HMAS Canberra lost at Savo Island

On the morning of the 9 August 1942 the Royal Australian Navy's heavy cruiser HMAS CANBERRA was sunk after being severely damaged during a naval battle off Savo Island in the Solomon Islands group. HMAS CANBERRA had been forming part of the force screening the American invasion force which had started landing on Guadalcanal on 7 August.

The object of the landing was to capture the almost completed Japanese airfield at Lunga Point on Guadalcanal and thus ensure that the vital USA-Australia supply lines could not be threatened. However, in the end, it was this campaign which was to see the strength of the Imperial Japanese Navy sapped away and eventually open the road to Tokyo.

The initial landings and capture of the airfield at Lunga Point, renamed Henderson Field, met with only light resistance ashore. However air attacks on the assault force commenced at about midday on the 7 August and were to continue during the period of the campaign. Fortunately for the Allied commanders Royal Australian Navy Coastwatchers were providing invaluable warnings of Japanese raids heading towards Guadalcanal.

Within two hours of the initial landings the commander of the 8th Fleet at Rabual, Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa, sailed with a cruiser force for Guadalcanal. The force under his command consisted of: the heavy cruisers CHOKAI, AOBA, FURATAKA, KINUGASA, and KAKO; the light cruisers TENRYU and TATSUTA and the destroyer YUNANGI. As this force headed south they were spotted and their position and course reported to the Allied commander, Rear Admiral Turner USN. However, when they were spotted the Japanese were sailing in an east south-east direction and then altered course back to Rabual. Thus the Americans concluded that the Japanese were not heading for Guadalcanal.

In order to protect the transports against any Japanese attack a screening force of cruisers and destroyers was deployed to patrol the approaches to Guadalcanal. This force was commanded by Rear Admiral V.A.C. Crutchley VC, DSC RN and was deployed as follows:

The American destroyers RALPH TALBOT and BLUE patrolling to the seaward of Savo Island.

The Australian cruisers AUSTRALIA and CANBERRA with the American cruiser CHICAGO and destroyers BAGLEY and PATTERSON patrolled an area to the south of Savo Island.

The American cruisers VINCENNES, ASTORIA and QUINCY with the destroyers HELM and WILSON patrolled an area to the east of Savo Island.

The Australian cruiser HOBART with the American cruiser SAN JUAN and the destroyers MONSSEN and BUCHANAN patrolled the area between Florida Island and Guadalcanal.

Unaware of the approach of the Japanese force Admiral Turner convened a staff meeting onboard the destroyer McCAWLEY. Admiral Crutchley departed the patrol area with AUSTRALIA and proceeded to the meeting in the Transport Anchorage. As the meeting was in progress Admiral Mikawa and his force were making their approach to Savo Island.

At 0130 on the 9th August the Japanese force sighted the destroyer BLUE and reduced speed. As they approached almost all of the enemy's guns were aimed at the unsuspecting ship. However, they were not sighted and proceeded to pass Savo Island. Shortly after passing Savo Island the Japanese sighted the Southern Screening Force with CANBERRA the lead ship. At about the same time the Japanese were sighted by the destroyer PATTERSON and Japanese aircraft, launched from the cruisers some two hours earlier dropped flairs over Lunga Point and the transport area.

These flares immediately silhouetted the cruisers CANBERRA and CHICAGO and the Japanese opened fire with all weapons.
CANBERRA being the lead ship received almost the full force of the Japanese barrage and was immediately put out of action. CHICAGO was also badly damaged but still operational.

After rendering the Southern Screening Force ineffective the Japanese continued their sweep around Savo Island splitting into two columns and approached the Northern Screening Force at high speed.

Again complete surprise was achieved with just as devastating results. The Japanese ships opened fire on the American ships at very close range and in a short space of time the cruisers QUINCY and VINCENNES were sunk with ASTORIA being badly damaged. During this part of the action the Japanese flagship CHOKAI received hits which damaged her operations room and killed a number of personnel. Being unaware as to the location and strength of the remaining Allied naval forces the Japanese did not press home their advantage and commenced to withdraw. On their way passed the outer screening destroyers the Japanese engaged and damaged the RALPH TALBOT.

Dawn was to reveal to the Allies the full extent of the battle. The Japanese had sunk the cruisers QUINCY and VINCENNES; CANBERRA and ASTORIA were both badly damaged and despite valiant efforts eventually sank; and the destroyers RALPH TALBOT and PATTERSON were also badly damaged. The transports which were now only protected by the two Australian cruisers AUSTRALIA and HOBART, the anti-aircraft cruiser SAN JUAN and destroyers. Despite this naval weakness the landing operations continued and the toe hold achieved on Guadalcanal became the launching pad for the American "island hopping " campaign.

As a result of the Battle of Savo Island just over 1000 Allied sailors lost their lives and another 700 were wounded. Australian casualties were 84 dead and 110 wounded.

"ABANDON AND DESTROY!"

By J. E. MACDONNELL, R.A.N.

The HMAS Canberra Story

from "As Your Were" 1950 AWM

0NE of the saddest losses the Australian Navy suffered during the war was the sinking of H.M.A.S. Canberra in a fierce action lasting only ten minutes, in the Battle of Savo Island.

On the night of 8 August '42 Allied naval units comprising heavy and light cruisers and a flotilla of destroyers were operating offensively off Guadalcanal. American forces had just established themselves on the island.

The area south of Savo Island was being patrolled by a squadron of four ships, Chicago, Canberra and U.S. destroyers Patterson and Bagley. Australia was flag and lead ship, but at the time was absent carrying Admiral Crutchley to a conference aboard U.S.S. McCawley. In his absence Captain H. D. Bode in Chicago was in command, with Canberra as guide ship of the squadron. Both ships were disposed in line ahead, with Patterson and Bagley screening 45 degrees on either bow of Chicago.

There was no moon; the darkness fell wide and dense on all sides. A 4-knot breeze carried heavy, low-hanging clouds across the sky, trailing fingers of rain in the sea like a giant opaque curtain.

The four ships were about to turn on the reverse leg of their patrol when, without warning, a group of star-shells burst and hung above the clouds over Guadalcanal. They were large, blue, white and intensely brilliant, and fit up the assembled transports vividly.

Then at about 0143 hours destroyer Patterson sighted a ship five thousand yards away dead ahead, rounding the tip of Savo Island. Immediately she broadcast the R/T alarm to her consorts:

"Warning warning warning. Strange ships entering harbour."

At the same time she altered course to bring her full broadside of guns and tubes to bear.

The enemy -for enemy they were- altered course, and were seen to be two cruisers, one a Mogami-type heavy, the other a light Jintsu class.

Patterson was ready and her guns flared redly. Above the enemy cruisers four star shells burst, dropped suddenly, then swayed slowly seawards beneath their parachutes. Almost at once the rear Jap ship fired a spread of eight torpedoes. Then two great eyes of light opened on their hulls and searched the silvered wave tops. The beams found and held the little destroyer.

A line of red flashes rippled along the Japs sides and a heavy shell razed Patterson's No. 4 gun shelter to the deck. The gun's ready-use ammunition ignited in a sweeping, searing blast that laced her after part in flames and burned No. 3 and, No- 4 guns out of action.

A torpedo track slid towards her on the port quarter, but swinging violently she avoided it. Though badly hit, she was game. Her guns took on the rear cruiser and struck her repeatedly. Suddenly the Jap's searchlight jerked into the air abruptly, and went out.

The enemy altered course. Destroyer Bagley reported an unidentified ship ahead; soon after the port look-out on Canberra's bridge shouted: "Ship bearing dead ahead! "

But the officer of the watch and signal yeoman, peering into the murk over her bows, could see nothing. By this time all ships had rushed to action stations. Then Canberra's main director sighted two ships less than a mile away on her port bow. The director rasped violently on to the bearing. The guns started to follow. An instant later a storm Of 5-inch armour-piercing shells plunged upon her in a roaring violence of bursting explosive.

Her whole length shuddered under the vicious upthrust of bursting steel. One shell burst on the bridge and cruelly wounded Captain Getting. Another bored into the barbette of "A" turret and, its fuse started, exploded inside and jammed the training. Further aft the plane on its catapult flared into flame, and a shell burst between the guns of "X" turret.

The worst destruction was caused on the 4-inch gun-deck. Here P1 4-inch gun received a direct hit; its body was blown in a moment into nipping slivers of steel. Almost the whole crew were killed by the blast.

Then two torpedo tracks stretched out toward her and touched. A blast of fire lighted her length and a rampart of water bulged from her side. It rose in a mound that swelled to a flying mountain of spray high above her bridge.

Fifty feet of her side plating were ripped open near the boiler-rooms. The hungry water rushed in, causing the whole ship's lighting to fail. Engine-rooms were so choked with smoke that orders were given to abandon them ' Yet, staggering, Canberra managed to get off a salvo before her guns fell silent.

She was stopped now, listing 10 degrees to starb'd. Her innards were a shambles. The heat generated when T.N.T. bursts is terrific, and furnishings and kit flamed instantly when shells and torpedoes exploded. Through smashed hatches and doors could be seen the dull red of burning, fuel oil and where their deadlights had been blown off, her ports shone round, like dilated eves.

In the meantime Chicago prepared to fire on an enemy cruiser sighted over Canberra's bow, and which was still firing into the Australian cruiser. This gave rise to the wholly erroneous rumour that she was sunk by American forces. At no time was Canberra struck by friendly shells.

Chicago had no sooner lighted her target with star-shell than the white wake of a loosened torpedo sprang towards her and savaged a gaping hole in her port bow. Her fo'c'sle was deluged with water and her bow below water-line largely blown away.

Then a heavy shell hit the starb'd leg of her foremast. It detonated over the for'ard funnel, holing it like a Swiss cheese and showering the upper deck with splinters.

Chicago was now firing at an enemy destroyer seven thousand yards distant and, on hearing heavy gun-fire to the north-west of Savo Island, plunged heavily northward to join it. The rest of the enemy force drew off.

Canberra was left alone to fight for her life.

Her wardroom was a scene straight from hell. It had been turned into a sick bay, and the ship's surgeons were operating on tables among dying and wounded laid everywhere over the decks and couches.

On the upper deck a torpedo-man fought through flames to fire the loaded tubes. Another rating jettisoned the petrol tanks beside them. In a pom-pom ready-use magazine ammunition caught fire and detonated in a brilliant shower of pyrotechnics. A chain of men was formed and the burning boxes thrown over the side. In that holocaust individual acts of heroism and self-sacrifice became commonplace.

In a choppy sea at 0300 hours destroyer Patterson poked her nose alongside and took off some of the wounded. Not one able-bodied man attempted to leave his ship. Cutters and rafts were lowered, with some of the wounded lowered from the upper deck, their faces black with fumes.

At 0500 Patterson received from Admiral Crutchley this signal:

"It is urgent that Task Force should leave the area by 0630. If Canberra is not in condition to proceed, she is to be abandoned and destroyed."

So they left her, Patterson loading four hundred of her men, destroyer Blue another two hundred and fifty. She was now burning furiously, a huge cloud of smoke reaching high above her.

The lights of the red dawn shot up across the sky as Selfridge and Ellet were ordered to sink her. The two destroyers began their run in, turned, and fired five torpedoes, plus salvoes of 5-inch shells into the fiery hull. The old lady was reluctant to go. It was 0800 before, turning slowly over to starb'd, she sank beneath a pall of smoke, transformed in a few hours from a proud fighting ship to a twisted tangle of steel falling through the sunlit upper waters of the Pacific into -the freezing darkness of the unfathomed bottom.