Kookaburra2011
THE HMAS PIRIE STORY- Exit hole of the bomb that passed through he bridge and exploded on the forecastle. Collection of the late Stoker Jack Lyall, RAN 1942-1946.
3805. A composite Wikipedia account of the action off Oro Bay concludes that by striking the bridge the bomb that hit HMAS PPIRIE was fused and might have otherwise exploded in her 12-pounder magazine, destroying the ship.
While less detailed and cohesive than John Lyall's account, the Wikipedia entry on the action is also worth reading for its version of the sequence of events.
It reads '.... The ships [PIRIE and HANYANG] were 19 kilometres (10 nmi) from their destination when they were attacked by Japanese dive-bombers. The first wave saw HANYANG's steering gear damaged, while PIRIE was straddled by bombs but escaped effectively unharmed. One dive-bomber was shot down by the corvette's retaliatory fire. A second pass by the aircraft caused further damage to the merchantman.
A Zero dove on PIRIE, strafing the foredeck and the crew of the 12-pounder while the corvette's starboard Oerlikon fired back. A bomber dropped two bombs: PIRIE turned to port to avoid one, but moved directly under the other. The bomb penetrated the armoured bridge canopy, deflected off the helmsman's station, killed the gunnery officer, then struck the foredeck plating and detonated, killing six of the seven men on the main gun. Had it not struck the bridge first, the bomb would likely had penetrated the magazine before detonating and destroying the entire ship.
PIRIE was strafed another three times before the Japanese planes were driven off by Allied fighters and anti-aircraft fire from the corvette. Seven of HMAS PIRIE's men were killed in the attack, with four more seriously wounded.
Japanese propaganda, describing the corvette as a destroyer, reported that she had been sunk. Three United States Army personnel aboard PIRIE at the time [a chaplain and two officers] offered to bury the dead at sea. The chaplain later recommended that the ship and her company receive bravery honours. Both ships reached their destination.
After some repairs were effected at Oro Bay, HMAS WHYALLA escorted PIRIE back to Milne Bay. Further temporary repairs were made, and on April 14, the corvette sailed for Townsville in company with the sloop HMAS SWAN, before continuing on alone to Maryborough, where she arrived on April 19 ...' {Wikipedia account, slightly edited for syntax].
Photo: Collection of late Stoker Jack Lyall, RAN 1942-1946, courtesy of his son John Lyall.
THE HMAS PIRIE STORY- Exit hole of the bomb that passed through he bridge and exploded on the forecastle. Collection of the late Stoker Jack Lyall, RAN 1942-1946.
3805. A composite Wikipedia account of the action off Oro Bay concludes that by striking the bridge the bomb that hit HMAS PPIRIE was fused and might have otherwise exploded in her 12-pounder magazine, destroying the ship.
While less detailed and cohesive than John Lyall's account, the Wikipedia entry on the action is also worth reading for its version of the sequence of events.
It reads '.... The ships [PIRIE and HANYANG] were 19 kilometres (10 nmi) from their destination when they were attacked by Japanese dive-bombers. The first wave saw HANYANG's steering gear damaged, while PIRIE was straddled by bombs but escaped effectively unharmed. One dive-bomber was shot down by the corvette's retaliatory fire. A second pass by the aircraft caused further damage to the merchantman.
A Zero dove on PIRIE, strafing the foredeck and the crew of the 12-pounder while the corvette's starboard Oerlikon fired back. A bomber dropped two bombs: PIRIE turned to port to avoid one, but moved directly under the other. The bomb penetrated the armoured bridge canopy, deflected off the helmsman's station, killed the gunnery officer, then struck the foredeck plating and detonated, killing six of the seven men on the main gun. Had it not struck the bridge first, the bomb would likely had penetrated the magazine before detonating and destroying the entire ship.
PIRIE was strafed another three times before the Japanese planes were driven off by Allied fighters and anti-aircraft fire from the corvette. Seven of HMAS PIRIE's men were killed in the attack, with four more seriously wounded.
Japanese propaganda, describing the corvette as a destroyer, reported that she had been sunk. Three United States Army personnel aboard PIRIE at the time [a chaplain and two officers] offered to bury the dead at sea. The chaplain later recommended that the ship and her company receive bravery honours. Both ships reached their destination.
After some repairs were effected at Oro Bay, HMAS WHYALLA escorted PIRIE back to Milne Bay. Further temporary repairs were made, and on April 14, the corvette sailed for Townsville in company with the sloop HMAS SWAN, before continuing on alone to Maryborough, where she arrived on April 19 ...' {Wikipedia account, slightly edited for syntax].
Photo: Collection of late Stoker Jack Lyall, RAN 1942-1946, courtesy of his son John Lyall.