The liberation of the Philippines began with an assault on the beaches of Leyte Gulf.
The Royal Australian Navy’s role was significant. Among hundreds of landing craft were the Australian infantry landing ships HMA Ships Manoora, Westralia, and Kanimbla, which carried Allied troops on their way to the landing beaches in Leyte Gulf.
In the naval task forces assigned to guard the landing forces were a number of Royal Australian Navy warships: the cruisers HMA Ships Australia and Shropshire; and the destroyers HMA Ships Arunta and Warramunga.
Image: Heavy bulldozers and other giant pieces of machinery of no. 3 airfield construction squadron RAAF plunged from the open bows of the LSTs (landing ships, tank), serial nos. 697, 471, into the surf, and were driven up the foreshore.
