HMAS Rockhampton
 | |
| Type | Australian Minesweeper (Bathurst Class) |
|---|---|
| Laid down | 6 November 1940 |
| Launched | 26 June 1941 by Mrs Walker, wife of the Chairman of Directors, Walkers Ltd |
| Builder | Walkers Ltd, Maryborough |
| Commissioned | 21 January 1942 |
| Displacement | 650 tons |
| Length | 186 feet56.693 m 5,669.28 cm 0.0567 km 0.0352 mi 2,232 in |
| Beam | 31 feet 1 ½ inches |
| Draught | 8 feet 6 inches |
| Armament |
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| Main Machinery |
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| Horsepower | 1,750 |
| Speed | 15 knots7.717 m/s 27.78 km/h 0.00772 km/s 1,519.029 ft/min 25.317 ft/s |
HMAS ROCKHAMPTON was one of sixty Australian Minesweepers (commonly known as corvettes) built during World War II in Australian shipyards as part of the Commonwealth Government's wartime shipbuilding programme. Twenty were built on Admiralty order but manned and commissioned by the Royal Australian Navy. Thirty-six (including ROCKHAMPTON) were built for the Royal Australian Navy and four for the Royal Indian Navy.
ROCKHAMPTON commissioned at Maryborough on 21 January 1942 under the command of Lieutenant Robert T. Salmon ).
ROCKHAMPTON commenced operational service as a convoy escort on the east coast of Australia. When a system of Australian coastal convoys was instituted in June 1942, the result of a series of successful attacks by Japanese submarines off the Australian east coast, ROCKHAMPTON, in company with USS SELFRIDGE, escorted the first 'GP' convoy between Sydney and Brisbane. She also escorted one convoy to Noumea in September 1942.
In November 1942, two ships in a convoy escorted by ROCKHAMPTON, collided. One of the ships, the SS ZVIR, sank and the survivors had to be rescued. On another occasion an abandoned Sikorsky plane was sighted and a search made for the crew - it was later learned that they were safe.
ROCKHAMPTON continued to be employed on east coast convoy escort duties until December 1943. In January 1944 she proceeded to the New Guinea area, escorting convoys from the ports of north Queensland to Port Moresby, Milne Bay, Langemak, Hollandia and Morotai.
These duties ceased in March 1944 and ROCKHAMPTON returned to Sydney on 4 April, then Adelaide for refit from 12 April to 20 May.
ROCKHAMPTON resumed service in New Guinea waters in June 1944, escorting convoys between the ports of Hollandia, Langemak, Madang and Morotai. In July 1944 she went to the assistance of the USS PORCUPINE which had run aground to the south of Tami Island, successfully towing her free after a strenuous tussle.
During the first half of 1945, ROCKHAMPTON was operating predominately between Morotai and Biak. She returned to Australian waters in June 1945. She later returned to New Guinea in September 1945 for further service in the Morotai area.
In September 1945, following the cessation of hostilities, ROCKHAMPTON and four of her sister ships evacuated Dutch and Indonesian internees from Menado, disembarking them at Morotai. She was also on the Australian warships to support the occupation of Ambon following the surrender of Japanese forces on the island.
On 8 October 1945 ROCKHAMPTON arrived at Tenate in the Halmaheras with the Sultan of Ternate on board as a passenger. The proclamation of the surrender of the Japanese was read and all of the ship's officers were entertained by the Sultan at lunch and a dance.
ROCKHAMPTON departed Morotai on 23 October 1945 for the return passage to Australia, returning to Sydney, via Townsville and Brisbane, on 13 November.
On her return to Australia ROCKHAMPTON joined the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla and took part in post war minesweeping operations off the Australian east coast, Bass Strait and later at Hobart. This was followed by survey duties in South Australia before she departed Adelaide on 15 April 1946 for passage to Sydney, where she arrived on 29 April 1946.
ROCKHAMPTON paid off into Reserve at Sydney on 5 August 1946, having steamed some 176,077 miles. She was sold as scrap to Kino Shito (Australia) Pty Ltd in January 1961.
Further Reading
- The Corvettes: Forgotten Ships of the Royal Australian Navy by Iris Nesdale - published by the Author, October, 1982.
- Corvettes - Little Ships for Big Men by Frank B. Walker -published by Kingfisher Press, NSW, 1996.
