 Becher returned to Australia in early 1942 , and from 17 May was appointed officer @-@ in @-@ charge of the gunnery school at HMAS Cerberus . He remained at this post for almost two years until , on 12 March 1944 , he was given command of the destroyer HMAS Quickmatch — formed up as part of the Eastern Fleet . On 22 July , Quickmatch was among a 23 @-@ vessel strong task force that set out from Trincomalee to assault the Japanese naval base off northern Sumatra at Sabang Island . The formation approached Sabang on the night of 24 / 25 July , launching fighter strikes on airfields in the area at first light . At 06 : 55 , the fleet bombarded the harbour installations , coastal defence batteries and the military barracks . As the formation 's two battleships maintained their fire , Quickmatch joined three other ships that entered the harbour to carry out close @-@ range bombardment . After completing their task , Quickmatch and her fellows withdrew under the cover of fire from two cruisers . Praised for his " outstanding courage and skill " in pressing home the assault , Becher was awarded a Bar to his Distinguished Service Cross , announced in a supplement to the London Gazette on 31 October 1944 . 
