HMAS Colac: Difference between revisions

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{{Use Australian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship
{{Infobox ship image
|section1={{Infobox ship/image
|Ship image=HMAS Colac SLV H91.108 1431.jpeg
|image=HMAS Colac SLV H91.108 1431.jpeg
|Ship caption=HMAS Colac in 1952
|image_caption=HMAS Colac in 1952
}}
 
|section2={{Infobox ship/career
|country=Australia
|flag={{shipboxflag|Australia|naval-1913}}
|namesake=Town of [[Colac, Victoria]]
|builder=[[Mort's Dock and Engineering Company]]
|laid_down=18 April 1941
|launched=30 August 1941
|commissioned=6 January 1942
|decommissioned=27 November 1945
}}
 
|section3={{Infobox ship/career
|hide_header=yes
|recommissioned=20 February 1951
|decommissioned=30 January 1953
|out_of_service=1983
|reclassified=*Training ship (1951–1953)
              *Tank cleaning ship (1962–1983)
|motto=
|nickname=
|honours=*'''Battle honours:''' [[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|Pacific]] 1942–45
          *[[New Guinea campaign|New Guinea]] 1942–44
|fate=Torpedoed by [[HMAS Ovens|HMAS ''Ovens'']] on 4 March 1987 in a weapons test
|notes=
|badge=
}}
 
|section4={{Infobox ship/characteristics
|class=[[Bathurst-class corvette|''Bathurst''-class corvette]]
|displacement=*650 tons standard
              *1,025 tons full load
|length={{convert|186|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|beam={{convert|31|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|draught={{convert|8.5|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|propulsion=triple expansion engine, 2 shafts, 2,000 hp
|speed={{convert|15|kn}} at 1,750 hp
|complement=85
|sensors=
|armament=*1 × [[QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun|12-pounder]] gun (later replaced by 1 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XIX naval gun|4 inch Mk XIX]] gun)
          *3 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]s
          *1 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60]] (installed later)
          *Machine guns
          *[[Depth charge]]s chutes and throwers
|notes=
}}
}}
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=Australia
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Australia|naval-1913}}
|Ship namesake=Town of [[Colac, Victoria]]
|Ship builder=[[Mort's Dock and Engineering Company]]
|Ship laid down=18 April 1941
|Ship launched=30 August 1941
|Ship commissioned=6 January 1942
|Ship decommissioned=27 November 1945
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship recommissioned=20 February 1951
|Ship decommissioned=30 January 1953
|Ship out of service=1983
|Ship reclassified=*Training ship (1951–1953)
*Tank cleaning ship (1962–1983)
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=*'''Battle honours:''' [[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|Pacific]] 1942–45
*[[New Guinea campaign|New Guinea]] 1942–44
|Ship fate=Torpedoed by [[HMAS Ovens|HMAS ''Ovens'']] on 4 March 1987 in a weapons test
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship class=[[Bathurst-class corvette|''Bathurst''-class corvette]]
|Ship displacement=*650 tons standard
*1,025 tons full load
|Ship length={{convert|186|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|31|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|8.5|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=triple expansion engine, 2 shafts, 2,000 hp
|Ship speed={{convert|15|kn}} at 1,750 hp
|Ship complement=85
|Ship sensors=
|Ship armament=*1 × [[QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun|12-pounder]] gun (later replaced by 1 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XIX naval gun|4 inch Mk XIX]] gun)
*3 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]s
*1 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60]] (installed later)
*Machine guns
*[[Depth charge]]s chutes and throwers
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''HMAS ''Colac'' (J242/M05)''', named for the town of [[Colac, Victoria]], was one of 60 [[Bathurst-class corvette|''Bathurst''-class corvettes]] constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the [[Royal Australian Navy]] (RAN).<ref name=SPC>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-colac |title=HMAS Colac |access-date=23 December 2008 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy}}</ref>
'''HMAS ''Colac'' (J242/M05)''', named for the town of [[Colac, Victoria]], was one of 60 [[Bathurst-class corvette|''Bathurst''-class corvettes]] constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the [[Royal Australian Navy]] (RAN).<ref name=SPC>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-colac |title=HMAS Colac |access-date=23 December 2008 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy}}</ref>


Latest revision as of 23:59, 10 November 2025

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HMAS Colac (J242/M05), named for the town of Colac, Victoria, was one of 60 Bathurst-class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).[1]

Design and construction

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". In 1938, the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board (ACNB) identified the need for a general purpose 'local defence vessel' capable of both anti-submarine and mine-warfare duties, while easy to construct and operate.[2][3] The vessel was initially envisaged as having a displacement of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least Script error: No such module "convert"., and a range of Script error: No such module "convert".[4] The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelled Bar-class boom defence vessel saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a Script error: No such module "convert". top speed, and a range of Script error: No such module "convert"., armed with a 4-inch gun, equipped with asdic, and able to fitted with either depth charges or minesweeping equipment depending on the planned operations: although closer in size to a sloop than a local defence vessel, the resulting increased capabilities were accepted due to advantages over British-designed mine warfare and anti-submarine vessels.[2][5] Construction of the prototype Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.[6] The need for locally built 'all-rounder' vessels at the start of World War II saw the "Australian Minesweepers" (designated as such to hide their anti-submarine capability, but popularly referred to as "corvettes") approved in September 1939, with 60 constructed during the course of the war: 36 (including Colac) ordered by the RAN, 20 ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.[2][7][8][9][1]

Colac was laid down by Mort's Dock and Engineering Company at Balmain, New South Wales on 18 April 1941.[1] She was launched on 30 August 1941 by Miss M. Heady, senior lady on the staff of Morts Dock and Engineering, and commissioned into the RAN on 6 January 1942.[1] The Colac was under the command of Lt. Commander Dudley Charles Northam. The ship was originally to be named HMAS Hamilton.[10]

Operational history

World War II

After entering service, Colac was assigned as an anti-submarine patrol and convoy escort vessel, operating between Townsville and New Guinea.[1] This continued until December 1942, when Colac and sister ships Ballarat and Broome were ordered to support the Allied efforts to recapture Buna-Gona by embarking 762 Australian soldiers and delivering them as far into the Japanese-occupied Oro Province of Papua New Guinea as possible.[1] The first attempt, early on 14 December, saw 46 soldiers landed at Cape Sudest before the three corvettes were attacked by Japanese aircraft and forced to withdraw.[1] That night, under the cover of darkness, the remaining troops were landed nearby.[1] Throughout December, Colac was involved in three similar troop deployments, and later took part in Operation Lilliput; the reinforcement and supply of the captured area.[1]

In March 1943, Colac and Ballarat were reassigned to convoy escort duty along the east coast of Australia.[1] On 26 April, a five-ship convoy escorted by the two corvettes was attacked by Japanese submarine I-177 off Cape Byron.[1] The MV Limerick was torpedoed and sunk, with all but two of the crew rescued by Colac. I-177 escaped unharmed.[1] In July, Colac was instructed to begin escorting convoys between Australia and New Guinea, before returning to east coast convoys at the start of 1944, then undergoing a refit.[1]

In April 1944, Colac was assigned to escort and patrol duties in New Guinea waters, which continued until April 1945, when the corvette was one of four RAN ships providing gunfire support for operations in the Wewak area.[1] In mid-May, Colac was assigned to harass Japanese bases in the Solomon Islands area. On 26 May, the ship suffered her first casualties of the war, two hits from Japanese shore batteries killed two sailors, wounded two others, and holed Colac at the waterline.[1] The corvette jettisoned stores, her depth charge payload, and replaceable pieces of equipment to avoid sinking and escape, and later limped to the Treasury Islands under tow for repairs.[1] Temporary repairs were made to allow Colac to sail to New Guinea and then to Sydney, where she arrived on 18 June and entered dock for repairs.[1] Colac was still under repair when World War II ended, and she was paid off into reserve on 27 November 1945.[1]

The corvette was awarded two battle honours for her wartime service: "Pacific 1942–45" and "New Guinea 1942–44".[11][12]

Training ship

On 20 February 1951, Colac was recommissioned for use as a training ship for National Service trainees.[1]

Decommissioning and fate

Colac was returned to reserve on 30 January 1953.[1] In 1962, the ship was converted into a tank cleaning vessel, and served in this role until 30 September 1983.[1] Colac was not recommissioned during this time.

On 4 March 1987, Colac was sunk by a Mark 48 torpedo fired by the submarine HMAS Ovens in a weapons test.[1] The corvette sank at Script error: No such module "Coordinates"..[1]

Citations

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  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ a b c Stevens, The Australian Corvettes, p. 1
  3. ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, p. 103
  4. ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 103–4
  5. ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 103–5
  6. ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, p. 104
  7. ↑ Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 105, 148
  8. ↑ Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, p. 29
  9. ↑ Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 108
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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References

Books
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Journal and news articles
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External links

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