HMAS Shoalhaven

Last updated

HMAS Shoalhaven.jpg
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgAustralia
NameShoalhaven
Namesake Shoalhaven River
Builder Walkers, Maryborough
Laid down18 December 1943
Launched14 December 1944
Commissioned2 May 1946
Decommissioned19 December 1955
Motto"Let us follow the heavenly light" [1]
Honours and
awards
  • Battle honours:
  • Korea 1950
FateSold for scrap
General characteristics
Class and typeModified River-class frigate
Displacement
  • 1537 tons standard
  • 2200 tons full load
Length301 ft 7 in (91.92 m)
Beam36 ft 6 in (11.13 m)
Draught12 ft (3.7 m)
PropulsionTriple expansion, 2 shafts
Speed19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)
Complement175
Armament

HMAS Shoalhaven (K535/M535/F535), named for the Shoalhaven River in New South Wales, was a modified River-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy. She was laid down by Walkers at Maryborough on 18 December 1943, launched on 14 December 1944 by Senator Dorothy Tangney and commissioned at Urangan Pier in Hervey Bay in Queensland on 2 May 1946. Her first commander was Commander Rodney Rhoades. [2]

Contents

Design and construction

Shoalhaven was originally ordered as part of an Australian shipbuilding program during World War II that would provide 22 River-class frigates for the RAN. The first eight ships were completed to this specification, before the design was modified, now based on the British Bay-class frigate. Despite this change, the remaining planned ships would still be named after Australian rivers. At the end of the war, the order was cancelled, except for four, including Shoalhaven, which had already been launched. HMAS Shoalhaven was the third of the four modified River-class ships to enter service and was the lead ship of the Navy's First Frigate Flotilla. [2] [3]

Operational history

1940s

After her commissioning, Shoalhaven made several trips to New Guinea between 1946 and 1948, supporting a mines clearance unit. Between January and April 1949, she participated in exercises with the Royal Navy and United States Navy in Asia, visiting both Shanghai and Hong Kong. [2] While assigned to the Royal Navy's Far East Fleet in April of that year, the Admiralty identified Shoalhaven to relieve HMS Consort as guard ship to support Chinese nationalist diplomats in the port of Nanking. The Menzies government in Canberra denied permission for the ship to be used for a mission that was viewed as purely symbolic, with no apparent objective. [4] Shoalhaven would only be made available to sail up the Yangtze River for mercy missions in the event the nationalists fell to communist forces with no other means of evacuation. This restriction forced the Admiralty to instead dispatch HMS Amethyst from Hong Kong to relieve Consort, with both British vessels subsequently attacked by the People's Liberation Army in what is now known as the Yangtze Incident. [4]

Shoalhaven returned to Australia in June 1949. She was again assigned to the Far East to support the Commonwealth occupation forces in Japan, arriving at Kure in January 1950. [2] Shoalhaven was in Kure on 25 June 1950 when North Korea unexpectedly invaded South Korea, escalating the conflict on the peninsula to open warfare.

Korean War

Shoalhaven was committed to military action in support of South Korea on 29 June, again assigned to the British Far East Fleet commanded by Rear-Admiral William Andrewes. [5] The ship carried out the first Australian operation of the war on 1 July under the command of Commander Ian McDonald with 6 officers and 177 sailors aboard, [6] [7] providing escort for United Nations ships carrying troops and ammunition to Korean ports from Japan. Having successfully escorted an American ship Sergeant George D. Keathley from Tsushima Island into the port of Busan, on 2 July she departed for the American base at Sasebo, Japan carrying a South Korean liaison party. [6] On 6 July, Shoalhaven joined the destroyer USS Collett off the west coast of Korea where she was performed blockade duties during a three day patrol. The frigate then resumed her escort role through July and August, successfully escorting 14 convoys during her tour. [2] [6] Shoalhaven also performed routine anti-submarine duties and bombardment of coastal targets, coming under enemy fire on several occasions. [5]

At the outbreak of the war, Shoalhaven had been due to return to Australia for refit. With the arrival of HMAS Warramunga on 6 September, she completed her brief tour, arriving at Garden Island on 22 September. [6] Following the Korean Armistice Agreement in July 1953, Shoalhaven was again sent to Korea to participate in allied patrols during 1954. [6] For her role in the conflict, the ship would later receive the battle honour "Korea 1950". [8] [9]

1950s

After her return from Korea, Shoalhaven operated mostly within Australian and New Guinea waters, including participating in a British nuclear weapons test in the Montebello Islands off the coast of Western Australia as part of Operation Hurricane. Her last foreign deployment lasted from July 1954 to March 1955, patrolling waters between Hong Kong, Japan and Korea to enforce the Korean Armistice. [2]

Decommissioning and legacy

HMAS Shoalhaven paid off to reserve on 19 December 1955. With no need for her reactivation, Shoalhaven was sold in January 1962 to H. C. Sleigh and Company to be broken up for scrap by Mitsubishi Australia. [10] [2]

In September 2008, the City of Shoalhaven and veterans from the HMAS Shoalhaven Association dedicated an 18 tonne stone monument in Walsh Park, Bomaderry to commemorate the ship's achievements during her service with the Royal Australian Navy. [3]

Affiliations

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>Triumph</i> (R16) 1946 Colossus-class light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy

HMS Triumph was a Royal Navy Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier. She served in the Korean War and later, after reconstruction, as a support ship.

HMAS <i>Barcoo</i> River-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy

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 <i>Burdekin</i>

HMAS Burdekin (K376) was a River-class frigate that served the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1944 to 1946. She was named for the Burdekin River in Queensland and was one of twelve River-class frigates built for the RAN during World War II.

HMAS <i>Murchison</i>

HMAS Murchison (K442/F442) was a Modified River or Bay-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ship was laid down in 1943, but not commissioned until after the end of World War II. Murchison fought in the Korean War, was decommissioned in 1956, and sold for scrap in 1961.

HMS <i>Morecambe Bay</i> (K624) Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate of the Royal Navy

HMS Morecambe Bay was a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named after Morecambe Bay on the north western coast of England. In commission from 1949 until 1956, she saw active service in the Korean War, and was sold to Portugal in 1961 to serve as NRP Dom Francisco de Almeida until 1970.

HMAS <i>Sydney</i> (R17) Royal Australian Navy Majestic-class aircraft carrier

HMAS Sydney (R17/A214/P214/L134) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). She was built for the Royal Navy and was launched as HMS Terrible (93) in 1944, but was not completed before the end of World War II. The carrier was sold to Australia in 1947, completed, and commissioned into the RAN as Sydney in 1948.

HMAS <i>Anzac</i> (D59) Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy

HMAS Anzac (D59) was a Battle-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the destroyer was commissioned in 1951. The ship served on two tours of duty during the Korean War, and attempts to distinguish herself from British ships led to the practice of red kangaroo symbols on Australian warships. During 1956, Anzac served during the Malayan Emergency. In 1960, a malfunction in the destroyer's gun direction equipment caused Anzac to fire directly on sister ship HMAS Tobruk during a gunnery exercise, with Tobruk left unrepairable. In 1961, the destroyer was reclassified as a training vessel. Anzac remained in service until 1974, and was sold for breaking a year later.

HMS <i>Amethyst</i> (F116) Sloop of the Royal Navy

HMS Amethyst was a modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Alexander Stephen and Sons of Linthouse, Govan, Scotland on 25 March 1942, launched on 7 May 1943 and commissioned on 2 November 1943, with the pennant number U16. After the Second World War she was modified and redesignated as a frigate, and renumbered F116.

<i>Amethyst</i> Incident Incident during the Chinese civil war involving the British navy

The Amethyst Incident, also known as the Yangtze Incident, was a historic event which involved the Royal Navy ships HMS Amethyst, HMS Consort, HMS London, and HMS Black Swan on the Yangtze River for three months during the Chinese Civil War in the summer of 1949.

HMAS <i>Vendetta</i> (D08) 1958 Daring-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy

HMAS Vendetta was one of three Daring-class destroyers built for and operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The destroyer was built by Williamstown Naval Dockyard and entered service in 1958. During her early career, Vendetta was deployed to the Far East Strategic Reserve on multiple occasions. In 1965 and 1966, the destroyer undertook deterrence patrols during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation. Along with several runs escorting the troop transport HMAS Sydney to South Vietnam, from late 1969 to early 1970 Vendetta was assigned to combat operations and became the only Australian-built warship to serve in a shore bombardment role during the Vietnam War.

USS <i>Albuquerque</i> (PF-7) Tacoma-class patrol frigate

USS Albuquerque (PG-115/PF-7), a Tacoma-class patrol frigate in commission from 1943 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1953, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Albuquerque, New Mexico. She also served in the Soviet Navy as EK-14 and in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as JDS Tochi (PF-16/PF-296) and as YAC-15.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Royal Australian Navy</span>

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.

USS <i>Isabel</i> Patrol vessel of the United States Navy

USS Isabel (SP-521), later PY-10, was a yacht in commission in the United States Navy as a destroyer from 1917 to 1920 and as a patrol yacht from 1921 to 1946.

HMS <i>Cardigan Bay</i> (K630) Frigate of the Royal Navy

HMS Cardigan Bay was a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named after Cardigan Bay, off the coast of Ceredigion, Wales.

HMS St Brides Bay was a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named for St Brides Bay in Pembrokeshire. In commission from 1945 to 1961, she served in the Mediterranean and Eastern Fleets, seeing active service in the Korean War.

HMS <i>Whitesand Bay</i> (K633) Frigate of the Royal Navy

HMS Whitesand Bay was a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named for Whitesand Bay in Cornwall. In commission from 1945 to 1954, she served in the Pacific, Mediterranean, West Indies and Far East Fleets, seeing active service in the Korean War.

HMNZS <i>Rotoiti</i> (F625)

HMNZS Rotoiti (F625) was a Loch-class frigate of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), which had formerly served in the British Royal Navy as HMS Loch Katrine at the end of World War II.

HMNZS <i>Hawea</i> (F422)

HMNZS Hawea (F422), formerly HMS Loch Eck (K422), was one of six Loch-class frigates that served in both the Royal Navy (RN) and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). The ship was laid down by Smiths Dock on 25 October 1943, launched on 25 April 1943 and commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Loch Eck on 7 November 1944.

HMS <i>Crane</i> (U23) Modified Black Swan-class sloop

HMS Crane was a modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton on 13 June 1941, launched on 9 November 1942 and commissioned on 10 May 1943, with the pennant number U23. She saw active service during the Second World War, initially performing convoy escort roles in the Atlantic before supporting the Normandy landings. In the final months of the war, Crane joined the British Pacific Fleet and saw service during the Battle of Okinawa. Post-war, Crane remained in south-east Asia and took part in hostilities during the Korean War. She was redeployed to the Middle East during the Suez Crisis before returning to Asia for service during the Malayan Emergency. Crane was withdrawn from service in the early 1960's and was scrapped in 1965.

JS <i>Abukuma</i> Abukuma-class destroyer escort

JS Abukuma (DE-229) is the lead ship of the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts. She was commissioned on 12 December 1989.

References

  1. ↑ "Souvenir pennant : HMAS Shoalhaven". Australian War Memorial . Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "HMAS Shoalhaven". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 "A dedication to a special piece of local naval history". The South Coast Register. Australian Community Media. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 Woods, Desmond. "Lucky escape for Amethyst and Shoalhaven 1949". Australian Naval Institute. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  5. 1 2 Bartlett, Norman, ed. (1957). With the Australians in Korea (2nd ed.). Canberra: Australian War Memorial. pp. 125–127.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Odgers, George (1989). Navy Australia, an illustrated history (4th ed.). Sydney: Child and Associates. pp. 155–169. ISBN   0-86777-390-1.
  7. ↑ "Obituary: Ian Hunter McDonald RAN (1915-1996)". Naval Historical Society of Australia. Naval Historical Review. March 1997. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  8. ↑ "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.
  9. ↑ "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.
  10. ↑ "HMAS Shoalhaven (K 535)". uboat.net. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.