HMAS Murchison

HMAS Murchison

History
Name	HMAS Murchison
Owner	Royal Australian Navy
Builder	Evens Deakin & Co, Brisbane
Launched	31 Oct 1944
Completed	16 Dec 1945
In service	17 Dec 1945
Out of service	31 Jan 1956
Fate	scrapped September 1962 in Japan
General characteristics
Type	Modified Bay Class Frigate
Tonnage	1,537 tons
Length	301 feet 7 inches (91.91m)
Beam	36 feet 6 inches (11.13m)
Depth	12 feet (3.66m)
Propulsion	twin shaft triple expansion 5,500 HP
Speed	19.5 knots
Capacity	175 crew

Remarks

Built to the Royal navy's Bay Class Frigate design. Following her commissioning HMAS Murchison proceeded to Morotai then Ternate and Celebes with the War Graves Commission. In Jan 1946 she proceeded to Japan as part of the occupying forces before returning to Australian in May 1946. From then until she was sent ot Japan for service in the Korean War, HMAS Murchison was used as a training ship.

She entered the Korean conflict with patrol duties in May 1951 She later participated in patrols that included bombardment tasks. She was also to play a key part in a series of patrols up the Han River and bombardment of enemy forces. In total she fired 1,100 rounds of 4 inch ammunition. She was to later take out entrenched artillery positions, including one designed to destroy her - instead she was holed above the water line several times but was able to neutralise the enemy position. She was to spend eight months on Korean stations before returning to Australia, At home she found that her next tasks was to participate in the British atomic tests in the Monte Bello Islands.

In October 1953 HMAS Murchison returned to Korea to provide security patrols until July 1954 after which she returned to Australia and was again used as a training ship until paid off into reserve on 31 Jan 1956.

Battle Honours

• Korea 1950-53

Crew members

• Nigel Croudson 12 February - 8 August 1946