Action of 13 December 1964

Overview

The action of 13 December 1964 was a minor naval action between the Australian minesweeper HMAS Teal and two Indonesian vessels on 13 December 1964 during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. HMAS Teal was engaged by Indonesian vessels in the Singapore Strait. Return fire from the Australian ship killed three, whilst four other Indonesians were subsequently captured.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The action of 13 December 1964 was a minor naval engagement in the Singapore Strait during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation, in which the Australian minesweeper HMAS Teal exchanged fire with two Indonesian vessels. The encounter resulted in three Indonesians killed and four captured, demonstrating Australia's active military role in supporting Malaysia and Singapore against Indonesian pressure during the confrontation. The incident illustrated the maritime dimension of the conflict and the willingness of Australian forces to engage Indonesian units directly when challenged.

Commanders (1)