HMAS Ararat (K34/M34), named for the city of Ararat, Victoria

Ararat, Victoria

Ararat is a city in south-west Victoria, Australia, about west of Melbourne, on the Western Highway on the eastern slopes of the Ararat Hills and Cemetery Creek valley between Victoria's Western District and the Wimmera...

, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes

Bathurst class corvette

The Bathurst class corvettes were a class of general purpose vessels produced in Australia during World War II. Originally classified as minesweepers, but widely referred to as corvettes, the Bathurst class vessels fulfilled a broad anti-submarine, anti-mine, and convoy escort role.Sixty Bathurst...

 constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy

Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...

 (RAN).

Ararat is the only ship of the Bathurst class to carry a pennant number

Pennant number

In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers...

 with the flag superior 'K': to honour Flower class

Flower class corvette

The Flower-class corvette was a class of 267 corvettes used during World War II, specifically with the Allied navies as anti-submarine convoy escorts during the Battle of the Atlantic...

 corvette lead ship , which was sunk in October 1941.

Construction

Ararat was laid down by Evans Deakin & Co in Brisbane on 6 July 1942. She was launched on 20 February 1943 by the wife of Arthur Fadden

Arthur Fadden

Sir Arthur William Fadden, GCMG was an Australian politician and, briefly, the 13th Prime Minister of Australia.-Introduction:...

, then leader of the Australian Country Party

National Party of Australia

The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...

 and the Federal Opposition

Opposition (Australia)

Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in Australia fulfils the same function as the official opposition in other Commonwealth of Nations monarchies. It is seen as the alternative government and the existing administration's main opponent at a general election...

, and commissioned on 16 June 1943.

Operational history

Ararat entered active service in August 1943 escorting convoys firstly along the east coast of Australia, and later between Queensland and New Guinea. She continued in this role until March 1944, when she was transferred to Langemak, New Guinea for two months, performing escort and patrol duties in the waters of New Guinea and New Britain. During this time, she was the first ship of her class to visit several recently-recaptured areas in New Britain.

The corvette was under refit in Melbourne from May until July 1944, and on completion returned to New Guinea. She was transferred to United States Naval

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 command on 11 August 1944, and was used to patrol the forward areas of the Allied offensive. During this time, Ararat was involved in the transportation of survivors from sister ship following her collision with United States tanker York on 19 October. Ararat left US command at the end of 1944, and spent the early part of 1945 operating in the Morotai area. She briefly visited Townsville in March 1945, and in June, the corvette was deployed to Borneo to support Australian troops. Ararat returned to Australia on 22 July for refits, and was in dock when the war ended. The corvette's wartime service was recognised by the battle honour

Battle honour

A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....

s "Pacific 1943–45" and "New Guinea 1943–44".

Ararat was assigned to the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla on 22 October 1945, and was involved in clearing mines

Royal Australian Navy minesweeping after World War II

Following World War II the Royal Australian Navy was required to clear naval mines from the waters around Australia and New Guinea. Minesweeping in these areas began in December 1945 and was completed in August 1948...

 laid during the war; first in Australian waters, then around New Britain, New Ireland, and the Solomon Islands. This assignment was completed in November 1946, and on 11 April 1947 was decommissioned into reserve.

Ararat remained in reserve until 6 January 1961, when she was sold to Burns Philp & Co Ltd of Darwin. She was later sold on to the Fujita Salvage Company of Japan, who used her to perform salvage operations in Darwin Harbour. Ararat left Darwin for Japan on 20 July 1961, towing a crane. After arriving in Japan, she was broken up for scrap.

Footnotes

1. Although the source states that Gladiolus was a ship of the Royal Canadian Navy
   Royal Canadian Navy
   The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
   
   , the only ship of that name and pennant served with the Royal Navy
   Royal Navy
   The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
   
   .