HMAS Stawell
| HMAS Stawell during 1944
HMAS Stawell during 1944
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| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia |
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| Namesake: | Town of Stawell, Victoria |
| Builder: | HMA Naval Dockyard at Williamstown, Victoria |
| Laid down: | 18 June 1942 |
| Launched: | 3 April 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 7 August 1943 |
| Decommissioned: | 26 March 1946 |
| Motto: | "Without Fear or Favour" |
| Honours and awards: |
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| Fate: | Sold to RNZN |
| History | |
| New Zealand |
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| Acquired: | 5 March 1952 |
| Decommissioned: | Late 1950s |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap in 1968 |
| General characteristics during RAN service | |
| Class & type: | Bathurst-class corvette |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 186 ft (57 m) |
| Beam: | 31 ft (9.4 m) |
| Draught: | 8.5 ft (2.6 m) |
| Propulsion: | triple expansion engine, 2 shafts, 2,000 horsepower |
| Speed: | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) at 1,750 hp |
| Complement: | 85 |
| Armament: |
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HMAS Stawell (J348/M348) was a Bathurst-class corvette named for the town of Stawell, Victoria.[1] Sixty Bathurst class corvettes were constructed during World War II, and Stawell was one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).[1]
The corvette later served in the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) as HMNZS Stawell.
Contents
Design and construction
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In 1938, the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board (ACNB) identified the need for a general purpose 'local defence vessel' capable of both anti-submarine and mine-warfare duties, while easy to construct and operate.[2][3] The vessel was initially envisaged as having a displacement of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), and a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi)[4] The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelled Bar-class boom defence vessel saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph) top speed, and a range of 2,850 nautical miles (5,280 km; 3,280 mi), armed with a 4-inch gun, equipped with asdic, and able to fitted with either depth charges or minesweeping equipment depending on the planned operations: although closer in size to a sloop than a local defence vessel, the resulting increased capabilities were accepted due to advantages over British-designed mine warfare and anti-submarine vessels.[2][5] Construction of the prototype HMAS Kangaroo did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.[6] The need for locally built 'all-rounder' vessels at the start of World War II saw the "Australian Minesweepers" (designated as such to hide their anti-submarine capability, but popularly referred to as "corvettes") approved in September 1939, with 60 constructed during the course of the war: 36 (including Stawell) ordered by the RAN, 20 ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.[2][7][8][9][1]
Stawell was laid down by HMA Naval Dockyard at Williamstown, Victoria on 18 June 1942.[1] She was launched on 3 April 1943 by Mrs. J. J. Dedman, wife of the Minister for War Organisation, and commissioned into the RAN on 7 August 1943.[1]
Operational history
RAN
The majority of Starwell’s career was spent in three areas. Initially, she served as a convoy escort along the east coast of Australia.[1] Following this, Stawell participated in a variety of escort, minesweeping, and combat roles throughout New Guinea waters.[1] In the final third of her career, the ship spent time in Hong Kong waters, performing minsweeping and anti-piracy duties.[1] Stawell returned to Brisbane in November 1945.[1]
The corvette received three battle honours for her wartime service: "Pacific 1943–45", "New Guinea 1943–44", and "Borneo 1945".[10][11]
RNZN
Stawell was removed from RAN service on 26 March 1946.[1] On 5 March 1952, Stawell and three other Bathurst class corvettes (HMA Ships Echuca, Inverell, and Kiama) were transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN).[12]
She was commissioned into the RNZN during May 1952 and given the prefix HMNZS.[13] Stawell operated primarily as a training vessel until 1959, when she was placed into reserve.[1][13]
Fate
Stawell was sold to Pacific Scrap Limited of Auckland, New Zealand in July 1968, and was broken up for scrap.[1]
Citations
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- Books
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- Journal and news articles
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- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Stevens, The Australian Corvettes, p. 1
- ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, p. 103
- ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 103–4
- ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 103–5
- ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, p. 104
- ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 105, 148
- ↑ Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, p. 29
- ↑ Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 108
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- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
