Some info :
Paramatta 8 April 1940-4 Mar 1941 - Red Sea Force;
Parramatta sailed from Fremantle Western Australia 29 June 1940
Arrived end July 1940 at Red Sea Force
Except for one visit to Bombay in Dec 1940, Parramatta spent nine months, escorting, patrolling and sweeping for mines as part of the Red Sea Force.
As per your OP, your father was next on Kanimbla
Kanimbla 5th Mar.1941-9th Feb 1942-Persian Gulf & Banda Shapur Edit to add, ARE YOU SURE that the Kanimbla was still at that post for that entire time, I read thatKanimbla had departed Sydney for Hong Kong 6 October 1939. Thus was patrolling in the Far East. In June 1940 she was attached to Singapore on patrol and escort duties.
On 24 August 1941 was part of a flotilla at Bandar Shahpur.
Left the area 11 October 1941.
Assigned on
8 December 1941 as part of ABCD force in Pacific Theatre (ABCD = American, British, Chinese, Dutch)
22 December 1941 Brisbane Queensland Australia
25 December 1941 Melbourne Victoria Australia
Hi ScouseBoy, I will check, currently I am reading a book about Churchill and Australia ISBN: 9781405038706 624 pages, author George Freudenberg.... very detailed chapters with telegram exchanges between Churchill and The Australian PMs etc. But in general terms, the RAN were placed directly under First Lord of the Admirality. Currently I am up to the heated exchanges re bringing the 9th Div back to defend Australia. (Army)
Cheers, JM
Further Edit
PS, I posted the following on your other thread ... it shows where Kanimbla was on 8 Dec 1941
Australian Naval History on 08 December 1941
...."
HMA Ships VAMPIRE and VENDETTA, (destroyers), and BURNIE, GOULBURN, BENDIGO, and MARYBOROUGH, (corvettes), were at Singapore when Japan mounted her first air raid at 0300. MANOORA was also at Singapore, and KANIMBLA was on passage from Penang to Singapore. ....."
http://www.navyhistory.org.au/08-december-1941/