On watch 28 January 1945
Jacquinot Bay, New Britain
photographer unknown
Able Seaman John Conway keeps watch aboard motor launch HMAS ML 802 during amphibious operations off New Britain.
Reproduced courtesy of the Australian War Memorial 078677
Air-sea battle 8 May 1942
Coral Sea
photographer unknown
American destroyer USS Walke cruises ahead of light cruiser HMAS Hobart (foreground) during the Battle of the Coral Sea (4–8 May 1942). A pall of smoke ahead of Walke marks the crash site of a downed Japanese plane.
Reproduced courtesy of the Australian War Memorial 306610
Ferry Corvette September 1942
Port Moresby, Papua
photographer unknown
Bathurst-class corvette HMAS Bendigo (foreground) ferries wounded and sick soldiers from Port Moresby wharf to hospital ship AHS Manunda (background, right).
Reproduced courtesy of the Australian War Memorial 026663
"At sea" 8 December 1942
Timor Sea
photographer unknown
These survivors from the corvette HMAS Armidale, sunk on 1 December 1942, were sighted by an aircraft 450 kilometres north-west of Darwin. The Catalina flying boat dispatched from Cairns to pick them up failed, however, due to rough seas. Exhaustive follow-up searches ensued, and while other survivors from Armidale were recovered, this group was never seen again.
Reproduced courtesy of the Australian War Memorial 300191
Depth charge, HMAS Swan 1943
by Dennis Adams (1914–2001)
oil on canvas
By February 1942, HMAS Swan had escaped destruction many times—surviving air attacks while evacuating civilians from Ambon, escorting a Timor-bound convoy, and while sitting at anchor in Darwin Harbour during the 19 February raid.
Reproduced courtesy of the Australian War Memorial ART22338
Changing evaporation coils, HMAS Westralia 1944
by Frank Norton (1916–83)
pen and blue ink with coloured washes on paper
Westralia was an armed merchant ship until February 1943 when she was converted to a Landing Ship, Infantry (LSI). Westralia thereafter supported United States and Australian landings in the Solomon Islands, New Britain, New Guinea, the Philippines and Borneo. The evaporation coils, pictured here, provided fresh water for sailors as well as Allied troops ashore.
Reproduced courtesy of the Australian War Memorial ART21110
"Destination Tokyo" 1945
India ink on cardboard
This board game by an HMAS Warrego crewman ably demonstrates the many pitfalls and hazards of navy life at sea and ashore — particularly, as perceived by Warrego’s all-male crew, those posed by devious female spies, enraged Polynesian maidens, glamorous geishas, and beautiful mermaids!
Reproduced courtesy of the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Collection
A new order 11 September 1945
Koepang, Dutch Timor (West Timor)
photographer unknown
Colonel Kaida Tatuichi (front) commander of the Timor garrison and his chief of staff Major Muiosu Slioji lay down their swords on board HMAS Moresby while her crew look on.
Reproduced courtesy of the Australian War Memorial 019250