4 March 1942 HMAS Yarra defends her convoy

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The gallant last stand of HMAS Yarra (II) painting by David Marshall - HMAS CreswellThe RAN sloop HMAS Yarra LCDR Robert Rankin, and the merchant ships Anking and Franco, were overwhelmed and sunk in the Indian Ocean by Japanese fleet of 3 cruisers, Atago , Takao and Maya, and destroyers, commanded by VADM Kondo. Yarra was the only warship in the convoy and engaged the enemy fleet after ordering her convoy to scatter.

Yarra opened fire with her four inch guns to draw the fire of the Japanese cruisers away from her convoy. It was an heroic but doomed effort to save these ships by LCDR Rankin who deliberately closed the range on the enemy ships and attempted to screen the convoy with smoke. He was killed on his bridge by an incoming shell. LS Buck Taylor, in charge of the last remaining gun, continued to fire alone after the abandon ship order, until he too was killed.

Of the ship’s complement of 151, 138 lost their lives either onboard Yarra, or on rafts waiting for rescue. By pure luck 13 survivors were later picked up by a Dutch submarine. The Unit Citation awarded to HMAS Yarra by the Governor General in March 2013 was given for: Acts of extraordinary gallantry in the Indian Ocean on the 4th March 1942.

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