Number RAN 22040

Ship HMAS Yarra

Place of Birth. Gravesend Kent England 20/11/1920

Next of Kin Donald Chisholm, his father

Date and place of enlistment 2 May 1938 Home Port, Melbourne

Location on enlistment Fern Hill

Occupation labourer

Date and place of death 4 March1942 aged 21

Location of grave or memorial

Plymouth Naval Memorial England and the memorial in Leongatha

Relationship to Woorayl Shire

His parents lived in Meeniyan

Military History

HMAS Yarra (U77), named for the Yarra River was a Grimsby class sloop of the Royal Australian Navy. It was commissioned in 1936, Yarra spent the early part of the war in Australian waters, then was transferred to the East India Station in 1940. The sloop operated in the Red Sea, then was involved in the Anglo � Iraq campaign and the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran. After operating as part of the Tobruk ferry service in the Mediterranean during November 1941 Yarra was reassigned to Southeast Asia in response to Japanese attacks. On 4 March 1942, Yarra was attacked and sunk by a force of Japanese cruisers and destroyers while attempting to protect ships withdrawing to Australia. The Yarra was badly damaged and the captain ordered abandon ship. Donald Chisholm did not survive. There were few survivors and most perished in the ocean before the 13 remaining were rescued by a Dutch vessel.