander. The Indian ambassador, K. Madhava Panikkar, reports […]
3RAR Secures Crossing
29-30 NOV 1950: Korea, and the Taedong River crossing is secured. The 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, secures the Taedong River ferry crossing, Korea. This was one of only two north-south roads available for the US Eighth Army’s retreat in the face of Chinese forces. 3RAR secured the crossing and protected it from Chinese […]
Rawdon Hume Middleton, VC
28 NOV 1942: World War II and Flight Sergeant (promoted Pilot Officer) Rawdon Hume Middleton, posted to No. 149 Squadron, RAF, Bomber Command, is awarded the Victoria Cross after a raid on Turin, Italy. This was a posthumous award. Though terribly wounded, Middleton kept his damaged bomber flying, saving the lives of his crew at […]
HMAS Parramatta Sunk
27 NOV 1941: World War II and RAN sloop HMAS Parramatta (L-44) is sunk by a German submarine in the Mediterranean near Tobruk. Parramatta was part of the navy’s “Tobruk ferry service”, whose destroyers and sloops kept the besieged port supplied. She was torpedoed and sunk by U-559 (Hans Heidtmann), 32° 20’N, 24° 35’E – […]
Empire Air Training Scheme
27 NOV 1939: World War II and today sees the inauguration of the Empire Air Training Scheme. Over 37,000 Australian airmen trained under the scheme, in Australia, Canada and Rhodesia, one of the Commonwealth’s greatest achievements in wartime. The Empire Air Training scheme was a programme implemented during the Second World War to train aircrew […]
