AUSTRALIA IN THE WAR OF 1939-194 5

SERIES TW O NAVY

VOLUME I , 1939-1942 AUSTRALIA IN THE WAR OF 1939-194 5

SERIES I (ARMY) I. To Benghazi. By .* II. Greece, Crete and Syria. By Gavin Long.* III. Tobruk and El Alamein. By Barton Maughan . IV. The Japanese Thrust . By Lionel Wigmore.* V. South-West Pacific Area—First Year . By Dudley McCarthy . VI. The New Guinea Offensives . By David Dexter. VII. The Final Campaigns. By Gavin Long.

SERIES 2 (NAVY) I. Royal Australian Navy, 1939-42. By G. Hermon Gill.* II. Royal Australian Navy, 1942-45 . By G . Hermon Gill.

SERIES 3 (AIR ) I. Royal Australian Air Force, 1939-42 . By Douglas Gillison. II. Air War Against Japan 1943-45 . By George Odgers .* III. Air War Against Germany and Italy, 1939-43 . By John Herington.* IV. Air Power Over Europe, 1944-45 . By John Herington .

SERIES 4 (CIVIL ) I. The Government and the People, 1939-41 . By Paul Hasluck.* II. The Government and the People, 1942-45. By Paul Hasluck . III. War Economy, 1939-42. By S. J. Butlin .* IV. War Economy, 1942-45. By S. J. Butlin . V. The Role of Science and Industry . By D . P . Mellor.

SERIES 5 (MEDICAL ) I. Clinical Problems of War. By Allan S . Walker.* II. Middle East and Far East. By Allan S. Walker.* III. The Island Campaigns. By Allan S. Walker .* IV. Medical Services of R .A.N. and R.A.A.F. By Allan S . Walker .

* Published.

The writers of these volumes have been given full access to official documents , but they and the general editor are alone responsible for the statements and opinion s which the volumes contain. ROYAL AUSTRALIA N NAV Y 1939-194 2

by G. HERMON GILL

CANBERRA AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL First published in 1957

WHOLLY SET UP, PRINTED AND BOUND IN AUSTRALIA B Y THE GRIFFIN PRESS, ADELAIDE. REGISTERED AT THE G.P .O . ADELAIDE FOR TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE POST AS A BOOK.

CONTENTS Page Preface . xi Chronology xvii

Chapter 1 BETWEEN THE WARS 1 2 THE EVE OF WAR 45 3 AUSTRALIA STATION TO JUNE 1940 . 65 4 R.A.N. SHIPS OVERSEAS TO JUNE 1940 . 130 5 R.A.N. SHIPS OVERSEAS JUNE-DECEMBER 1940 142 6 AUSTRALIA STATION AND THE FAR EAST, JUNE - DECEMBER 1940 . 247 • 7 WESTERN DESERT CAMPAIGN 28 5 ▪ 8 GREECE . 299

9 CRETE • 33 6 10 THE MIDDLE EAST 363 • 11 MEDITERRANEAN TO END OF 1941 390 • 12 AUSTRALIA STATION 1941 410 ▪ 13 WAR IN THE FAR EAST 4 • 46 14 SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC AREA . 484 15 ABDA AND ANZAC 513 • 3 16 DEFEAT IN ABDA • 57 17 PRELUDE TO VICTORY 625 • APPENDIXES : 1 List of Ships in the R.A.N. in 1920 . 650 2 Flag Officers commanding Australian Squadron fro m 1919 to 1945 . 65 1 ▪ 3 Abbreviations 653 INDEX . 655

V

ILLUSTRATION S Page The First H .M.A.S's Australia, Sydney and Melbourne 46 The Second H .M.A.S. Australia 46 H.M.A.S. Hobart . 47 H.M.A.S. Adelaide . 47 Admiral Sir Ragnar Colvin, R.N. 78 Rear-Admiral J. G. Crace, R.N. . 78 Crew of a 4-inch Gun at H.M.A.S. Rushcutter 78 H.M.S. Ramillies in Harbour 79 Convoy "US.3" in Fremantle Harbour 79 Italian Motor Vessel Romolo 142 Survivors from Romolo being taken on board Manoora 142 Italian Uebi Scebeli 142 H.M.A.S. Sydney in Alexandria Harbour . 143 Italian Cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni 143 J. A. Collins, R .A.N. 174 Members of Sydney's Crew looking through Shell-hole 174 Lieut- R. Rhoades, R .A.N., with Captain H. M. L. Waller, R.A.N. . 175 Captain H. L. Howden, R.A.N. . 175 Temporary Pier and Tug Queen at Berbera 206 H.M.A.S. Stuart with Mediterranean Fleet 206 Italian Artigliere 207 German Raider Pinguin . 207 Floating Enemy Mine off Australian Coast . 238 Federal Steam Navigation Company's Steamer Cambridge . 238 Survivors from Cambridge picked up by H.M.A.S. Orara . 239 Survivors from Port Brisbane on Board H.M.A.S. Canberra . 239 H.M.A.S. Goorangai . 270 British Phosphate Commission's Steamer Trienza 270 German Raider Komet . 271 German Raiders at Emirau Island . 271 Survivors from Nauru Island in Nellore 302 Damage by German Raiders' Gunfire at Nauru 302 German Air Attack on H.M.S. Illustrious and H.M.A.S. 303 H.M.A.S. Perth on Patrol off Crete 303 Mediterranean Battle Fleet at Sea . 318 H.M.A.S. Perth, H.M.S. Ajax and H.M.S. Orion 318 H.M.A.S. Voyager, off Suda Bay . 318 The Cruisers at Matapan, 28th March 1941 . 319 Captain Sir Philip Bowyer-Smyth, R .N., with Officers on of Perth . 319 Captain H. B. Farncomb, R.A.N. . 319 Captain H . A. Showers, R.A.N. . 319

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Pag e H.M.A.S. Nizam entering Alexandria Harbour 319 Norwegian Tanker Ketty Brovig 366 German Motor Vessel Coburg . 366 H.M.A.S. Yarra in Persian Gulf 367 H.M.A.S. Waterhen 367 Georgic and Glenearn aground in Suez Bay . 398 Crew of H.M.A.S. Hobart bathing in Bitter Lake . . 398 Boat's Crew from H .M.A.S. Perth, in Alexandria Harbour 398 Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham inspecting H .M.A.S. Hobart's Communica- tions Division . 398 Manning Anti-aircraft Gun, H.M.A.S. Perth 399 Water Polo, from an Australian Destroyer . 399 H.M.A.S. Kanimbla alongside Italian Oiler Bronte . 399 H.M.S. Barham blowing up, 25th November 1941 . 399 German Mine on of H .M.A.S. Uki . 430 Launching of H.M.A.S. Arunta 430 Scene in Galley of H.M.A.S. Sydney 43 1 Scene in Engine Room of a Cruiser . 43 1 Launching a "Walrus" from Catapult . 446 Naval Auxiliary Patrol . 446 Members of the Australian Naval Board 1941 . . 446 New Entries marching at H.M.A.S. Rushcutter . 446 H.M.A.S. Sydney leading Convoy "US .12a" . 447 H.M.A.S. Bungaree—Minelayer—in Sydney Harbour 447 Captain J. Burnett, R .A.N. . 447 Survivors from Kormoran . 447 German Raider Kormoran 462 Dutch Merchant Ship Straat Malakka • 462 Japanese Yamato . . 46 3 Wounded from U.S.S. Marblehead at Tjilatjap . . 463 Motor Schooner Lakatoi . . 494 Norah Moller on fire in Banka Strait . 494 Admiral Thomas C. Hart, United States Navy . 495 Vice-Admiral Conrad Helfrich, . 495 Japanese Bombing in Gaspar Strait . . 495 Boom Working Vessel, Darwin 558 H.M.A.S. Vendetta in tow of H .M.A.S. Ping Wo . 558 H.M.A.S. Perth . 559 Darwin 19th February 1942 . Transport Zealandia on Fire . 559 Darwin 19th February 1942 . Railway Jetty during Raid . . 590 Darwin. Oil Tanks on Fire . . 590 H.M.A.S. Nizam alongside H .M.A.S. Manoora 59 1 Netherlands East Indies Cruiser . 591 vii

MAP S Page Western Pacific after Allotment of Mandates, 191 9 3 • Oceans of the World and Trade Routes, 193 9 46 • Limits of the Australia Station, 1939 52 • German Merchant Ships in Netherlands East Indies 106 • Manoora's Search for Romolo 12 • 0 Area of Activities of H.M .A.S. Perth, September 1939-February 1940 13 1 Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea • 148 Strategic Situation in Mediterranean, June 1940 16 1 • Battle of Calabria—the Decisive Phase . • 17 8 Cape Spada Action—Track Chart of H .M .A.S. Sydney 18 9 Area of Activities of H.M.A.S. Hobart, August 1940 20 2 • Area of Activities of H .M .A.S. Australia in Dakar Operation . 21 6 The Aegean Sea • 23 2 Operations in Eastern Mediterranean, November 1940 . • 23 8 Activities of German Raider Orion, June-September 1940 • 26 1 Area of Activities of H .M .A.S. Adelaide, September 1940 26 5 German Surface Raiders in Indian Ocean, 1939-1940 • 27 2 Nauru, Raider Attacks . 27 8 Egypt-Cyrenaican Coastline 29 1 The "Lustre" Convoys to Greece, March-April 1941 304 • The Battle of Matapan, 28th-29th March 1941 . 31 1 • Night Action at Matapan—H .M .A.S. Stuart's Track Chart . 31 4 Withdrawal from Greece . 328 The . 347 Withdrawal from Crete , 35 8 Activities of German Raiders in Indian Ocean, January-May 1941 369 The Red Sea—Defeat of Italy, January-March 1941 . 37 2 Area of Operations of H .M .A.S. Parramatta at Fall of Massawa 37 3 • Area of Operations of H.M.A.S. Yarra at Iraq 37 7 Area of Naval Operations in Syrian Campaign 37 9 Area of Operations of H .M .A.S's Kanimbla and Yarra . 38 6 The Tobruk Ferry . 39 1 Northern Screen Coastwatcher Stations, December 1941 42 3 The A .I.F. Convoys 43 5 The Sydney-Kormoran Action • 45 5 The Japanese Attacks, 8th December 1941 • 485 Australia—Reinforcement of North and Islands 51 2 ABDA and Anzac Areas . 520 Reinforcement of ABDA . 526 Japanese Attacks on Rabaul . • 543 Japanese Progress in the Western Pacific . 557

Page Exodus from ABDA . 576 Japanese Raid on Darwin 591 Four Phases of the Java Sea Battle .604-5 Battle of Bantam Bay 620 Situation, Java Area, 28th February-1st March 1942 623 Retreat to Australia—Approximate Positions of H.M.A. Ships, 4th March 1942 63 0 Indian Ocean, Movements, early March 1942 63 5 The Far Eastern Scene, beginning of March 1942 . 639

lx PREFACE

HE naval volume of the Official History of Australia in the War of T 1914-18 was concerned with the activities and achievements of an infant navy. This volume and its successor are concerned with the activitie s and achievements of the same navy, but one grown from infancy t o youth and well on the way to maturity. The infant navy of the earlie r war was conceived from a union of ideas . From the earliest days of British settlement in Australia, its people have been reminded at intervals of their dependence upon sea communications, and of the importance t o them of sea power . On the morning of the 24th January 1788, within a few hours of the arrival at Botany Bay of Captain Phillips' First Flee t bringing with it Australia's original settlers, there was considerable alarm in the ships at the appearance of two strange vessels in the offing standin g in for the land . It was thought that they were hostile Dutch frigates sent to dispute the British landings . Actually they were the French ships of La Perouse. Relations were friendly, and there was no trouble . It was, however, the first of a series of alarms which impressed the Australian mind, and which to an extent influenced the development of the Australia n defence policy on the lines it followed up to the outbreak of the secon d world war. The victory of Trafalgar in 1805 secured British control of the sea and ushered in the long period of the Pax Britannica . During the first hal f of the nineteenth century no threat to Australia appeared . Daily the sun rose over peaceful Pacific waters, and often gilded the masts and spar s of ships of the British East Indian squadron, lying in Port Jackson . Australia then formed part of the East Indian station, whose flag office r controlled the movements of these ships. In times of peace they offere d comforting assurance of protection . But the Australian authorities kne w that in time of war they would probably sail off over the encircling horizo n to duties elsewhere, leaving the Australian coast, in appearance at any rate, undefended. In 1859 (by which time ripples from the distant Crimea had broken on Australian shores, producing a mild scare which constrained Ne w South Wales and Victoria each to acquire a small armed ship for local defence) the Australia station was constituted as a separate Imperia l naval command independent of the East Indian station . The position , however, remained unchanged regarding the ships there based . They formed an Imperial squadron whose duty was not only to provide for th e defence of the Colonies, but, in time of war, to escort treasure ship s sailing for England, accompanying them as far as either the Cape of Goo d Hope or the Horn, both a long way from Australia . The urge grew for Australian-controlled ships for local defence, in addition to thos e of the . There was a natural clash of views between the Imperial and Colonia l governments on this question . The Imperial authorities correctly premised xi that because the seas are one the fleet should be one. They held that the successful conduct of war at sea demanded one central control o f naval forces, and that the best contribution by the colonies would be a subsidy. The Australian authorities, while accepting the premise and being willing and eager to contribute their share towards the defence of sea communications and to their own local defence, understandably wished to have some say in that defence and in the dispositions of th e forces to which they contributed. Fortunately there was give and take on both sides, though each had its die-hards . The Australians saw the wisdom in the Imperial argument ; the British government and the Ad- miralty were sympathetic towards Australian aspirations. A continuing and progressive compromise, speeded by the march of events and the increasing threat from growing rivals to Britain 's naval supremacy, pro- vided the solution. During the colonial period the way was paved for Australia's naval development by the Governments of New South Wales , Victoria, Queensland and South Australia (in part impelled by war alarms overseas) establishing their own small naval forces for local defence , under the immediate wing of the Imperial squadron and the overall protection of the far distant British battle fleet . With Australian federa- tion in 1901, and the establishment of a Commonwealth Governmen t responsible for Australian defence, the substitution of ships and men fo r a subsidy, and of an Australian squadron for the Imperial squadron o n the Australia station, became possible. Thus the infant Australian navy of the first world war was conceived, from a union of British and Australian ideas fused by a compromis e which produced a practical plan . In 1909, after ideas and proposals ha d been exchanged for some years, the Admiralty suggested that Australia should acquire a self-contained fleet unit, owned by Australia and con - trolled and administered by the Australian Government through the Aus- tralian Commonwealth Naval Board . Its composition should be such that , while manageable (within the Australian budget) in time of peace, an d capable of effective independent operation as a balanced force in time o f war, it could also be used as a component part or, divided, as component parts, of other forces under Admiralty control . The fleet unit, acquired by Australia in the years immediately preceding the first world war, consisted of one battle-cruiser, three light cruisers, six and tw o , with the necessary auxiliaries . The original intention was that this fleet unit should be one of three forming an "Eastern" or "Pacific" fleet of the British Empire ; but events overtook plans (as was to happen again in the period of which this volume tells) and only the Australia n unit materialised . There is interest in the parallel between this Britis h "Fleet unit" conception of 1909, a self-contained fast striking force buil t around a battle cruiser, and that of the American "Task force" of 1941 , built around an . xii There were four main essentials to the success of the fleet unit con- ception. To meet natural Australian ambitions, its ships had to be owned and controlled by Australia, and manned as far as possible by Australian officers and seamen. Because its main value at all times would be it s constant and instant readiness to cooperate with the Royal Navy, eithe r as a separate squadron or as a component part or parts of other forces, its regulations had to resemble the King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions, and the standard of training, discipline and general efficienc y in ships, officers, and men, had to be maintained on an equality with that of the Royal Navy . As a corollary, it was most desirable that, s o far as was possible, there should be joint training with H .M. Ships. And finally, there must be a readiness on the part of the Australian Govern- ment and people to transfer strategic and tactical control of the squadron or of units thereof to the Admiralty in time of war . These essentials were met . Because of lack of training it was no t possible at the outset to man the ships entirely with Australians, an d throughout the first world war the proportions were approximately 8 0 per cent R.A.N. and 20 per cent R .N. officers and men. Training centre s were, however, established in Australia on the British model, a naval college for embryo officers and a (later establishment) fo r ratings, and the gap was virtually closed in the years between the wars . In its governing regulations, its methods and standards of training, disci- pline, and general conduct, the R.A.N. has adhered closely to the R.N. pattern; and the desired standard of equality with the older navy has a t all times been maintained . Joint training in peace time was not easy t o arrange, but whenever opportunity offered, with the visit of a Britis h squadron to Australian waters, combined exercises were carried out ; and a program of cruiser exchange, though interrupted by economic difficul- ties, gave valuable results . There was also a continuous interchange of officers, petty officers, and men, which is of great benefit to both navies . As to unified control in time of war, Australia accepted in principle the theory that the indivisibility of the seas demanded, as far as possible , an undivided naval control . The basis of the naval defence of Australi a remained fundamentally unchanged from the days of earliest settlement local responsibility for the Australia station (first as part of the Eas t Indian station) and ultimate dependence on the integrity of world wid e sea communications . The instrument guaranteeing this integrity was the power radiating from the British battle fleet outwards through th e squadrons and ships of the various naval stations, of which the Australi a station was one. Australia recognised that it might be necessary in war t o concentrate power by reinforcing one station at the expense of others and , to meet that contingency, agreed in both world wars (though not withou t occasional rightful criticism) to transfer control of the squadron, or o f individual ships, to the Admiralty. It is again of interest that this recogni- tion of a vital principle and readiness to act according to it was an exampl e in unity of naval command followed (after some expensive fumbling ) by the Allies during the second world war. It was a concomitant of victory. Australian acceptance of the theory of the indivisibility of the seas, and the consequent need for unified control of naval forces, has greatl y widened the scope of this history . Australian ships formed part of British (and later of Allied) naval forces in widely separated areas . Their move- ments and activities were determined by a variety of influences in bot h the political and military fields, and emanating from Australian, British, Allied, and enemy sources. Because of this it has been necessary largely to sketch in the pattern of the whole war, politically, economically, geo- graphically and militarily, on a world background ; and against this t o trace the Australian naval story in as great detail as practicable. Only so could any attempt be made to preserve a just proportion in depicting th e part of the Australian navy in relation to the whole . To discuss and determine the influence of sea power on the progress and outcome of th e war; the way that power was wielded by the respective participants ; and the contribution made by Australia through the Royal Australian Navy , is the object of this work . All available sources of information have been drawn upon withou t restraint, and the author has been given generous assistance in all quarters where it was sought. Sources include records of the Australian Wa r Cabinet and Advisory War Council, and of the Admiralty and the Aus- tralian Naval Board ; reports of -in-chief and of commandin g officers of individual ships ; the war diaries and letters of proceedings o f ships and establishments ; personal notes and written or verbal account s of experiences ; and Allied and enemy documents . Recourse has also been made to published works, reference to which is, in each instance, recorded in footnotes . The author has been untrammelled by censorship, and give n complete freedom in comment and the expression of opinion, for whic h he alone is responsible . This book has been written for the general reader rather than for the naval expert, so that technicalities, excepting those widely and readil y understood, have been avoided as far as possible ; and sometimes terms running counter to professional practice have been used . For example, courses and bearings have been given in compass points instead of i n degrees . Reference is made above to the assistance received in general . In par- ticular, the author is indebted to a number of individuals who hav e given him much of their time and thought, and much encouragement . It is not possible to over-estimate his indebtedness to Mr Gavin Long , the General Editor of the series of histories of which this is a part . He has been a never-failing inspiration; a most forbearing editor, offering sympathetic understanding of problems, stimulating comment, and wise xiv advice. Of Mr Long's efficient and ever-helpful staff, Mr John Balfour has been a painstaking assistant, notably in putting the many necessary final touches to the typescript to make it ready for the printer, and in preparing biographical footnotes . Mr Hugh Groser has added greatly to the value of the book with his excellent charts ; and Miss Mary Gil- christ has smoothed the path with many thoughtful secretarial attentions . In the field of research, valuable help was received from Mr H . H. Ellmers and his staff in the records section of the Admiralty ; from Commander Geoffrey Rawson, who for some months acted in Londo n as a personal link with the Admiralty ; and from Mr J. M. Luke, officer- in-charge of Naval Historical Records, Navy Office, Melbourne, an d members of his staff, especially Mr J . K. Ware and Mr L. G. Norman . A most necessary contribution was made by Mr L. I. Parker, whos e arduous task was the preparation of the index . Much encouraging help , by precept and example, was received from fellow authors of the histories . Most valuable comments and suggestions have been given by those upon whose forbearance, knowledge and experience, the author has draw n as readers of his chapters. A careful reading and checking against records was done by Mr Luke and his staff at Navy Office . All the chapters were read by members of the Historical Staff at the Admiralty, who checked them for factual accuracy in matters concerning ships and opera- tions of the Royal Navy, with extremely useful results . The late Admiral Sir Ragnar Colvin read Chapters 1 to 11 inclusive, and his penetratin g comment was of the greatest help. His death terminated a kindly service and robbed the author of a wise mentor and esteemed friend. All the chapters have been read with diligent scrutiny by Commander R . B. M. Long, R.A.N. (Retd), who most kindly broke into his too-limited leisur e to study them, and whose sage counsel has been of inestimable benefit . A number of others generously read small portions which they were pecu- liarly qualified to discuss . Finally, the author is indebted beyond measure to his wife, who uncomplainingly listened to his reading of the developing volume in and out of season, and who always encouraged him with pertinent criticism and thoughtful suggestions . The author himself had some years sea experience as an apprentic e and deck officer in the British Merchant Service . The 1914-18 war years , spent wholly at sea, made him familiar with many of the scenes of thi s history, in particular the Mediterranean, the Aegean, the Persian Gulf, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and the Australia station, under war con- ditions—even though they lacked the intensity of the conditions in the war with which this history deals . He settled on shore in Australia i n the nineteen-twenties, and joined the Royal Australian Naval Voluntee r Reserve while practising as a journalist, and as a writer largely on nautical matters. He was mobilised when war broke out in 1939, an d spent most of the war in the Naval Intelligence Division, where his work , xv though mainly in Navy Office, Melbourne, took him all over Australia , to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and finally, on historical research, to naval headquarters at Colombo, Alexandria, the Admiralty, and th e United States of America. G.H.G. Middle Park, Melbourne, 25th March 1957 .

xvi

CHRONOLOG Y Events described in this volume are printed in italic s

1921 13 Dec Four Power Treaty signed between British Common - wealth, U.S.A ., France and Japan. (Anglo- Japanese Alliance ended ) 1922 6 Feb Washington Naval Treaty signed between Britis h Commonwealth, U.S.A ., Japan, France and Italy 1930 22 Apr London Naval Treaty signed between Washingto n Treaty Powers 1935 18 Jun Anglo-German Naval Agreement signe d 1936 25 Mar Second London Naval Treaty concluded betwee n British Commonwealth, U .S.A ., France. (Japan and Italy failed to adhere ) 1938 29 Sep Munich Agreement signed between Britain, Germany , France and Italy 1939 22 May "Pact of Steel" (Axis) between Italy and German y 1 Sep Germans invade Poland 3 Sep Britain and France declare war on Germany . R. G. Menzies broadcasts that Australia is at war 1940 9 Jan First A.I.F. contingent embarks 10 May Mr Churchill becomes Prime Minister of U.K. 10 Jun Italy declares war 12 Jun H.M.A .S. "Manoora" intercepts Italian ship "Romolo" 22 Jun France signs armistice terms with German y 19 Jul H.M.A.S. "Sydney" sinks Italian cruiser "Bartolomeo Colleoni" 27 Sep Tripartite Pact: Germany, Italy and Japan Oct-Nov German raider "Pinguin" lays mines off Australia 11-12 Nov Battle of 1941 28 Mar Battle of Cape Matapan Mar-Apr 6th Australian Division arrives in Greec e 22 Apr Embarkation of troops from Greece begins 25-27 Apr Australian and New Zealand units from Greece arriv e in Crete 1 Jun Embarkation from Crete completed 8 Jun Allied invasion of Syria opens 22 Jun Germans invade Russi a xvii

7 Oct Mr Curtin becomes Prime Minister of Australi a 19 Nov H.M.A .S. "Sydney" sunk in action with German raider 7-8 Dec Japanese attack Malaya and Pearl Harbou r 8 Dec Australia at war with Japan 5 p .m. 10 Dec H.M.S. "Prince of Wales " and H.M.S. "Repulse" sunk 1942 16 Jan Formation of Combined Chiefs of Staff Committe e 23 Jan Japanese force attacks Rabaul 15 Feb Singapore surrendered to Japanese force s 19 Feb First Japanese air raid on Darwin 27 Feb Battle of Java Sea 17 Mar General MacArthur arrives in Australi a

xviii