Coastal Forces was a division of the Royal Navy established during World War II. It consisted of small coastal defence craft such as motor launches, submarine chasers, air-sea rescue launches, motor gun boats and motor torpedo boats. It did not include minesweepers, trawlers or landing craft. This article is about the equivalent boats used by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
It included the following types of coastal defence craft:
| Type | Built | Lost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harbour defence motor launch Fairmile B motor launch | 31 [1] 35 [2] | 2 [3] |
31 harbour defence motor launches (HDMLs) and 35 Fairmile B motor launches entered service from October 1942. They were employed on routine patrols, convoy escorts, running special forces in and out of Japanese-held areas, boom defence patrols in harbours at home and abroad, courier operations, survey work, and raiding Japanese-held coasts. [4]
| Ship | Builder | Commissioned | Career | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDML 1074 | L. Robinson, UK | 7 August 1940 (UK) | Sold on 24 January 1948 | |
| HDML 1125 | Berthon Boats, UK | 28 April 1942 (UK) | Ex-RN trans to RAN 1943. Trans to Royal Indian Navy 1944 | |
| HDML 1129 | Thornycrofts, UK | 7 November 1942 (UK) | Sold in December 1947 | |
| HDML 1161 | Sittinghouse, UK | 9 January 1943 (UK) | Sold on 10 December 1947 | |
| HDML 1321 | Purdon, Aust | 11 November 1943 | Z Special Unit during WW2 | Named Rushcutter in 1950s. Sold in August 1971. Sank in Darwin Harbour, 19 October 2016. |
| HDML 1322 | Purdon, Aust | 17 January 1944 | Wrecked at North Head, Sydney, 5 August 1952 | |
| HDML 1323 | MacFarlane, Aust | 21 June 1944 | Royal Navy 1950. Transferred to Philippines in 1958. | |
| HDML 1324 | MacFarlane, Aust | 12 June 1944 | Named Huon/Nepean in 1957? Laid up and dismantled, 1982 | |
| HDML 1325 | E. Jack, Aust | 4 November 1943 | Named Leeuwin in 1950s. Active 1988 | |
| HDML 1326 | E. Jack, Aust | 19 January 1944 | Royal Navy 1950. Transferred to Philippines in 1958. | |
| HDML 1327 | Purdon, Aust | 29 May 1944 | Sold 1958 | |
| HDML 1328 | MacFarlane, Aust | 16 Jan 1945 | Royal Navy 1950. Transferred to Philippines in 1958. | |
| HDML 1329 | E. Jack, Aust | 14 June 1944 | Royal Navy 1950. Transferred to Philippines in 1958. | |
| HDML 1338 | C.P. Leek, USA | 31 May 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1339 | C.P. Leek, USA | 15 June 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1340 | L.S. Thorson, USA | 12 May 1944 | Sold 1948 | |
| HDML 1341 | L.S. Thorson, USA | 1 December 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1342 | L.S. Thorson, USA | 24 July 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1343 | L.S. Thorson, USA | 3 October 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1344 | Truscott, USA? | Not commissioned | Placed in reserve on 26 October 1945 | |
| HDML 1345 | Truscott, USA? | Not commissioned | Placed in reserve on 26 October 1945 | |
| HDML 1346 | Truscott, USA | 6 January 1945 | Paid off 1945. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1347 | Truscott, USA | 1 January 1945 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1352 | Freeport, USA | 12 May 1944 | Sold 1948 | |
| HDML 1353 | Freeport, USA | 18 October 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1354 | Freeport, USA | 11 December 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1355 | Freeport, USA | 11 December 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1356 | Elscot, USA | 20 December 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1357 | Elscot, USA | 4 November 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1358 | Elscot, USA | 21 October 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? | |
| HDML 1359 | Elscot, USA | 22 September 1944 | Paid off 1946. Returned to USN under lend-lease? |
A Fairmile school was established at HMAS Rushcutter on 1 June 1942. The first Australian Fairmile, ML 813, entered service at the end of that year. Originally designed in the UK for coastal anti-submarine and convoy duties, the RAN Fairmiles performed these and a variety of other functions. Their tasks included convoy escort, servicing and supporting advancing troops, landing and recovering commandos and coastwatchers, rescuing civilians from enemy occupied territories, and invasion escort. [5]
| Ship | Builder | Commissioned | Career | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ML 424 | Green Point, NSW | 28 January 1943 | Listed for disposal in March 1947 and sold in August, 1947. This was purchased by Roylen Cruises, Mackay, Queensland. The name came from the last three letters of the founder's son Fitzroy and his daughter Helen. In the mid-1970s it was sold and renamed Reef Princess. It met its fate off Townsville on Wheelers Reef in 1981. This story was covered in a newspaper article entitled "Death of a Princess". | |
| ML 425 | Green Point, NSW | 6 Feb 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 426 | Green Point, NSW | 5 Mar 1943 | Sold July, 1947 | |
| ML 427 | Green Point, NSW | 15 Mar 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 428 | Green Point, NSW | 31 Mar 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 429 | Green Point, NSW | 15 Apr 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 430 | Green Point, NSW | 6 May 1943 | Lost in a "friendly fire" incident with ML819 in New Guinea waters, 13 August 1944, when the two vessels were hunting a Japanese submarine. | |
| ML 431 | Green Point, NSW | 14 May 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 801 | Green Point, NSW | 29 May 1943 | Sold September, 1947 | |
| ML 802 | Green Point, NSW | 15 Jun 1943 | Sold December, 1947 | |
| ML 803 | Green Point, NSW | 3 Jul 1943 | Sold December, 1947 | |
| ML 804 | Green Point, NSW | 15 Jul 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 805 | Green Point, NSW | 3 Aug 1943 | Sold January, 1948 | |
| ML 806 | Green Point, NSW | 8 Sep 1943 | Sold December, 1947 | |
| ML 807 | Green Point, NSW | 13 Sep 1943 | Sold November, 1947 | |
| ML 808 | Green Point, NSW | 23 Sep 1943 | Sold December, 1947 | |
| ML 809 | Green Point, NSW | 8 Oct 1943 | Sold August, 1947. This vessel was acquired by Northern Plywood at Cairns and later acquired (1952) by McLean's Roylen Cruises and renamed Roylen Star. It was commanded by Fitzroy McLean with engineer John Lacey for much of its Roylen service. It was sold in 1979 and sank near Palm Island in about 1979. | |
| ML 810 | Green Point, NSW | 25 Oct 1943 | This vessel was named Ajax and fitted out as a luxury cruiser with all internal fittings fitted out in mahogany. It was refitted with two Hall Scott petrol engines and was believed to be able to reach speeds in excess of 20 knots. When it was acquired by Roylen Cruises it was renamed Petaj, the first 3 letters of the son of Fitzroy McLean and the last two letters of the Ajax, as it was believed to be bad luck to completely change a vessels name. The petrol engines were removed as they were prone to fire and it was refitted with two cat diesel engines, giving it a speed of approximately 16 knots. This vessel was used for more up market guests and was also used (between the 15 to 18 July 1966) for HRH Prince Charles to cruise the Barrier Reef. This trip was commanded by Captain Fitzroy McLean. Petaj was badly damaged in Cyclone Kerry in the late 1970s, but was later repaired. In the mid-1990s Petaj was used in the Solomon Islands for a Fishing / local buying vessel. It was surrounded by controversy and later sank near Munda in the Solomon Islands. It is believed that it was later refloated by a dive operation from Gizo which took it to a side of Gizo and resunk it as a dive site, near Plum Pudding Island where President John F Kennedy's PT 109 was cut in half in an area known as "The Slot" | |
| ML 811 | Green Point, NSW | 5 Nov 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 812 | Green Point, NSW | 4 Dec 1943 | Sold November, 1947 | |
| ML 813 | Halvorsen, NSW | 16 Nov 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 814 | Halvorsen, NSW | 1 Jan 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 815 | N. Wright, Qld | 11 Jan 1943 | Sold November, 1947 | |
| ML 816 | N. Wright, Qld | 2 Jun 1943 | Sold August, 1949 | |
| ML 817 | Halvorsen, NSW | 16 Feb 1943 | Sold November, 1947 | |
| ML 818 | Halvorsen, NSW | 29 Mar 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 819 | Halvorsen, NSW | 10 Mat 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 820 | Halvorsen, NSW | 21 Jun 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 821 | Halvorsen, NSW | 27 Jul 1943 | Sold August, 1947 | |
| ML 822 | Halvorsen, NSW | 30 Aug 1943 | Sold January, 1943 | |
| ML 823 | Halvorsen, NSW | 30 Sep 1943 | Sold October, 1947. This was operated by Loch Nicholson from Lindeman Island under the name of Esmeralda, but later was purchased by the Evetts family and renamed the Elizabeth E which operated similar cruises to that of Roylen Cruises. The Evetts were so impressed with the design that they later had another vessel built in a very similar design to that of the original Fairmile. | |
| ML 824 | Halvorsen, NSW | 18 Nov 1943 | Sold November, 1947 | |
| ML 825 | Halvorsen, NSW | 1 Feb 1944 | Sold January 1948 | |
| ML 826 | N. Wright, Qld | 1 Jan 1944 | Sold November, 1947 | |
| ML 827 | N. Wright, Qld | 19 Apr 1944 | Grounded at Jacquinot Bay, New Britain on 17 November 1944, sank while under tow by Cambrian Salvor off New Britain on 20 November 1944. | |
| ML 828 | N. Wright, Qld | Order cancelled |
One Fairmile survives as Challenger 1, based in Melbourne for charter. It went to Fremantle in 1962, then to Gold Coast in 1977. It was upgraded there with a more-upmarket fitout. The previous east-coast survivor was an ex Roylen Cruises fairmile, Roylen Sandra which sank in a creek at Ingham in 2010. The fate of second last to stay afloat was ex HML 815 which became Roylen Pataj (named after the son and grandson of the operators of Roylen Cruises, Peter with the last letters of AJAX as it was known) this sank Rendova Island in the Solomon Islands and was later raised and sunk again near Kennedy Island near Gizo as dive site by the local scuba diving company. Petaj was fitted out as a luxury cruiser and was also used to ferry HRH Prince Charles around the Barrier Reef in 1965 before being acquired by Roylen Cruises.
HMAS Barcoo (K375/F375/A245) was a River-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). One of twelve frigates constructed in Australia during World War II, Barcoo, was laid down by Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company, Sydney in 1942, and commissioned in early 1944.
HMAS Quiberon (G81/D20/D281/F03) was a Q-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Although built for the Royal Navy and remaining British property until 1950, Quiberon was one of two Q-class destroyers commissioned into the RAN during World War II. She was passed into full RAN ownership in 1950, and converted into an anti-submarine frigate.
HMAS Advance was an Attack-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Constructed during 1967 and commissioned into the RAN in 1968, Advance operated from Darwin and patrolled northern Australian waters.
HMAS Arrow was an Attack-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
HMAS Samarai, named after the island of Samarai and its former town, was an Attack-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Completed in 1968, the vessel was one of five assigned to the RAN's Papua New Guinea (PNG) Division. The patrol boat was transferred to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force in 1974 as HMPNGS Samarai. She remained in service until 1987, when she was paid off and used as a parts hulk.
HMAS Lae was an Attack-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). It was named for the city of Lae, capital of Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. Completed in 1968, the vessel was one of five assigned to the RAN's Papua New Guinea (PNG) Division. The patrol boat was transferred to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force in 1974 as HMPNGS Lae. She remained in service until 1988.
HMAS Swan (U74/F74/A427), named for the Swan River, was a Grimsby-class sloop of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) that served during World War II.
The Balikpapan class is a ship class of eight heavy landing craft. All eight were originally laid down by Walkers Limited for the Australian Army in the early 1970s. A reorganisation of watercraft responsibilities in the Australian military meant the landing craft were to be operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), with seven commissioned directly into RAN service during 1973 and 1974, and lead ship Balikpapan transferred from the army to the navy. During the leadup to the independence of Papua New Guinea in 1975, two of the vessels were transferred to the new Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF).
There was considerable Axis naval activity in Australian waters during the Second World War, despite Australia being remote from the main battlefronts. German and Japanese warships and submarines entered Australian waters between 1940 and 1945 and attacked ships, ports and other targets. Among the best-known attacks are the sinking of HMAS Sydney by a German raider in November 1941, the bombing of Darwin by Japanese naval aircraft in February 1942, and the Japanese midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour in May 1942. About 40 Allied merchant ships were damaged or sunk off the Australian coast by surface raiders, submarines and mines. Japanese submarines also shelled three Australian ports and submarine-based aircraft flew over several Australian capital cities.
The history of the Royal Australian Navy traces the development of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from the colonisation of Australia by the British in 1788. Until 1859, vessels of the Royal Navy made frequent trips to the new colonies. In 1859, the Australia Squadron was formed as a separate squadron and remained in Australia until 1913. Until Federation, five of the six Australian colonies operated their own colonial naval force, which formed on 1 March 1901 the Australian Navy's (AN) Commonwealth Naval Force which received Royal patronage in July 1911 and was from that time referred to as Royal Australian Navy (RAN). On 4 October 1913 the new replacement fleet for the foundation fleet of 1901 steamed through Sydney Heads for the first time.
The Bay-class Minehunter Inshores were a class of catamaran-hull mine warfare vessels operating with the Royal Australian Navy from 1986. Also referred to as the MHCAT, the class was an attempt to produce a locally designed inshore mine warfare vessel. Two prototype ships were ordered in 1981, with the first ship, Rushcutter, commissioned in November 1986. The two ships experienced delays in construction, and the RAN resorted to acquiring six minesweeper auxiliaries (MSA) under the Craft of Opportunity Program to provide an interim mine-warfare capability, while also keeping Ton-class minesweeper HMAS Curlew in service until 1990, well beyond her intended decommissioning date. The ships did not enter service until 1993, due to problems with the sonar.
The harbour defence motor launch (HDML) was a 72 ft (22 m) long British-designed motor vessel used for harbour defence during World War II. Nearly 500 were built by numerous Allied countries during the war.
The Fairmile B motor launch was a very numerous class of motor launch produced in kit form by British boatbuilder Fairmile Marine, and then assembled and fitted out by numerous boatyards during the Second World War to meet the Royal Navy's coastal operation requirements.
Coastal Forces was a division of the Royal Navy initially established during World War I, and then again in World War II under the command of Rear-Admiral, Coastal Forces. It remained active until the last minesweepers to wear the "HM Coastal Forces" cap tally were taken out of reserve in 1968. The division received more gallantry awards than any other branch of the Royal Navy during that period.
HMAS Rushcutter is a former Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base that served as a depot, radar and anti-submarine training school located at Rushcutters Bay and Darling Point, in Sydney's eastern suburbs in New South Wales, Australia.
The Coastal Forces of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was a specialized naval force of well-armed, small and fast motor launch (ML) and motor torpedo boat (MTB) flotillas, primarily manned by members of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR). Tasked with escort, coastal defence, anti-submarine, minesweeping and search and rescue duties, the Coastal Forces of the RCN contributed to securing Allied sea lines of communication off the coasts of Canada and Britain during the Second World War.
Coastal Forces was a division of the Royal Navy established during World War II. It consisted of small coastal defence craft such as motor launches, submarine chasers, air-sea rescue launches, motor gun boats and motor torpedo boats. It did not include minesweepers, naval trawlers or landing craft. This article is about the equivalent boats used in the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN).
HMAS HDML 1321, also known as Rushcutter was a 58-ton Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HMDL) of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built by Purdon & Featherstone, Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania and commissioned into the RAN on 11 November 1943, being the first Australian-built HDML to be commissioned and the last HDML in RAN service. She was assigned to Z Special Unit and delivered commandos for the 1945 ill-fated raid on Muschu Island. She was later reclassified as a Seaward Defence Boat and put into reserve after the war. She was recommissioned as HMAS Rushcutter in 1953 and used as an unarmed training vessel for the Royal Australian Naval Reserve and Australian Navy Cadets until 1970. Paid off in August 1971, she was converted to pleasure craft MV Rushcutter and is now based in Darwin.
HMAS ML 827 was a Fairmile B Motor Launch of the Royal Australian Navy.
The Canadian Fairmile B was a motor launch built during the Second World War for the Royal Canadian Navy. They were adaptations of the British Fairmile B motor launch design incorporating slight modifications for Canadian climatic and operational conditions. Eighty-eight were built in Canada for service with the Coastal Forces of the Royal Canadian Navy in home waters, of which eight were supplied to the United States Navy.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)