The Navigating Officer of Adelaide quickly identified her as the German blockade runner Ramses and in the ensuing engagement, Ramses was sunk. The ship made distress messages claiming to be Taiyang, a name that Adelaide could not accept, so 'Action Stations' was ordered at a range of 15,000 yards, pending identification. On 28 November 1942, Adelaide, in company with the Netherlands cruiser Jacob van Heemskerck and the minesweepers HMA Ships Cessnock (I) and Toowoomba (I) sighted a strange ship and closed in to investigate. I was on her bridge as her Officer of the Watch when the Battle of Savo Island commenced on 9 August 1942, we were subsequently sunk, losing eighty-four dead, with another one hundred and ten wounded.įollowing his return to Australia and a period of survivor leave, Mac was posted to the Modified Town Class cruiser HMAS Adelaide, which was based at Fremantle for convoy and escort duty in the Indian Ocean. The subsequent Battle of Savo Island commenced on 9 August 1942 resulting in Canberra being sunk by enemy cruisers, Mac would recall: HMAS Canberra went on to form part of the bombardment force for Operation WATCHTOWER, the attack on Guadalcanal. Mac was serving in HMAS Canberra on the night of the Japanese midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour on. Promoted Sub Lieutenant on 1 August 1941, Mac was then posted to the County Class heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra. Upon his arrival home, Mac became engaged to his childhood sweetheart Gladys. Following his successful completion of course, Mac returned to Australia by troop ship via Halifax and the Panama Canal. The threat of invasion was very real and at times members of the course were called upon to patrol the beaches overnight. Sections of this course took place in Brighton, which was subjected to heavy bombing. Mac was promoted Acting Sub Lieutenant on, before proceeding back to the UK by troop ship to undertake a Sub Lieutenants’ course. Mac would later recall the role of the Midshipmen during these attacks was to man the upper decks and kick any incendiaries that may land on board over the side. Disaster was averted when a large bomb narrowly missed the ship and slammed into the adjacent dock, miraculously, the bomb failed to detonate. Australia was particularly vulnerable, her guns having been made safe during the maintenance and the dockyard being a prime target for German bombers. During December the city was subjected to a period of heavy air raids. The remainder of 1940 saw Australia docked in Liverpool undergoing refit to repair damage. I can still visualise the joy on the faces of those we rescued, and remember the anger and sadness we all experienced at having to leave the remaining four airmen to a certain death. The incident affected the crew deeply and Mac would later recall: HMAS Australia's participation in the rescue of members of a Sunderland Flying Boat was captured in news articles and a painting by maritime artist TJ Callen. The horrendous weather meant that Mac's efforts would ultimately be in vain, and the remaining members of the flying boat were unable to be saved. Mac played a role in the rescue, throwing lines to four of the airmen that a swimming rescue team had been unable to reach. On 29 October, in the Orkney/Shetland area, Australia succeeded in rescuing nine crew members of a Sunderland Flying Boat, despite Force 10 winds and very high seas. In October 1940 Australia was patrolling off the Azores and escorting troop ships between Gibraltar and the United Kingdom. During the operation Australia took part in the bombardment of Vichy French targets and was also subjected to attack by Vichy French forces. September 1940 saw her in East African waters in support of Operation MENACE, the aim of which was to install a free French government in Dakar under General Charles de Gaulle. The early war saw Australia based on the Australian station engaged in convoy escort duties. Promoted Midshipman on 1 September 1939, Mac was posted to the County Class Heavy Cruiser HMAS Australia (II). Due to graduate in 1939, Mac's class would not finish as normal but were sent to sea-going units instead, owing to the probability of war. Mac was accepted into the RAN Naval College then situated at Flinders Naval Depot, in 1936 aged 13. In later years the family moved to Coburg where he attended Coburg High School. Mac's early childhood was spent in Toorak where he attended Christchurch Grammar. His father was a steward in the Royal Australian Navy based at Osborne House, having previously served in the British Army during WWI. Mackenzie ‘Mac’ Jesse Gregory was born in Geelong on 9 February 1922.
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