Anti-aircraft gun crews wearing flash protection clothing on the starboard side of HMAS Canberra ...

Anti-aircraft gun crews wearing flash protection clothing on the starboard side of HMAS Canberra looking out for high level bombers. In the foreground is an S1 mounting with its twin 4 inch Mk XVI high angle gun. The barrels of the S2 mounting are in the background (left) and a 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun (centre) points skywards. To its left is a Vickers machine gun mounted on a tripod anti-aircraft mounting. Splinter protection has been placed around the superstructure to the right. During the Battle of Savo Island, HMAS Canberra and the United States (US) heavy cruiser USS Chicago, screened by the destroyers USS Paterson and USS Bagley, were engaged in protecting transports unloading US Marines and supplies at Guadalcanal Island. Surprised by a force of Japanese cruisers and destroyers, HMAS Canberra, in a night action, was repeatedly hit with shells and torpedoes, starting fires which quickly got out of control. It was necessary to abandon the ship which sank later in the morning. This desperate, short-range combat in which HMAS Canberra, opposed to heavy odds, fought back, was broken off in less than fifteen minutes. HMAS Canberra and USS Chicago formed the southern group of the protecting forces, and the cruisers USS Vincennes, USS Quincey and USS Astoriam screened by the destroyers USS Helm and USS Wilson, the northern group. This latter group was also surprised by the same Japanese force on 9 August, and in the ensuing battle, the three US cruisers were sunk in an action lasting thirty minutes. Although an Allied naval defeat, the immediate consequences of this cruiser battle was the retirement of the enemy force, without any attack on Allied transport who were unloading soldiers and supplies on the beaches of Guadalcanal Island.