HMAS Shepparton
From Our Contribution
 Navy photo | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMAS Shepparton |
| Owner | Royal Australian Navy |
| Builder | Melbourne Harbour Trust, Williamstown |
| Launched | 15 Aug 1942 |
| Completed | 1 Feb 1943 |
| In service | 1 Feb 1943 |
| Out of service | 10 May 1946 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap to Japan |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Bathurst Class Corvette / Minesweeper |
| Tonnage | 650 tons |
| Length | 186 feet (56.7m) |
| Beam | 31 feet (9.45m) |
| Depth | 8 feet 6 inches (2.59m) |
| Propulsion | 1750 HP |
| Speed | 15 knots |
| Capacity | 81 crew |
Remarks
One of 60 Australian Minesweepers (commonly known as corvettes) built during World War II in Australian shipyards as part of the Commonwealth Government's wartime shipbuilding programme. She differed from the rest of her class by having a 'monkey island' fixed above her bridge.
Following trials she was sent to New Guinea in late April 1943 to perform duties of a Survey ship. Apart from the odd visit to Queensland ports, she remained on survey duties around the New guinea and New Britain coast lines for he next 17 months. Her final survey duties involved the Endeavour Strait and Scotts Reef.
Transferred to Darwin in October 1944, she joined the Survey Unit then conducting surveys in north west Australian waters. Following a minor refit in January 1945 she returned to Darwin to survey work between Cape Croker and New Year Island. At the completion of the survey she sailed to Thursday Island and resumed survey of the Torres Strait before spending 10 days surveying Simpson Harbour, Rabaul on New Britain, followed by soundings in Jacquinot Bay, and then three weeks surveying the approaches to Torokina in the Solomon Islands.
Battle Honours
- Pacific 1941-45
- New Guinea 1942-44
Crew members
- Norman Denton Barrett 10 Jan - 25 Nov 1945