Extract from Corvette magazine

 

CORVETTE – MAID OF ALL WORK  - The Corvette involved was HMAS KAPUNDA

Reprinted from the Queensland Digger, July 1943.

 

This graphic story is by a member of the crew of an Australian naval corvette and describes an eventful day’s work near Milne Bay.   The corvette became by turns mine sweeper, escort, ack-ack ship, fire float, hospital ship and salvage tug – all in a day’s work.

 

The corvette had just entered Milne Bay as the Japs came over – 37 bombers flying at roughly 25,000 feet.   Right up top they had a screen of fighters, maybe about 50, so it looked as though they were out to make a mess of this part of New Guinea. The bombers were in good formation as they approached, but suddenly two fell out of line, and began to leave a trail of smoke.   That was a comforting sight, because it meant that the Kittyhawk and Lightnings were on their tails already.

 

The main formation came on steadily, well astern of the corvette, and passing over the bay dropped their eggs into the tangled mass of jungle that swept down to the shore.   The booming roar of the explosions came rolling out to us as spurts of smoke and debris shot into the sky. Then came the dive bombers out of the blue.   They make a frightening yet inspiring sight, when you have time to watch them. They were aiming at the shipping just offshore, coming in at mast height.

 

Our corvette twisted and turned as the planes came screaming down from all directions, but they left her severely alone; there were easier game, and maybe more important game to them in the less elusive supply ships down the bay. They singled out one and the first attack caused a fire to flare in her after hold, but her gun kept working and the second plane ran smack into the stream of shot that sent it turning frantically aloft to miss the mast.   A second later, spurting flames, it took a wobbly, spinning dive into the “drink” and doused itself.   It was good shooting.

 

As the bombing became more intense, the corvette took a hand.  Her guns flashed and barked as the planes came in.    The third Jap screamed down on to the stern of the injured freighter, but our guns got him just in time to send him staggering down to join his comrade in the sea.   The raid continued for half an hour with dive bombers hurtling down, bombing and strafing and screaming as they split the wind, while from ship and shore the guns snapped and barked like excited dogs with a cat up a tree.

              

Then our fighters came back from chasing the heavier bombers home, and in a few moments the air was cleared and the Japs were streaking into the blue. So the curtain had come down on act one. We surveyed the scene; two ships on fire and one on the beach.   We took the corvette close to the ship most seriously afire, and found her crew working like mad to get it under control.   But they weren’t making much progress. They couldn’t with only buckets to fight it. So we manned our hoses, and our firemen in their fire-proofed suits went into the holds, taking the hoses with them.   They fought the fire for two hours, all the time thinking it a hopeless job, until one section came under control, and spurred them to greater efforts.

 

The fire was fiercest above the after hold, where the bomb had first hit.   Under that was a cargo of ammunition.   They knew about that, and it didn’t make them happy, but they didn’t know about the unexploded bomb sitting up in the middle of the ammunition.   That was found later. As it was, the situation in the after hold was bad enough.    The ship was sinking by the stern, and the water from the fire hoses went rushing aft as fast as it hit the deck.  It looked as though she might have to be beached.

 

There was also a blaze amidships which threatened the engine room, but the ratings from the corvette put that out with extinguishers. We took her lines aboard, but kept men handy to them with axes in case she decided to sink and take us with her.    

 

Then a small merchantman went aboard of the burning ship and sent a line aboard, the tow began.   Her bow was pointed to the wharf, though many of us thought she’d never make it.  But she did after what seemed an age. In fact, it had taken so long that the fire was out when we got there. There wasn’t even any smoke. The ship wasn’t holed below the water line, and there was only a bit of shrapnel scar above, so we stuffed a few blankets into that.  

 

But there were casualties aboard.  Their doctor had done his best, and given morphia to a dozen or more of the Malay crew who were critically injured.    But he himself was almost done up with a broken ankle and a fearsome gash to his head.   The sick berth attendant from our corvette went aboard with a steward and some stoker assistants and they did a good job among the wounded Malays before more expert medical assistance could be brought from ashore.

 

While we were bringing the injured men aboard the corvette, others went to work unloading the ship.   She got light and power for her winches from us, and engineers to help with her engines, and men to fix up her power supply. Later on we moved her and carried on the job of unloading with lighters.   During the night we kept watch for a submarine that seemed to be hanging about.

 

Then it was decided to tow her back to Australia, and the corvette was given the job.    We are not fitted for towing; being a minesweeper, but 10 feet of our anchor chain became a bridle, draped round her after bollards, with her own steel wire attached. So we started out.  First our corvette tugging ahead like a terrier on a lead; then the merchantman with a tug nosing her stern, the three of us zigzagging across the bay until at last the freighter got steerage way.

 

Then, once out into the open sea, the tug went ahead and took a line from us so that the general effect was something like a circus parade with elephants each holding the other’s tail with his trunk.

And there the story ends, for the rest was uneventful till we got her safely home.

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Extract Corvette magazine

Royal Australian Navy

 

FROM:       Commanding Officer, H.M.A .S. "Kapunda".

DATE:        18th September, 1945

TO:             Naval Officer in Charge, MOLUCCAS(Copy to Secretary, Navy Board)

SUBJECT:  Report of Proceedings on the Occasion of the Surrender of Kuching.

 

SUBMITTED

AT 0600 1,9th September, Kapunda embarked sixty-four troops and departed for Tanjong Po, which is off the entrance to the Sarwak River. At 1400 l, lOth, Tanjong Po Light was sighted and Kapunda then carried out a search for any submerged obstacles, prior to the arrival of the convoy on the 11th. A channel three miles wide was searched, with negative results. This channel is on a bearing of 013° True from Tanjong Po and is twelve miles long. At 1630 1 Kapunda anchored.

 

At 0550 1, 11th, slow convoy was sighted and at 0730 1, U.S.S. "Barnes" and "Willoughby" arrived at the rendezvous . Kapunda weighed and proceeded to the entrance of the Sarawak River and anchored inside the bar to await the arrival of Brigadier Eastick, A.I.F., Commanding Officer, Kuching Force.

 

Brigadier T. Eastick and staff came aboard at 0945 1, Kapunda assumed duty as Headquarters Ship and proceeded up river followed by the ships of the convoy. Anchoring off Pending Jetty we awaited the arrival of the Japanese Commander, Major General Yamamura. No difficulty was experienced from a navigational point of view; the passage upriver was made without incident.

 

At 1425 1, Colonel Frizita , Chief Staff Officer to  General  Yamamura, arrived aboard and was escorted to Brigadier Eastick, who  was  seated  at  a small table on the foredeck.  With Brigadier Eastick were the Commanding Officer of Kapunda, Lieut. A.J. Ford, R.A.N.R., Captain Jennings, U.S.N.R., Commanding Officer U.S.S. "Barnes ", and Lieut. Commander Fargo, Commanding Officer U.S. P.T. Flotilla

Lieut. Colonel Frizita, through an interpreter, informed Brigadier Eastick that Major General Yamamura was indisposed and requested to be excused from boarding Kapunda. The Brigadier replied in very strong terms that Lieut. Colonel Frizita was to return to General Yamamura and instruct him to report onboard forthwith.

 

At 1435 1, the General and his staff boarded Kapunda from H.M.A.S. "Air Clan"  and were  escorted  to Brigadier  Eastick  by  Major  Roderigue  and Lieut. A.C. Needham, R.A.N.V.R. The Brigadier then read the terms of unconditional surrender to General Yamamura, through the Japanese  interpreter, Major Tatara, and ordered him to sign.

 

General  Yamamura  appeared  very  reluctant and had a long discussion with his staff. He then told Brigadier Eastick that as he had received no instructions from his superior officer, General Baba, he did not wish to sign. Brigadier Eastick then informed Major General Yamamura that General Baba had signed the surrender to Major General Wootten, G.O .C. 9th Australian Division, at 1600 1 the previous day. After further discussion with his staff, Major General Yamamura informed Brigadier Eastick that he would sign.

At 1445 1, 11th September, Major General Yamamura signed the surrender documents and surrendered his sword to Brigadier Eastick. At 1500 1, the Brigadier and Major General Yamamura departed to Pending Jetty, the latter's staff remaining onboard to confer with the staff of Brigadier Eastick.

 

The ceremony was a very simple one, and very impressive. A guard consisting of twelve Kapunda ratings and twelve men of the 2/4th Pioneers, commanded by the Gunnery Officer of Kapunda, was fallen in on the for'ard deck and the remainder of the ship's company along the ship's side in two lines through which General Yamamura had to pass. The appearance and bearing of the officers and ship's company of Kapunda was excellent and the Commanding Officer was congratulated by Brigadier Eastick for the appearance and conduct of all, and for the appearance of the ship.

 

At 1621 1, 11th September, Kapunda weighed and proceeded upstream to Kuching, a Malay pilot being used. It is considered that all ships proceeding upstream from Pending and drawing eight or more feet of water must use a local pilot, as this part of the river is very tricky. At 1758 1, Kapunda secured alongside Steamship Wharf, the first H.M.A. Ship to enter Kuching, and I think that this is the first occasion that the White Ensign has flown at Kuching in many years .

 

After Kapunda secured, the remaining vessels of the convoy, H.M.A.S. "Mother Snake", "Tiger Snake", H.D.M.L.1343, and "Air Clan", R.A.A.F. 06- 12, 06-13, and U.S. Sub Chaser 648 and two L.C.T.'s, were placed alongside and discharged all troops before dark.

 

It was a memorable day and a very successful one. No hitches occurred and Commanding Officers and ships' companies of the smaller H.M.A. Ships concerned are to be congratulated for their efficiency and smartness during the operation. Lieut. R.A.N.R.

 

Jack Goodall ex Kapunda