HMAS Strahan

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HMAS Strahan during 1944
Career (Royal Australian Navy) RAN ensign
Namesake: Town of Strahan, Tasmania
Builder: NSW State Dockyard at Newcastle, New South Wales
Laid down: 9 October 1942
Launched: 12 July 1943
Commissioned: 14 March 1944
Decommissioned: 25 January 1946
Motto: "With Fair Winds"
Fate: Sold for scrap in 1961, broken up in 1963
General characteristics
Class and type: Bathurst class corvette
Displacement: 815 tons
Length: 186 ft 2 in (56.7 m)
Beam: 31 ft (9.4 m)
Draught: 8.5 ft (2.6 m)
Propulsion: triple expansion engine, 2 shafts, 2,000 horsepower
Speed: 15.5 knots
Complement: 85
Armament: 1 x 4-inch gun
2 x 20 mm Oerlikons
1 x 40 mm Bofors
Machine guns
Depth charges chutes and throwers

HMAS Strahan (J363/M363), named for the town of Strahan, Tasmania, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).[1]

Contents

[edit] Construction

Strahan was laid down by the NSW State Dockyard at Newcastle, New South Wales on 9 October 1942.[1] She was launched on 12 July 1943 by Mrs. J. J. Cahill, wife of the Minister for Public Works and Local Government, and commissioned into the RAN on 14 March 1944.[1]

[edit] Operational history

Strahan began her career in May 1944, arriving in New Guinea after completing trials to serve as an escort and anti-submarine vessel.[1] In October 1944, Strahan was present in Morotai Harbour when the recently-captured island was attacked by Japanese aircraft.[1] The corvette was attacked by a dive-bomber, but was able to drive off the Japanese plane before she was damaged.[1]

In May 1945, Strahan travelled to Adelaide via Sydney, where she underwent a refit.[1] Following this, she was immediated deployed back in New Guinea, and in June 1945 fired upon Japanese gun emplacements on Kairiru Island.[1]

Following the end of World War II, Strahan was assigned to the 21st Minesweeping Flotilla in Hong Kong, and performed in minesweeping and anti-piracy patrols.[1] Strahan struck a mine while on patrol on 26 September 1945, and had to be towed into Hong Kong Harbour.[1] She was repaired, and returned to Australia.[1] Strahan was decommissioned into reserve in Sydney on 25 January 1946.

[edit] Fate

Strahan was sold to the Kinoshita Australia company for scrap on 6 January 1961.[1] She was broken up at Green Point in Sydney during March 1963.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l HMAS Strahan. HMA Ship Histories. Sea Power Centre - Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved on 2007-11-03.