I’m seeking information on HMAS Kangaroo and what it was doing in Timor in September 1945, other than attending the Japanese Surrender Ceremony in Koepang on 11th September 1945 as part of a convoy led by HMAS Moresby. My father-in-law, Keith Alexander Fitton, was killed in a RAAF Beaufighter crash on Roti Island, Timor, 28th March 1944, when his son, also Keith, was six years old. Keith Jnr was given an artefact by a RAN sailor who lived three doors up from his Grandparents in Hastings Road, Kogarah. The artefact was made using a piece of aluminium from the Beaufighter, cut to the shape of the island, with the crash site marked on it and attached to a section of wood taken from a nearby tree. It was a treasured item. The sailor was Cyril Arthur Reed, RAN Service No. 9920, who was ‘lent’ to the Royal Australian Navy on 24th January 1920 and was demobbed 24th June 1946 with the Rank of Chief E.R.A.1. Cyril had previously served with the Royal Navy (S/No. 29115) from 31st January 1918 to 21st February 1920. He was born 01 Dec 1893 at Suffolk, Eng., and died 24 Aug 1979, late of Ramsgate, NSW, Australia. Keith Jnr’s knowledge of the artefact was that Cyril visited the site of the Beaufighter crash on his way back from the Surrender Ceremony. Keith Fitton Snr was declared ‘missing presumed killed’ in March 1944 and it wasn’t until November 1945 that the family were advised that his body had been recovered. Would Kangaroo have been on ‘body recovery’ duties? What other reason might there have been for the ship to call into Roti Island?
A bit of info, not sure if this helps Townsville Daily Bulletin Mon 30 Sep 1946 Page 5 H.M.A.S. KANGAROO H.M.A.S. KANGAROO - Heads Strange Convoy - Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954) - 30 Sep 1946
You can order a copy of HMAS Kangaroo’s deck logs for that time period at this link: HMAS Kangaroo - Deck Log Book - 14 July 1945 - 9 October 1945 [Box 311] https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sea...ports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=10859551&isAv=N EDIT: sorry, I realized that the link does NOT take you to the page. Let me try to get you a proper link. It does say the file is NOT open yet to the public, but gives you information on how to order a copy EDIT 2: Here’s a copy of the page from the archives. Go to the “search bar” on the Archives and type in “HMAS Kangaroo - Deck Log Book”, in the DATE, but 1945 in both boxes and it will bring up a list of files, which includes the one below, which you can click on, and then it will give you information on “request record” on the right side at the top of the page (as shown below)
Here’s a downloadable copy of HMAS Kangaroo’s Deck Log from 1942, it gives you an example of what you’ll find in the ships Deck Log. And if you order a copy of the 1945 deck log above, hopefully it will tell you the when and why HMAS Kangaroo was in Timor at that time HMAS Kangaroo - Deck Log Book - 31 July 1942 - 4 November 1942 [Box 309] https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sea...ports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=31783012&isAv=N EDIT, Link not working, let me post the information so you can find the page to the link
Thanks Temujin. An interesting ship in interesting times. Seems as if Kangaroo was a work horse for the RAN.
Yes, you are right Diane, sorry about my multiple corrections in the posts above. I always check to make sure links are working and I found I couldn’t get these to work……so had to give you the “written instructions” if you wish a copy of the ships Deck Logs for that time period. Good luck on your search
it is worth bearing in mind that Australia had responsibility for the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) east of Lombok and their action in taking the Japanese surrenders on the islands appears to have been "Get in, take surrender, disarm Japs and go." This was not the focus of my research; my research was on Bali. I found references: Military history of Australia during World War II - Wikipedia citing Hasluck, Paul (1970). The Government and the People 1942–1945. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 4 – Civil. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. 6429367X. Context from WW2: Timor-Leste – Second World War | Department of Veterans' Affairs
Welcome Diane. Presumably you are familiar with Keith’s CWGC record. The next step I think would be to obtain Keith’s papers from NAA as these may include records of the recovery of his remains. These can be ordered for a fee. I’m not sure how useful the deck log for Jul - Nov 1942 will be but here is a direct link. If you think that the deck logs might be useful then those for the period that you are interested in are also held by NAA but not yet digitised. SP551/1, BUNDLE 276 PART 1/3 HMAS Kangaroo - Deck Log Book - 14 July 1945 - 9 October 1945 [Box 311] SP551/1, BUNDLE 276 PART 1/4 HMAS Kangaroo - Deck Log Book - 10 October 1945 - 12 January 1946 [Box 311] AWM hold the Reports of Proceedings for Kangaroo but unfortunately those for most of the wartime period are absent. AWM78 Class 180 - HMAS KANGAROO (I). HMAS Moresby’s Proceedings for the period are available and indicate that they were engaged in the demobilisation of Japanese forces. AWM78 225/1 - January 1941 - December 1945 n.b. filed pages 3, 1 & 2. Kangaroo gets a mention in chapter 28 of the official history, page 693, which provides some useful background - some of her companions were engaged in recovering POWs and internees. Chapter 28 – Surrender – and Aftermath Finally, if you want to learn more about Cyril then his service record is also available. View digital copy
Thanks Richelieu. I have Keith's NAA record from which I discovered that he and his observer had been buried three times. Firstly by locals near the crash site; next in the Koepang War Cemetery (Nov 1945); and finally at Galala War Cemetery, Ambon Island (Sep 1946). I also checked Cyril's service record from which I ascertained that he was on board Kangaroo in December 1945 and probably, therefore, on board for the trip to Indonesia which ties in with information that Keith Junior had. Next step will be to check out the deck logs and then I'm wondering if NAA will have more specific information on the initial recovery of the bodies.
Their Graves Registration cards indicate that their remains were recovered by indigenous people to Baa, from where they were collected by members of the Northern Territory Coastal Reconnaissance Unit (AIF). This unit would probably have been able to call upon any available Allied vessel to transfer the remains to Koepang for their reinterment 5/11/45. View digital copy, pages 10-13. It seems to me conceivable that Kangaroo could have visited Papela in the course of her occupation duties after the surrender and completely unrelated to the subsequent recovery operation. I also have evidence of Kangaroo departing Darwin again 13/10/45, due Koepang 15/10/45, so she obviously came home in the interim.
The Graves Registration cards are new to me, thank you. The fact that some of Kangaroo's companions were engaged in recovery operations is another indicator that the family story is true.
I have received from NAA an excerpt taken from Deck Log Book HMAS Kangaroo 14 Jul to 09 Oct 1945 (7 pages provided). The scans are dated 11th to 16th September and relate to the ship’s time in Timore-Leste in 1945. HMAS Kangaroo was docked in Koepang for five days and then departed for Darwin. The ship did not go to Roti Island specifically but liberty men went ashore in Koepang. Series No.: SP551/1 Control symbol: Bundle 276 Part 1/3 Barcode: 10859551 Title: HMAS Kangaroo – Deck Log Book – 14 Jul 1945 – 9 Oct 1945 [Box 311]
