Fire Across the Pacific

Following the loss of the heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra (I) on 9 August 1942 in the Battle of Savo Island, the British Government approved the transfer of Shropshire to the Royal Australian Navy as a replacement.

On 12 July Shropshire proceeded to the New Guinea area operating in support of the 6th Army. On 14 July Japanese forces were bombarded in positions east of Aitape after mounting a major attack against the American garrison on the Driniumor River line. On completion of that operation Shropshire joined the bombardment group covering the last landing in New Guinea at Cape Sansapor on the Vogelkop Peninsula.

On 20 October 1944, General MacArthur’s Philippines invasion force, comprising some 550 ships and covered by Admiral Halsey’s Third Fleet, arrived off Leyte Island in the central Philippines.

Australia’s contribution to this famous amphibious operation was Commodore John Collins’ Task Force 74, including HMA Ships Australia, Shropshire, Warramunga and Arunta attached to the US Seventh Fleet. Also present were the Landing Ships Infantry (LSI) HMAS Westralia, Manoora and Kanimbla carrying troops of the US 21st Regimental Combat Team, the frigate Gascoyne, HDML 1074 and the auxiliaries Bishopdale, Poyang, Yunnan and Mekur.

By 9:00am on 20 October hundreds of small boats and destroyers headed for the beaches of Leyte, accompanied by a tremendous bombardment from the accompanying battleships and cruisers. Australia and Shropshire passed through the battle line as the small boats approached and opened fire on assigned targets. At 10:00am, after the landing, Shropshire, Arunta and Warramunga shelled set targets and carried out intermittent bombardments throughout the day.

The following morning at 6:05am HMAS Australia was hit by a Japanese suicide aircraft. Australia’s Commanding Officer, Captain Dechaineux and 29 other officers and ratings were killed or died of wounds and Commodore Collins and a further 64 were injured. Command of the Australian ships consequently passed to Captain CAG Nichols in Shropshire.

2nd revised edition. Mattiske

276 p. : ill. ; 21 cm. 0621 Mattiske, David (David Henry)  |  Shropshire (Ship)  |  Philippine Sea, Battles of the, 1944.  |  World War, 1939-1945 — Naval operations — Personal narratives, Australian.  |  World War, 1939-1945 — Campaigns — Pacific Ocean.