Two Tales - one confirmed, the other???

[airlana]

My dad who passed away many years ago, often told the stories of two lucky escapes.

The first relates to his time on the cruiser HMAS Australia, when in December 1940 whilst docked at Liverpool, UK, during a night bombing raid by German aircraft. A 3,500lb aerial torpedo fell between the dock and the side of the ship. Luckily it failed to explode!

This is well documented in numerous books including Gill's "Royal Australian Navy 1939-1942" and Bastock's "Australia's Ships of War".
Mac's "Ahoy" website also has an article
http://www.ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/GermanBombersrainbombsdow.html

The second lucky escape is a bit of a mystery, and involves a ship he was on, being up the Irrawaddy River in Burma and as the tide receded, a mine became lodged between the ship's keel and the river bed. Nothing to do but wait for the next high tide and gently the ship was 'floated off' without any damage.
I guess the first question is "how did they know there was a mine under the ship?"

The only ship that dad served on that was anywhere near Burma was the destroyer HMAS Napier from October 1944 to October 1945.
Napier took part in operations during December 1944 and January 1945 at Maya Peninsula, Akyab, Ramree Island, which are all on the west coast of Burma and some distance from the Irrawaddy River.

Can anyone confirm the story? Or perhaps another Napier 'lucky escape - maybe dad's story became somewhat distorted over the years.

Actually any information on Napier during the time mentioned above would be appreciated. I really have very little.

regards Ashley

[herakles]

G'Day Ashley.

Here's a good description of Napier's career: http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Napier

Re that mine. Perhaps they heard it bumping the hull!

[airlana]

Thanks for the link, herakles

I've been through all the RAN sites and heaps of others, dozens of books etc all to no avail. Plenty of general references to Napier but nothing specific to this incident.

The only book I'm unable to get hold of is Lind & Payne's "N class". If anyone has a copy to sell, I'm interested.

As for the mine 'bumping the hull', guite possibly. I recall the RAF operating from bases in India, mining the Irrawaddy River delta. Perhaps some of the channels were only navigatable at high tide?

regards Ash

[zzroger]

"As for the mine 'bumping the hull', guite possibly. I recall the RAF operating from bases in India, mining the Irrawaddy River delta. Perhaps some of the channels were only navigatable at high tide?"
I have read a reasonable amount about that particular part of the Burma campaign and the withdrawal of troops to India. Indeed as you suggested, the Irrawadi had high rise and fall and indeed many of the channels navigable only at high tide, especially in the dry season. I wonder if your father was involved somehow in that withdrawal, many individuals both armed forces and civilian helped out running and maintaining boats taking retreating troops acroos the river.

[sons of anzac]

My dad who passed away many years ago, often told the stories of two lucky escapes.

The first relates to his time on the cruiser HMAS Australia, when in December 1940 whilst docked at Liverpool, UK, during a night bombing raid by German aircraft. A 3,500lb aerial torpedo fell between the dock and the side of the ship. Luckily it failed to explode!

This is well documented in numerous books including Gill's "Royal Australian Navy 1939-1942" and Bastock's "Australia's Ships of War".
Mac's "Ahoy" website also has an article
http://www.ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/GermanBombersrainbombsdow.html

The second lucky escape is a bit of a mystery, and involves a ship he was on, being up the Irrawaddy River in Burma and as the tide receded, a mine became lodged between the ship's keel and the river bed. Nothing to do but wait for the next high tide and gently the ship was 'floated off' without any damage.
I guess the first question is "how did they know there was a mine under the ship?"

The only ship that dad served on that was anywhere near Burma was the destroyer HMAS Napier from October 1944 to October 1945.
Napier took part in operations during December 1944 and January 1945 at Maya Peninsula, Akyab, Ramree Island, which are all on the west coast of Burma and some distance from the Irrawaddy River.

Can anyone confirm the story? Or perhaps another Napier 'lucky escape - maybe dad's story became somewhat distorted over the years.

Actually any information on Napier during the time mentioned above would be appreciated. I really have very little.

regards Ashley

I can recall reading a while ago something on the experiences of a young RN officer involved in the recapture of Burma in 1944-45 recounting a similar tale (or same tale) but it was a Royal Navy or Royal Indian Navy small ship that was literally stuck sitting on a mine in the Irrawaddy and they had to wait for high tide to float off. If memory serves me correct it was either a Fairmile launch or a LCVP type not a DD.

[airlana]

Thanks guys for the follow up.

I'm finding 'bits and pieces' here and there but so far nothing conclusive.

regards
airlana

[Bear]

I got the 'N Class' book by Lind and Payne yesterday and read it in one sitting. You are obviously computer literate so check out the small online bookstores. I got it from Arcadia Books www.bookarc.com.au
I think it may have been their only copy, but it is available from other sites. I found the cheapest in reasonable condition and only paid 26 bucks, which included 6 in postage.
Napier and Nepal along with a couple of HDMLs served as support ships to the 74th Indian Brigade in their attack on Thabyndau, Burma in December 1944. Napier certainly went up-river during that campaign, although there is no reference in the book to the mine experience.
Napier was next involved in the capture of the Japanese base at Ramree Island and once again she had the experience of going up-river. An extract:
'...The ships anchored in the river that night and on moving down the river next morning, NEPAL struck an uncharted object. The ship was stopped and PO Gourlay went over the side to ascertain the damage. The river was running at an estimated ten knots and was chocolate brown with mud. After some difficulty he swam under the stern and reported damage to the starboard propeller'.
This may have been the incident your dad remembered.

[airlana]

Thanks Bear for all the info; and I'll chase up the "N Class" book.

Quite possibly it was "Nepal". As Dad served only on "Napier" I assumed it was that ship, but he may well have been relating a story of a sister ship.

Wonder if the ship's Log has something? Anyone know where it is - AWM, Nat Archives, RAN Historical Society ??

Thanks again, Ash

airlana

[Bear]

Try the Seapower Centre for the log:
http://www.navy.gov.au/History
They are good people over there and responsive to enquiries about history.
I know that some logs were kept and for some reason others destroyed or lost. I don't think we were all that careful with our naval history following WWII.
May have been a product of war weariness--it's over, let's move on--but makes it hard for researchers long after the events.

[Bear]

Ah,the things one can find out by accident...
I was searching Navy records or something else and found a trail to ships' logs.
Go here and find the log you want. You can request a copy.
Cheers:

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Items_listing.asp?S=2&F=1&O=0&T=I&C=40