October 21 1944

The first Japanese kamikaze attack is executed near Leyte Island in the Philippines on HMAS Australia (II), the flagship of the Royal Australian Navy, there as part of a task force for support in the US invasion of the island. Captain Emile Dechaineux and 29 others are killed and 64 wounded, including Commodore John Collins. Command is passed to Captain RF Nicholls on the HMAS Shopshire, who reports: “During the dawn stand-to, a low-flying aircraft approached from the land between Australia and Shropshire. It was taken under fire and retired to the westward. Observers in Shropshire report that the aircraft was hit and touched the water but recovered. It was then turned east again and although under heavy fire, passed up the port side of Australia and crashed into the foremast at 06:05.” An explosion and intense fire follow (the picture shows the damage). The ship is repaired in Espiritu Santo and rejoins the task force on December 4. Some historians see this as a long-wolf attack, not part of the official operation by Japan’s Special Attack Unit which starts a few days later