HMAS Adelaide

HMAS Adelaide

Navy photo
History
Name	HMAS Adelaide
Owner	Royal Australian navy
Builder	Naval Dockyard, Cockatoo Island, Sydney
Launched	27 Jul 1918
In service	5 Aug 1922
Out of service	27 Jun 1928
In service	13 Mar 1939
Out of service	13 May 1946
Fate	sold 1949 and broken up
General characteristics
Type	Modified Town Class Cruiser
Tonnage	5,035 tons
Length	140.97m
Beam	15.16m
Depth	5.99m
Propulsion	twin screws, 25,000 HP
Speed	24.8 knots
Capacity	Crew 462

Remarks

Her build was delayed so much that she was for a time known as HMAS "Longdelayed'. Following her commissioning she served on the Australian Station from August 1922 until February 1924. After a refit she joined a British fleet on a worldwide cruise, and was the first AUstralian ship to use the Panama Canal. She paused for three months in England before continuing through the Mediterranean to Australia, arriving back on 7 Apr 1925.

In October and November 1927 HMAS Adelaide provided military support to authorities in the Solomon Islands after local tribesmen murdered officials. On her return to Australia she cruised around the Australian coast until she was paid of into reserve on 27 Jun 1928 where she remained for 11 years.

Recommissioned on 13 Mar 1939, she carried out sea trials and then went back into reserve with her crew sent to England to man HMAS Perth. However, on 1 Sep 1939 HMAS Adelaide was again back in action patrolling the Australian coasts. She was involved in a collision with SS Coptic, with both ships avoiding major damage.

With the Vichy French government trying to establish a Vichy regime in New Caledonia, despite a majority of the residents being pro De Gaulle, HMAS Adelaide's presence helped ensure that an administration friendly to Australia prevailed. From then until May 1942 HMAS Adelaide continued to carry out shipping protection work around the Australian coastline. In May 1943 she began a 3 month long refit at Garden Island, Sydney before moving to Fremantle for convoy and escort work in the Indian Ocean. She remained based at Fremantle until 9 Oct 1944 when she sailed for Melbourne. On 6 Jan 1945 she transferred to Sydney and was paid off on 26 Feb 1945. Recommissioned again on 19 May 1945 as a tender to the shore establishment of HMAS Penguin. She was finally paid off on 13 May 1946 and in 1949 broken up for scrap at Port Kembla.

Armament - Guns: 9 x 6-inch guns (original); 1 x 3-inch anti-aircraft guns (original); 1 x 12-pounder gun (original); 4 x 3-pounder guns (original) 10 smaller guns (original); 8 x 6-inch guns (1939); 3 x 4-inch anti-aircraft guns (1939); 4 x 3-pounder guns (1939); 12 smaller guns (1939); 6 x 20mm Oerlikon guns (1942); 7 x 6-inch guns (1943); 3 x 4-inch anti-aircraft guns (1943). Other Armament- 2 x depth charge chutes (original); 4 x depth charge throwers (1943).

Battle Honours

• East Indies 1940-44
• Pacific 1941-45

Crew members

• † Patrick John Kelly 1 Apr - 1 May 1939
• Rowland Basil Devereux 9 February 1940 - 15 July 1942
• John Edward Bradley 15 Jun - 18 Jul 1943
• George Graham Pike 18 October 1944 - 26 February 1945