Kianga (Illawarra Steam)
Served as minesweeper HMAS Kianga 1941
to1946
Date posted: 2014-02-28 | Comments(0)
Bermagui (Illawarra Steam)
Served as minesweeper HMAS Bermagui 1939 to 1946.
Date posted: 2014-02-28 | Comments(0)
Zealandia (Huddart Parker)
Now entering its second war, having served as a troopship during the Great War, Zealandia’s requisitioning came in June 1940, trooping and re-supply her duties. Then operating for some months generally into the Darwin area through 1941 she transported troops from Brisbane to Port Moresby in March, Sydney to Rabaul in April and Darwin to Koepang in December, Meantime in April Zealandia carried Free French troops from Noumea, in August brought Hong Kong and Manila evacuees to Australia and in November took Australian troops to Singapore. .
The first Japanese air raids on Darwin on 19 February 1942 made her a target and she was lost to their bombing.
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Westralia (Huddart Parker)
Westralia’s requisition for war service came in November 1939, for conversion to an Armed Merchant Cruiser. 1940-41 saw her patrolling in Indonesian, Malaysian and Indian waters and transporting troops between Darwin and Koepang. Pacific area patrolling in 1942 was followed by conversion in the first half of 1943 to a Landing Ship, Infantry. Taking part in operations at Milne Bay, Humboldt Bay, Goodenough Island, Oro Bay, Bougainville, the Philippines and Borneo, she experienced bombing and Kamikaze threats over the next two years. In late 1945 and early 1946 she participated in bringing home service personnel from many South West Pacific islands.
Re-commissioned from late 1947 to April 1949, Westralia joined the merchant ship support group for the British Commonwealth Occupation Force’s Australian Component, operating between Australia and Japan. Mediterranean immigrant transport voyages followed (under a further commissioning mid-1949 to February 1950), then later in 1950 she was handed back to her owners.
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Wanganella (Huddart Parker)
Wanganella was requisitioned for duty as a Hospital Ship in May 1941 and Singapore, the Middle east and many Pacific islands saw her come and go to both Australia and New Zealand on her early voyages. She happened to be in Bombay (now Mumbai) on 14 April 1944 when one of the war’s largest non-atomic explosions occurred, the ship Fort Stikine, loaded with munitions, blowing up in the harbour. Escaping damage here and coming through the war generally unscathed, she concluded her war service by transporting serving troops from Pacific Islands and released prisoners-of-war from South East Asia home to Australia. She was handed back to owners in September 1946.
Date posted: 2014-02-28 | Comments(0)