HMAS Kalgoorlie
From Our Contribution
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMAS Kalgoorlie |
| Owner | Royal Australian Navy |
| Builder | Broken Hill Pty Ltd, Whyalla |
| Launched | 7 Aug 1941 |
| Completed | 6 Apr 1942 |
| In service | 7 Apr 1942 |
| Out of service | 8 May 1946 |
| Fate | Transferred to Royal Netherlands Navy as Ternate |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Bathurst Class Australian Minesweeper |
| Tonnage | 650 tons |
| Length | 186 feet (56.69m) |
| Beam | 31 feet (9.45m) |
| Depth | 8 feet 6 inches (2.59m) |
| Propulsion | twin shaft, 1750 HP |
| Speed | 15 knots |
| Capacity | 85 crew |
Remarks
One of 60 Australian minesweepers built in Australian during WW2. HMAS Kalgoorlie was one of twenty built for the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned by the Australian navy. During her trials and beyond she escorted convoys on the east coast until going to Darwin on 9 Aug 1942.
In Darwin she began escorting convoys between Darwin and Thursday island. In September 1942 she carried troops to Timor, and in early December rescued 49 survivors from HMAS Armidale which had sunk on 1 Nov 1942. She remained based on Darwin until late February 1943 when she returned to the east coast to escort convoys from Sydney northwards. During the first half of 1944 she was a convoy escort for the Queensland ports to New Guinea convoys before returning to the Sydney based convoy escorts.
In August she began clearing the defensive minefields laid through the Great Barrier Reef during 1942 and 1943. Along with HMAS Pirie she cleared 491 mines. In December 1944 she joined the British Pacific Fleets 21st Minesweeping Flotilla. She operated in forward areas until 15 Jul 1945 when she returned to Brisbane for a refit and was still there when the war ended.
Armament - Guns - 1 x 4-inch gun; 1 Bofors (later); Machine guns
Other Armament - 3 x Oerlikons
Battle Honours
- Pacific 1941-45
- Darwin 1942-43
- New Guinea 1942-44
- Okinawa 1945
Crew members
- Rowland Basil Devereux 16 Jul 1942 - 4 Oct 1943