HMAS Tamworth (J181) (original) (raw)

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HMAS TamworthHMAS Tamworth
History
Australia
Namesake City of Tamworth, New South Wales
Builder Walkers Limited in Maryborough, Queensland
Laid down 25 August 1941
Launched 14 March 1942
Commissioned 8 August 1942
Decommissioned 30 April 1946
Motto "Strong in Adversity"
Honours andawards Battle honours: Pacific 1942–45 Indian Ocean 1943–44
Fate Sold to RNLN
Netherlands
Name Tidore
Namesake Tidore Island
Commissioned 30 April 1946
Decommissioned December 1949
Fate Sold to TNI-AL
Indonesia
Name Pati Unus
Namesake Pati Unus, Sultan of Demak
Commissioned December 1949
Decommissioned 1969
Fate Disposed of
General characteristics during Admiralty service
Class and type _Bathurst_-class corvette
Displacement 650 tons (standard), 1,025 tons (full war load)
Length 186 ft (57 m)
Beam 31 ft (9.4 m)
Draught 8.5 ft (2.6 m)
Propulsion triple expansion engine, 2 shafts
Speed 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) at 1,750 hp
Complement 85
Armament 1 × 12-pounder gun (later replaced by 1 × 4 inch Mk XIX gun), 3 × Oerlikons (1 later removed), 1 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun (installed later), Machine guns, Depth charges chutes and throwers

HMAS Tamworth (J181/B250/A124), named for the city of Tamworth, New South Wales, was one of 60 _Bathurst_-class corvettes constructed during World War II and one of 20 built on Admiralty order but manned by personnel of and later commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).[1] Tamworth later saw service in the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) and in the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL).[1]

Design and construction

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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 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), and a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi)[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 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph) top speed, and a range of 2,850 nautical miles (5,280 km; 3,280 mi), armed with a 4 inch Mk XIX 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 HMAS Kangaroo 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 ordered by the RAN, 20 (including Tamworth) ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.[2][7][8][9][1]

Tamworth was laid down by Walkers Limited at Maryborough, Queensland on 25 August 1941.[1] She was launched on 14 March 1942 by Mrs. A. M. Horsburgh, the wife of one of the shipyard's directors, and commissioned on 8 August 1942.[1]

Operational history

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From February 1943 until January 1945, Tamworth was assigned to the British Eastern Fleet.[1] Following this, she was deployed with the British Pacific Fleet.[1] Tamworth returned to Australian operational control on 28 September 1945.[1] Tamworth earned two battle honours for her wartime service, "Pacific 1942–45" and "Indian Ocean 1943–44".[10][11]

After a brief period of service as a training vessel in Australian waters was transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy on 30 April 1946.[1] In RNLN service, the ship operated under the name HNLMS Tidore, and served until December 1949.[1]

Following this, the ship was transferred to the Indonesian Navy, renamed RI Pati Unus, and served until disposal in 1969.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "HMAS Tamworth". Sea Power Centre Australia. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  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. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "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.

Journal and news articles

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