Royal Australian Navy minesweeping after World War II
Encyclopedia
Following World War II
the Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) was required to clear naval mine
s from the waters around Australia
and New Guinea
. Minesweeping
in these areas began in December 1945 and was completed in August 1948. One ship, the Bathurst class corvette
HMAS Warrnambool, was sunk during these operations.
, HMAS Bungaree
, laid almost 10,000 mines in Australian waters alone, and further mines were laid around Australian ports. Following the war Australia was legally responsible for clearing mines from its territorial waters as part of an international minesweeping effort coordinated by the Mine Clearance Board in London.
The RAN's 20th Minesweeping Flotilla was assigned the task of sweeping Australian waters for mines. The flotilla was based at Cairns, Queensland
and was commanded from the sloop HMAS Swan
. Clearance operations began in December 1945, and were generally conducted by Bathurst class corvettes. Ships involved included HMAS Swan, Ararat, Cowra
, Deloraine
, Echuca
, Katoomba
, Lithgow, Mildura
and Warrnambool as well as harbour defence motor launches 1323, 1328, 1329 and general purpose vessels 960 and 963. Over 1,200 sailors were involved in the operation.
Minesweeping was arduous and dangerous and the sailors involved were granted danger money of 6d
per day. On 13 September 1947 Warrnambool struck a mine off North Queensland
which had been laid by Bungaree in November 1943 and sank shortly afterwards with four sailors killed and another 25 wounded. Warrnambool is the only RAN warship to have ever been sunk by a mine.
The 20th Minesweeping Flotilla completed its task in August 1948. By this time 1,816 mines had been swept. Eleven officers and sailors were recommended for honours and awards for their role in the operation, with all recommendations being fully endorsed by Vice Admiral John Collins, the First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board
. Some of the awards were delayed and others never granted, however, due to disagreements between the RAN and the Government over whether post-war minesweeping constituted 'operational' service.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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) was required to clear naval mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
s from the waters around Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. Minesweeping
Demining
Demining or mine clearance is the process of removing either land mines, or naval mines, from an area, while minesweeping describes the act of detecting of mines. There are two distinct types of mine detection and removal: military and humanitarian.Minesweepers use many tools in order to accomplish...
in these areas began in December 1945 and was completed in August 1948. One ship, the Bathurst class corvette
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...
HMAS Warrnambool, was sunk during these operations.
History
During World War II both the Allies and Japanese laid mines in Australian and New Guinean waters. The RAN's minelayerMinelayer
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
, HMAS Bungaree
HMAS Bungaree
HMAS Bungaree was an auxiliary minelayer of Royal Australian Navy , serving during World War II. The ship was built as a cargo vessel for the Adelaide Steamship Company by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Dundee, and launched in 1937. The ship operated in Australian waters and was...
, laid almost 10,000 mines in Australian waters alone, and further mines were laid around Australian ports. Following the war Australia was legally responsible for clearing mines from its territorial waters as part of an international minesweeping effort coordinated by the Mine Clearance Board in London.
The RAN's 20th Minesweeping Flotilla was assigned the task of sweeping Australian waters for mines. The flotilla was based at Cairns, Queensland
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
and was commanded from the sloop HMAS Swan
HMAS Swan (U74)
HMAS Swan , named for the Swan River, was a Grimsby class sloop of the Royal Australian Navy that served during World War II.-Design and construction:...
. Clearance operations began in December 1945, and were generally conducted by Bathurst class corvettes. Ships involved included HMAS Swan, Ararat, Cowra
HMAS Cowra
HMAS Cowra , named for the town of Cowra, New South Wales, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy .-Construction:...
, Deloraine
HMAS Deloraine
HMAS Deloraine , named for the town of Deloraine, Tasmania, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy .-Construction:...
, Echuca
HMAS Echuca
HMAS Echuca , named for the town of Echuca, Victoria, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy .-Construction:...
, Katoomba
HMAS Katoomba
HMAS Katoomba , named for the tourist resort of Katoomba, New South Wales, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy ....
, Lithgow, Mildura
HMAS Mildura
HMAS Mildura , named for the city of Mildura, Victoria, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned by the Royal Australian Navy .-Construction:...
and Warrnambool as well as harbour defence motor launches 1323, 1328, 1329 and general purpose vessels 960 and 963. Over 1,200 sailors were involved in the operation.
Minesweeping was arduous and dangerous and the sailors involved were granted danger money of 6d
Penny (Australian)
The Australian Penny was a coin of the Australian pound used in the Commonwealth of Australia prior to decimalisation in 1966. It was worth one twelfth of an Australian shilling and 1/240 of an Australian pound...
per day. On 13 September 1947 Warrnambool struck a mine off North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
which had been laid by Bungaree in November 1943 and sank shortly afterwards with four sailors killed and another 25 wounded. Warrnambool is the only RAN warship to have ever been sunk by a mine.
The 20th Minesweeping Flotilla completed its task in August 1948. By this time 1,816 mines had been swept. Eleven officers and sailors were recommended for honours and awards for their role in the operation, with all recommendations being fully endorsed by Vice Admiral John Collins, the First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board
Chief of Navy (Australia)
The Chief of Navy is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy, responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of Defence...
. Some of the awards were delayed and others never granted, however, due to disagreements between the RAN and the Government over whether post-war minesweeping constituted 'operational' service.