On 22 November 1939 HMNZS Achilles heard the German merchant Lahn (8498 GRT, built 1927) calling Cerrito by wireless, and when HMS Ajax arrived half an hour later a search was carried out. But it’s a different historical event that brings a twinkle to David’s eye. of May 1943. CV-45 flight deck F8F Sydney NAN9-48.jpg 800 × 600; 112 KB. HMAS Canberra (I33/D33), named after the Australian capital city of Canberra, was a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) heavy cruiser of the Kent sub-class of County-class cruisers.Constructed in Scotland during the mid-1920s, the ship was commissioned in 1928, and spent the first part of her career primarily operating in Australian waters, with some deployments to the China Station. She is the only ship to have been named after Shropshire, England. The Americans, who lost 939 killed in the Battle of Savo Island, later named a heavy cruiser in honour of the Canberra. HMS Shropshire (pennant numbers 73, 83, then 96) was a Royal Navy (RN) heavy cruiser of the London sub-class of County class cruisers.She is the only warship to have been named after Shropshire, England.Completed in 1929, Shropshire served with the RN until 1942, when she was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) following the loss of sister ship HMAS Canberra. This site is dedicated to the members of the Royal Australian Navy who served in the ships bearing the name of HMAS CANBERRA and HMAS SHROPSHIRE and the National Association that represents them. She is the only warship to have been named after Shropshire, England. The lived experience of war at sea bears this out. December . January 1945 saw Shropshire in action in the Lingayen Gulf in the northern Philippines. On 1 December 1942 HMAS Armidale while attempting to land commandos off Betano was attacked by thirteen enemy Japanese aircraft and sank with the loss of 40 of her crew and 60 men of the Netherlands East Indies Army who were embarked. Most of the crew for HMAS Shropshire were former members of the HMAS Canberra Ships Company that had been in Action when Sunk at Savo Island. Shropshire did not lose one man to enemy action in her four battle tours. Among the sailors honoured was Ernie Rudland who survived the sinking of the World War II heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra (I) at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942. The National Archives holds these in Canberra in the record series A4624. Many of the survivors from the Canberra sinking were later to crew HMAS (formerly HMS) Shropshire. 20-01-1955 : Arrived at Dalmuir for initial breaking . HMS Shropshire (73)ref|pennant later HMAS Shropshire was a Royal Navy heavy cruiser of the London sub class of County class cruisers. The fighting ships of the R.A.N. In April 1944 HMAS Shropshire, as a unit of Task Force 74, took part in escorting convoys up the coast of New Guinea and the bombardment of Hollandia and after the landing at Hollandia, escorting US aircraft carriers of Task Force 78 in the Solomon and Bismarck Sea areas. The sailor climbed a wall to retrieve his cap- a verdict of " Death by Misadventure " was recorded. which took part in that Naval action were HMAS Shropshire and our Tribal Class destroyer, HMAS. Media in category "HMAS Shropshire (73)" The following 29 files are in this category, out of 29 total. In 14 minutes, HMAS Shropshire fired 38 rounds on the IJN Yamashiro. Ledgers were completed quarterly for … David and the crew of HMAS Shropshire arrived in Tokyo Bay on 31 August, and were there when the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed on the USS Missouri on 2 September 1945. HMAS Shropshire (73) underway in 1943.jpg 4,365 × 3,258; 4.7 MB. In August 1943 Shropshire began her voyage to Australia escorting a Gibraltar bound convoy. Roy Purdon is sitting immediately behind the bald officer seated front centre. I will drink a toast to you and X Turret with that very nice present that you sent me before I go to Greece. Tonnages : 9.750 / 13,315 tons . The best available source for crew details is the ships' ledgers. 13th - Covered landing by VII Amphibious Force in Arawe, New Britain with SHROPSHIRE, ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA with TF74 ships. HMAS Shropshire and Arunta remained at Leyte with the 7th Fleet and were the support force at the Battle of Surigao Strait. She was one of the Royal Australian Navy's finest fighting ships. They were joined by members of the HMAS Shropshire Association of Canberra, and local Navy cadets. 5th - Transferred with HMAS SHROPSHIRE, ARUNTA, WARRAMUNGA and two US Navy destroyers of TF74 from Milne Bay to reinforce South Pacific forces. HMS Shropshire was a Royal Navy (RN) heavy cruiser of the London sub-class of County-class cruisers.She is the only warship to have been named after Shropshire, England.Completed in 1929, Shropshire served with the RN until 1942, when she was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) following the loss of sister ship HMAS Canberra.Commissioned as HMAS Shropshire, the ship … HMAS Hobart off Subic Bay 1945.jpg 537 × 390; 122 KB. The 93-year-old Mead was a sailor on HMAS Shropshire during the Battle of the Atlantic more than 75 years ago.. Mr Mead marched with fellow members of the HMAS Canberra-HMAS Shropshire Association of Australia as well as the Navy Cadet Unit TS Canberra and the Royal Australian Navy Band. Her magnificent crew numbered 1280 Australian sailors, led by Captain Godfrey Nichols DSO, Royal Navy, and I was proud to be one of her number in WW2. Originally it had been in the Quartermaster's lobby of the cruiser. HMAS Canberra is the flagship of the Royal Australian Navy … Shropshire was laid down at the shipyard of… “There was to be a ceremony to raise the flag at the British Embassy for the first time since the war started. of May 1943 for Shropshire- able seaman ( unnamed, but it was Jack ) killed by a landmine on the 27th. At 4:35pm one executed a steep turn and ended in a vertical dive hitting Australia on the port side of the upper deck amidships and inflicting heavy casualties. HMAS Shropshire and tug Tooronga by Allan Green SLV H91.250 103.jpeg 1,000 × 742; 76 KB. HMAS Shropshire was a County Class Heavy Cruiser (like HMAS Australia) and was a gift from the British Government after the tragic loss of HMAS Canberra and eighty-two 84 of her officers and men in the Battle of Savo Island. HMAS Shropshire was a real Fighting Lady, and indeed a Lucky Ship. Successive Commanding Officers, Officers, Senior Sailors and Sailors served in HMAS Canberra over 24 proud years of serve to the Royal Australian Navy and the people of Australia...More. The series ranges from 1912 to 1956. HMS Shropshire was a Royal Navy (RN) heavy cruiser of the London sub-class of County class cruisers. They were supplemented with new recruits and sent to Chatham dockyard in UK to pick up Shropshire and steam her back to the Pacific. ... 35 years ago, and I would like to send you a line to show that our Old Guns has you and X Turret and the old Shropshire crew much in mind. Dimensions : 192.9 metres x 20.1 metres x 6.4 metres . 20-04-1943 : Commissioned as HMAS Shropshire for the Royal Australian Navy. Shropshire, a London-class cruiser built originally for service in the RN, was decommissioned, refitted and passed on to the RAN as a replacement after the loss of the heavy cruiser HMAS … (See reference.) She is the only warship to have been named after Shropshire, England. HMAS CANBERRA CREW - 2002. (Operation DIRECTOR – See WAR WITH JAPAN for details) 26th - Covered landing … HMS Shropshire was a Royal Navy (RN) heavy cruiser of the London sub-class of County-class cruisers. 23/6/1943 just before HMAS Shropshire left Chatham some of the crew were fortunate to form a cricket team to play against a Harrod's team at Lord's Cricket Oval. Eric Moran was the captain. I recall with affection the officers and sailors who formed the crew of HMAS Shropshire, at their peak 1280, the best ship, with the best ship’s company it was ever my privilege to serve in. Later the HMAS Australia returned to the thick of action and was at the Battle of Lingayen Gulf in January 1945. The HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association is a none for profit organisation and was formed to to bring together those … HMAS SHROPSHIRE . The crew of HMAS Shropshire in 1945. The Harrods team included a couple of ex-international ring-ins, one was Jim Sims, Middlesex champion bowler who played under the alias Mr White. I'm doing some research about the wartime service of HMAS Shropshire and her crew. HMAS SHROPSHIRE was commissioned into the RAN at Chatham, England on the 20 April 1943 and was decommissioned on the 10 November 1949. Ships like people can be the Victims of Circumstances, not of their making. About Us. Joining Canberra’s crew was decorated Second World War veteran Lionel Mead.. It was tribute and compliment to the courage shown by Canberra’s crew at Savo Island. Rudland and his fellow survivors then formed the crew of the sister ship HMAS Shropshire, gifted by … 16-07-1954 : Sold for disposal. HMAS CANBERRA - HMAS SHROPSHIRE Association. The … The Navy stopped recording crew information in this way after 1956. Completed in 1929, Shropshire served with the RN until 1942, when she was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) following the loss of sister ship HMAS Canberra. 10-11-1949 : Decommissioned. 19-09-1955 : Arrived at TRoon for final breaking and disposal . She arrived at Capetown on 4 September, Fremantle three weeks later and finally Sydney on 2 October 1943. Gives a general outline of life aboard a cruiser. The Association membership in Western Australia is represented by WW 2 veterans from HMAS CANBERRA (1) and HMAS SHROPSHIRE, HMAS CANBERRA (2) Ships Company from the Commissioning Crew, NWIO 1983, OPERATION DAMASK VI, OPERATION SLIPPER and the Decommissioning Crew, it also includes Family members of HMAS CANBERRA 1 and 2. A.R. H. Hickling, RN). HMAS Shropshire was in Tokyo Bay on that day, and Commodore Collins was accorded the honour of representing the Royal Australian Navy at the surrender ceremony. Karl von Clausewitz famously wrote that war is the realm of uncertainly. From Stan Nicholls book HMAS Shropshire at page 42 is this paragraph : A sad day, a funeral on Friday, 28th. Canberra’s battle scarred survivors came home to Australia to be treated and sent back to war. Completed in 1929, Shropshire served with the RN until 1942, when she was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) following the loss of sister ship HMAS Canberra. HMAS Canberra and HMAS Shropshire “ Never Say Die “ Address at Canberra Memorial – Lake Burley Griffin 7 August 2016 By LCDR Desmond Woods, RANR. American destroyers rescuing crew from HMAS Canberra after the Battle of Savo Island. During the engagement Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean manned an … Subic Bay 1945.jpg 537 × 390 ; 122 KB record series A4624 Surigao.. Were supplemented with New recruits and sent to Chatham dockyard in UK to pick up Shropshire and steam back! Paragraph: a sad day, a funeral on Friday, 28th able seaman ( unnamed, but ’... Dimensions: 192.9 metres x 20.1 metres x 20.1 metres x 6.4 metres war. 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