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H.M.A.S. WaterhenPrint Page 
The plaque commemorates H.M.A.S. Waterhen which was sunk in 1941 during World War Two.
On 29 June 1941, H.M.A.S. Waterhen and H.M.S. Defender were making the run to Tobruk when they were attacked off Sollum 19 Axis Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers (twelve German and seven Italian). The attack heavily damaged the Australian destroyer. H.M.A.S. Waterhen was hit in the stern by a single 500 kilogram bomb dropped by the Ju 87 piloted by Maresciallo Ennio Tarantola (239th Dive Bombing Squadron, Regia Aeronautic), which caused the immediate flooding of the engine and boiler rooms.
H.M.S. Defender took H.M.A.S. Waterhen in tow, but at 13:50 on 30 June 1941, the destroyer rolled over and sank. She was the first ship of the Royal Australian Navy to be lost by enemy action in World War Two.
Location
| Address: | Birdwood Avenue, Shrine Reserve, Melbourne, 3000 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.830139 Long: 144.973276 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 29-June-1941 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 29-June-1941 |
Dedication
HMAS Waterhen
Lost in action 29. 6. 41
