HMA Ship Histories
HMAS BERYL (II)
Statistics
| Type | Auxiliary Minesweeper - Later Boom Gate Vessel |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 248 (gross) |
| Length | 121 feet 9 inches |
| Beam | 22 feet 1 inch |
| Draught | 12 feet 2 inches |
| Built | 1914 |
| Builders | Cochrane and Sons Ltd, Selby, Yorkshire, England |
| Owners | Cam and Sons Pty Ltd, Pyrmont, Sydney |
| Speed | 9 knots |
| Armament | 1 x 12 pdr QF HA/LA gun 1 Oerlikon 20 mm AA gun Machine guns |
| Complement | 2 officers and 16 ratings. |
Beryl II was requisitioned for naval service on 7 September 1939. On 12 September, she departed Sydney for Melbourne to be fitted out for minesweeping duties, arriving at Melbourne on 15 September.
On 9 October, 1939 Beryl II commissioned at Melbourne under the command of Commissioned Warrant Officer David Smith, RANR(S), and served in the Port Phillip Bay approaches as a unit of Minesweeping Group 54 until the beginning of February 1943.
The vessel then transferred to Minesweeping Group 63 based at Port Adelaide where she served until early December 1943, following which she proceeded to Sydney for conversion for boom defence duties. She arrived at Sydney on 15 December, 1943 and on 30 December departed for Port Moresby to take up her new duties. She arrived at Port Moresby on 18 January, 1944.
Beryl II served as boom gate vessel, Port Moresby, until 20 April, 1945 when she sailed via east coast ports to begin a refit at Melbourne where she arrived on 30 May, 1945.
On 1 November, 1945 Beryl II departed Melbourne for Sydney, arriving on 5 November, 1945. She paid off to Reserve at Sydney on 13 December, 1945.
Beryl II was returned to her owners on May 24, 1946.
