HMAS Kookaburra

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HMAS Kookaburra at Garden Island.jpg
HMAS Kookaburra docked at Garden Island
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgAustralia
Builder Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company
Laid down4 July 1938
Launched29 October 1938
Commissioned28 February 1939
Decommissioned15 January 1946
RecommissionedNovember 1950
DecommissionedNovember 1950
Recommissioned11 May 1956
Decommissioned3 December 1958
Honours and
awards
  • Battle honours:
  • Darwin 1942-43
FateSold in August 1965, scuttled in March 1970
General characteristics
Class and type Net-class Boom Defence Vessel
Displacement533 tons
Length160 ft (49 m)
Beam26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Draught10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
PropulsionTriple-expansion steam engine
Speed9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph)
Armament1 × 3-inch anti-aircraft gun, 2 × Vickers machine guns

HMAS Kookaburra (A331) was a Net-class boom defence vessel of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), which served during World War II.

Contents

Construction

Kookaburra was one of three ships ordered by the Royal Australian Navy for use as boom-net defence vessels. [1] She was laid down by the Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney on 4 April 1938, launched on 29 October 1938, and commissioned into the RAN on 28 February 1939. [2]

Operational history

Originally used as boom defence ship and anti-submarine training vessel in Sydney, Kookaburra was transferred to Darwin in April 1940. [2] The ship served as a boom defense and examination vessel in Darwin, and remained there until the end of World War II, with the exception of a refit in Brisbane between September 1942 and February 1943. [2] Kookaburra received the battle honour "Darwin 1942-43" for her wartime service. [3] [4]

On 15 January 1946, Kookaburra was paid off into reserve, was briefly recommissioned for a voyage to Sydney in 1950, and underwent conversion to a "Special Duties Vessel". [2] Kookaburra was recommissioned again on 11 May 1956 as a survey and general duties ship. [2]

In July 1952, the ship visited Brisbane. [2] During this visit, a paperboy delivering to the ship fell overboard and was rescued by two personnel from Kookaburra. [2]

Decommissioning and fate

Kookaburra was decommissioned for the final time on 3 December 1958. [2] She was marked for disposal on 24 June 1965, [2] sold in August 1965, and scuttled in March 1970.

Citations

  1. ↑ David Stevens (2005). A Critical Vulnerability, pg 103
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Royal Australian Navy, HMAS Kookaburra (I)
  3. ↑ "Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours". Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours" (PDF). Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.

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References

33°51.300′S151°21.196′E / 33.855000°S 151.353267°E / -33.855000; 151.353267

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