HMAS Manoora

HMAS Manoora
	AWM photo 300984
	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
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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)