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HMAS Manoora

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HMAS Manoora
HMAS Manoora.jpg
AWM photo 300984
HMAS Manoora 3.jpg
Navy photo
History
Name HMAS Manoora
Owner Adelaide Steamship Company
Builder Alex Stephen & Sons Ltd
Launched 24 Oct 1934
Completed 1935
In service 12 Dec 1939
Out of service 6 Dec 1947
Reclassified Armed Merchant Cruiser/Landing Ship Infantry
Fate Scrapped 1972
General characteristics
Type Passenger liner
Tonnage 10,856 tons
Length 480 feet (146.3m)
Beam 66 feet 3 inches (20.19m)
Depth 24 feet (7.32m)
Propulsion Diesel twin screw
Speed 15.7 knots
Capacity 1,230 troops as a LSI



Remarks

Original owner was the Adelaide Steamship Company who used her on the Cairns to Fremantle coastal passenger run.


On 14 November 1939, the liner was requisitioned by the RAN for use as an armed merchant cruiser with the conversion consisting of seven 6-inch main guns, two 3-inch anti-aircraft guns, and equipment to operate a Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft. Manoora was commissioned into the RAN on 12 December 1939.


Early use was to patrol Australian waters after which she was redeployed to the British China Station for work in Malay waters. In April 1940 after Norway was invaded by the Germans, the Manoora intercepted four Norwegian ships and escorted them to Brisbane. In June after Italy joined the war, she intercepted the Italian passenger ship Romolo whose captain scuttled her rather than have her fall into allied hands. She spent the rest of 1940 - early 1943 on escort duties around Australia and to our north.


In early 1943 the Manoora was recommissioned, this time as a landing ship with the capacity to carry 1,250 troops, between 20-22 landing craft Vehicle personnel (LCVP) and two Landing Craft Mechanised (LCM). Used to transport troops to New Guinea and later to carry both Australian and US troops to landings in New Guinea and pacific Islands. Along with Kanimbla she took part in the landings at Morotai, Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines, Tarakan and Brunei. She later performed transport duties around New Guinea, the Philippines and Borneo.


Armament as Armed Merchant Cruiser: 7 × 6-inch guns; 2 × 3-inch anti-aircraft guns; 2 × Lewis light machine guns; 1 × Seagull V aircraft. Armament as a Landing Ship Infantry: 1 × 6-inch gun (later replaced by 2 × 4-inch guns); 2 × 3-inch anti-aircraft guns; 8 × 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns; 6 × 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns (added later)

Crew Members

Soldiers carried

Cairns to Oro Bay, New Guinea 29 October - 2 November 1943

Cairns to Milne Bay, New Guinea 8 - 10 August 1943

Cairns to Oro Bay, New Guinea 29 October - 2 November 1943

Morotai to Tarakan 23 - 26 April 1945

Morotai to Balikpapan 21 - 23 June 1945

Moortai to Balikpapan 29 June - 1 July 1945

Wewak, New Guinea to Sydney 17 - 25 Jul 1945

Morotai to Labuan 27 - 29 September 1945

Lubuan, Borneo to Morotai 3 - 7 October 1945

Boarding as early as 29 September 1945. It then proceeded to Brisbane, disembarking on 15 October 1945

Balikpapan to Sydney 4 - 15 January 1946

Wewak, New Guinea to Sydney 3 - 8 February 1946

Sydney to Kure, Japan 9 - 26 April 1946

Sydney to Kure, Japan 22 January - 12 February 1947

Sydney to Kure, Japan 11 - 29 July 1947

Kure to Sydney 4 - 18 October 1947