HMAS Reserve (W 149)

An aerial photograph of the tugboat HMAS Reserve at sea
HMAS Reserve in 1951
History
Australia
Builder: Levingston Shipbuilding Company, Orange, Texas
Acquired:
Commissioned: 17 August 1943
Decommissioned: 19 October 1953
Honours and
awards:
Fate: Sold 21 September 1961
General characteristics
Displacement: 800 tons
Length: 143 ft (44 m)
Beam: 33 ft 1 in (10.08 m)
Draught: 14 ft 7 in (4.45 m)
Speed: 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Armament: 1 × 3 inch HA/LA gun, 2 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, 2 × M2 Browning machine gun
Notes: Ship characteristics from[1]

HMAS Reserve was a tugboat operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) between 1943 and 1953.

Construction

She was built by the Levingston Shipbuilding Company, Orange, Texas during 1942.

Operational history

Reserve was acquired by the Australian Commonwealth Marine Salvage Board on 10 December 1942. She was commissioned into the RAN on 17 August 1943 and served off eastern Australia and in the South West Pacific.[1] During late 1943 and 1944, she participated in the Allied landings at Cape Gloucester, the Admiralty Islands, Saidor, Hollandia, Wakde, Leyte and Mindoro.[2]

The ship received the battle honour 'New Guinea 1943-44" for her wartime service.[3][4]

Decommissioning and fate

Reserve remained in service with the RAN until 19 October 1953 when she was decommissioned. She was subsequently sold on 21 September 1961.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Straczek, J.H. (1996). The Royal Australian Navy. Ships, Aircraft and Shore Establishments. Sydney: Navy Public Affairs - Sydney. ISBN 1-876043-78-4.
  2. ↑ Dexter, Frank (26 December 1944). "Australian Tug at Mindoro". The Canberra Times. p. 1. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
  3. ↑ "Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours". Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours" (PDF). Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
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