![Ca. Dec. 1945: Type B Fairmile launches 805 and 825, in Melbourne - Allan C. Green [1878-1954], SLV. | by Kookaburra2011](http://live.staticflickr.com/2679/4292193751_97cc81c512.jpg)
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Ca. Dec. 1945: Type B Fairmile launches 805 and 825, in Melbourne - Allan C. Green [1878-1954], SLV.
874. There are two distinctive things about the two 75-ton Fairmile B launches shown here.
ML 825, the boat in front, built by Lars Halvorsen in Sydney, distinguished herself by shooting down a Japanese fighter that was bombing and strafing her off Cape Orford, New Britain on the the night of March 9-10, 1945. We think this was the only Fairmile to bring an enemy aircraft down in the Pacific War.
With 825 under the command of Lt H. Venables, RANVR, the plane was hit by the boat's bridge Oerlikon and crashed inshore - the pilot being captured some time later, badly injured.
In the immediate aftermath of the Japanese surrender in mid-August, 1945, ML 805, the boat astern here, and a sister boat undertook the hazardous duty of contacting powerful Japanese garrisons on Muschu and Kasiriru Islands just off New Guinea, and 805 eventually had their surrender signed aboard.
Muschu Island, which had powerful naval guns menacing the approaches to Wewak, was also the scene of a classic but tragic commando raid undertaken from Lt Ernie Palmer's ML1321 earlier in 1945. The raid was the subject of a well-received 2006 book 'The Guns of Muschu' by Don Dennis, the grandson of the only survivor among the eight men landed. Hunted by the Japanese as his companions were progressively killed, the survivor - brother of renowned 1930s Australian woman Olympic swimmer Claire Dennis - himself made a remarkable swim to the New Guinea mainland.
Lt Palmer, of ML 1321, was one of the most aggressive and daring Fairmile commanders along the New Guinea coasts, and I'm still seeking a good wartime photo of his vessel - still active as M.V. Rushcutter at Groote Island - to tell that story.
Photo: Allan C. Green, Green Collection, State Library of Victoria. Copyright expired and this usage allowed. It is a companion a separate photo of ML 805 published in John Bastock's book 'Australia's Ships of War' [Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1975], p243, which is dated 1945.
As this is the work of Allan Green, we assume this photo was taken in Melbourne. It looks like South Wharf on the Yarra River.
Ca. Dec. 1945: Type B Fairmile launches 805 and 825, in Melbourne - Allan C. Green [1878-1954], SLV.
874. There are two distinctive things about the two 75-ton Fairmile B launches shown here.
ML 825, the boat in front, built by Lars Halvorsen in Sydney, distinguished herself by shooting down a Japanese fighter that was bombing and strafing her off Cape Orford, New Britain on the the night of March 9-10, 1945. We think this was the only Fairmile to bring an enemy aircraft down in the Pacific War.
With 825 under the command of Lt H. Venables, RANVR, the plane was hit by the boat's bridge Oerlikon and crashed inshore - the pilot being captured some time later, badly injured.
In the immediate aftermath of the Japanese surrender in mid-August, 1945, ML 805, the boat astern here, and a sister boat undertook the hazardous duty of contacting powerful Japanese garrisons on Muschu and Kasiriru Islands just off New Guinea, and 805 eventually had their surrender signed aboard.
Muschu Island, which had powerful naval guns menacing the approaches to Wewak, was also the scene of a classic but tragic commando raid undertaken from Lt Ernie Palmer's ML1321 earlier in 1945. The raid was the subject of a well-received 2006 book 'The Guns of Muschu' by Don Dennis, the grandson of the only survivor among the eight men landed. Hunted by the Japanese as his companions were progressively killed, the survivor - brother of renowned 1930s Australian woman Olympic swimmer Claire Dennis - himself made a remarkable swim to the New Guinea mainland.
Lt Palmer, of ML 1321, was one of the most aggressive and daring Fairmile commanders along the New Guinea coasts, and I'm still seeking a good wartime photo of his vessel - still active as M.V. Rushcutter at Groote Island - to tell that story.
Photo: Allan C. Green, Green Collection, State Library of Victoria. Copyright expired and this usage allowed. It is a companion a separate photo of ML 805 published in John Bastock's book 'Australia's Ships of War' [Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1975], p243, which is dated 1945.
As this is the work of Allan Green, we assume this photo was taken in Melbourne. It looks like South Wharf on the Yarra River.