Australia, navy of

At the time of the outbreak of World War II in Europe, September 1939, the Royal Australian Navy consisted of two heavy cruisers and four light cruisers, five obsolete destroyers, and two vessels classified as sloops (smaller than destroyers). Two liners were converted as armed merchantmen for the Royal Australian Navy, and another three were converted for the British Royal Navy, but manned by Australians. Additionally, a number of civilian coastal vessels were hastily converted into minesweepers. The destroyers were dispatched to the Mediterranean to serve with the Royal Navy fleet there. The light cruiser Perth joined British ships in the East Indies, and the heavy cruisers Australia and Canberra escorted Australian troop convoys. Sydney, a light cruiser, later fought in the Mediterranean, as did Perth. Other ships took part in action on Crete and the Battle of Cape Matapan. During 1940 and 1941, Australian vessels fought in Middle Eastern waters. By the close of 1941, with the beginning of the war against Japan, the Australian ships were withdrawn to Australian or Singapore stations. Soon, they were effectively under the overall command of U.S. admiral Chester William Nimitz and Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Australian ships participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 and in the Battle of Savo Island during the Guadalcanal Campaign. Australian ships also supported other phases of the American assault on Guadalcanal. During the campaign to retake the Australia, navy of 139 Philippines, the heavy cruiser Australia had the dubious distinction of being hit in the first Japanese kamikaze attack. During the closing months of the war in the Pacific, most of the Australian fleet was used to support the Borneo Campaign and action in Burma. Three Australian destroyers served with the British Pacific Fleet in action against the Japanese home islands. The Royal Australian Navy consisted of 45,800 men and 3,100 women during World War II.