HMAS Bungaree

HMAS Bungaree

Navy photo
Navy photo
History
Name	HMAS Bungaree
Builder	Caledon Shipbuilding & AEngineering Co Ltd, Dundee, Scotland
In service	9 Jun 1941
Out of service	7 Aug 1946
Fate	sunk by mine in Vietnam
General characteristics
Type	Auxiliary Minelayer
Tonnage	3.043 tons
Length	357.18 feet (108.87m)
Beam	48.66 feet (14.83m)
Depth	20.5 feet (6.25m)
Propulsion	coal fired turbines
Speed	10.5 knots
Capacity	179 crew

Remarks

Requisitioned on 10 Oct 1940, she was converted in Sydney and commissioned just prior to completion. Used to lay defensive minefields near Port Moresby, Torres Strait and near two passaged through the Great Barrier Reef. In February 1942 she laid mones in New Caledonian waters, and off Auckland, New Zealand in March 1942. In the later period of 1942 she was used for convoy escort duties along the east coast of Australia, to New Zealand and Noumea. Returned to her mine laying duties in late 1942, she underwent a refit in early 1943.

Returned to mine laying duties she was active around Townsville, Cairns and the Bay of Islands in New Zealand as well as in New Guinea waters. In early 1944 she was transferred to surveying duties, and in late 1944 to cargo carrying duties. At the conclusion of the war she continued transporting stores, and assisted with repatriating servicemen, as well as sea dumping ammunition. She was decommissioned in August 1946 and returned to her owners in November 1947. She was on-sold twice, and renamed in 1960 to Eastern Mariner. On 26 May 1966 she struck a mine in the Saigon River, South Vietnam and sank.

Armament carried: two 4-inch guns aft; one 12-pounder HA/LA gun forward; eight Oerlikons; two Bofors, and six Vickers machine guns. She also carried 467 moored contact sea-mines.

Battle Honours

• Pacific 1941-45

Crew Members

• Arthur Edward Pries 2 Nov - 17 Dec 1944

Soldiers carried

• Mervyn (Merv) James Rose 12 - 24 Aug 1945