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CHILVERS, Allan Joseph
Personal Details
| Service Number: | S4633 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 September 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Leading Seaman |
| Last Unit: | HMAS Platypus (Shore) |
| Born: | Burwood, New South Wales, Australia , 25 May 1922 |
Help us honour Allan Joseph Chilvers's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
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World War 2 Service
| 26 Sep 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Navy, Leading Seaman, S4633 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jun 1941: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Stoker, HMAS Hobart (I), Middle East / Mediterranean Theatre | |
| 4 May 1942: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Stoker, S4633, HMAS Hobart (I), Battle of the Coral Sea, From Allan’s diary: “following 5 days leave at home with the ship refuelled and quick minor refit our Captain Harry Howden informed us we would be sailing as soon as possible for naval action, which would go down in history as the biggest saviour to Australia at this time. We sailed at midnight, refuelled at Hervey Bay Maryborough, escorted by 2 American destroyers, sailed again to join the biggest fleet of Americans I had seen at that time, the engagement was the coral sea battle from 4th May 1942 to 8th May 1942, the biggest battle I had seen to that time.” | |
| 1 Jun 1942: | Wounded Royal Australian Navy, Leading Stoker, S4633, “After heavy bombing u sustained an injury to my left index finger putting out fires from incendiary bombs” | |
| 1 Jun 1942: | Promoted Royal Australian Navy, Leading Stoker | |
| 4 Aug 1942: | Promoted Royal Australian Navy, Writer, HMAS Platypus (Shore), “A dozen of us stokers were put ashore in Darwin. At first we were based in the commonwealth bank in Darwin, and we would walk down to the oil fuel tanks each day clearing up the mess made by Japanese bombing. All civilians had left Darwin as fast as they could go. I was given a new job as a chief stokers writer (clerk) making out work rosters and reports.” | |
| 1 Feb 1944: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Leading Stoker, S4633, RAN Operations SW Pacific 1944-45 - "Lleyte 1944 / Lingayen Gulf 1945", “I joined destroyer HMAS Norman, and sailed back overseas to the British fleet based in Ceylon escorted fleet doing bombing raids on Burma and Singapore. One good trip we did was escort the British battle ship renown from Bombay India all the way to South Africa strung there in time for Durban Xmas 1944. We had a great time we were there for about a month.” | |
| 6 Nov 1946: | Discharged Royal Australian Navy, Leading Seaman, S4633 | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Stoker, S4633, HMAS Hobart (I), Malaya/Singapore, https://vwma.org.au/collections/home-page-stories/java-1942--blackforce-and-the-loss-of-hmas-perth Allan’s diary mentions the Orcades liner full of Aussie troops from the Middle East. Skipper decided to escort and make a run for it, we did thank god when we made the Indian Ocean and sent orcades on her way. She made Fremantle ok. |
Personal Stories
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