{"html":"  \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-images\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor \"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/37395/photo/zoom_044284.JPG)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/44963/photo/zoom_suk14445_1_1__1_.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n        style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/179787/photo/zoom_202_Sqn_Catalina_Gibraltar.jpg)\"\u003e\n      \u003c/div\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-description with-image\"\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor\"\u003eBattle of the Atlantic - RAN and RAAF Operations\u003c/h4\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify tiny-mce-heading-color\"\u003eThe Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1945\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eThe sea lanes of the Atlantic played a vital role in the transport of equipment, fuel, food, munitions, aircraft and general supplies from North America to Europe, from the declaration of war in September 1939. The battle for control of the Atlantic Ocean began on 3 September 1939 with the sinking of a British passenger liner by the German submarine U-30.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eSir Winston Churchill had remarked that '\u003cem\u003ethe 'U-boat peril'\u003c/em\u003e was the only thing that ever really frightened him during World War Two.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eAustralia’s part in the campaign in the Atlantic was multi-faceted, on the sea and in the air.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eRAN Ships such as HMAS \u003cem\u003eAustralia\u003c/em\u003e, and the N-class destroyers HMA Ships \u003cem\u003eNapier\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eNepal\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eNestor\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eNizam\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eNorman \u003c/em\u003ecarried out escort duties throughout the Atlantic in the first year of the war.   HMAS\u003ci\u003e Australia f\u003c/i\u003eigured in two major actions off Dakar in northh west Africa. in the course of which one of its Walrus seaplanes was shot down by Vichy French aircraft. In addition, to sinking \u003cem\u003eU-127\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eNestor\u003c/em\u003e was also involved in the hunt for the famous German battleship, KMS \u003cem\u003eBismarck\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eTraining depot HMAS \u003cem\u003eRushcutter\u003c/em\u003e, now known as HMAS \u003cem\u003eWatson\u003c/em\u003e, also played a crucial role, in supplying officers and ratings trained in antisubmarine warfare. Some sources suggested that up 20 percent of those involved in the Atlantic conflict had been trained at \u003cem\u003eRushcutter\u003c/em\u003e.[1]\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eFor more information, please see http://\u003ca href=\"http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/australian-sailors-battle-atlantic\"\u003ewww.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/australian-sailors-battle-atlantic\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.navy.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/australian-sailors-battle-atlantic\"\u003e[1] Djokovic, Petar. “Australian Sailors in the Battle of the Atlantic.” Royal Australian Navy – Feature Histories, viewed 05/04/2016, http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/australian-sailors-battle-atlantic.\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (www.navy.gov.au)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eIn addition to warships, a number of RAAF Squadrons attached to Coastal Command carried out extensive Maritime patrol and anti-submarine operations over the Atlantic as part of the campaign to counter the threat posed by German U-Boats.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eNos 10 and 461 Squadrons operated Sunderland Flying Boats from bases in Plymouth and Pembroke Dock on the south coast of the U and as far afield as Oban in Scotland ranging out over the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic.  \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-justify\"\u003eUnits such as 455 Squadron carried out maritime strike operations over the North Sea, Norway and the Normandy beaches as part of D Day operations, equipped with the potent Bristol Beaufighter. In adidtion hundreds of RAAF aircrew served in RAF units of Coastal Command as well and RAAF pilots operated seaplanes that were launched from Crusiers such as HMAS \u003cem\u003eAustralia\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}