For other ships with the same name, see HMAS Bathurst.
HMAS Bathurst (J158), named for the city of Bathurst, New South Wales, was the lead ship of 60 Bathurst-class corvettes constructed during World War II and one of 20 built for the Admiralty but manned by personnel of and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).[3] Constructed during 1940, the ship spent most of her early career operating with the British Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean. She returned to Australian waters in late 1944, then was deployed to New Guinea in 1945, but saw little action. Bathurst was paid off in 1946, and sold to a Sydney scrap merchant in 1948.
HMAS Bathurst the day before she was commissioned into service with the Royal Australian Navy
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.[4][5] 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)[6] 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 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.[4][7] Construction of the prototype HMAS Kangaroo did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.[8] 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 Bathurst) ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.[4][9][10][11][3]
Bathurst laid down by Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney on 10 February 1940.[3] She was launched on 1 August 1940 by the wife of the dockyard's Engineer Manager, and commissioned on 6 December 1940 under Lieut-Commander A. V. Bunyan, DSC, RD; RANR(S).[3][12]
Sir Frederick Stewart riveting the first section of Bathurst's hull during her keel-laying ceremony
Operational historyEdit
Bathurst began her career in January 1941 as part of the 21st Minesweeping Flotilla, operating off Australia's east coast.[3] Between March and May, she was assigned as a patrol and escort vessel to Singapore, before proceeding to Colombo and joining the British Eastern Fleet.[3]Bathurst spent the month of June patrolling the Red Sea, then was deployed for three and a half months as a blockade vessel in the Gulf of Tadjoura.[3] During this time, the corvette captured at least three small vessels.[3]
Bathurst returned to Colombo in December, and was used as a patrol vessel and escort between the Indian and African coasts until August 1944.[3] She underwent refit in Colombo from September to November 1943, and was a key component in the rescue and salvage operation following the explosion of two munitions ships at Bombay on 14 April 1944.[3] On 7 August 1944, Bathurst sailed for Fremantle, and performed anti-submarine patrols along the western coast of Australia until April 1945.[3] She was then deployed to New Guinea, but the Allied successes of the Pacific War meant that the remainder of World War II consisted of routine patrols.[3] Two battle honours recognise the ship's wartime service: "Indian Ocean 1942–44" and "Pacific 1945".[2]
Following the conclusion of the war in August 1945, Bathurst was again assigned to the 21st Minesweeping Flotilla, and carried out minesweeping operations in the Hong Kong area.[3]
Decommissioning and fateEdit
Bathurst returned to Sydney on 9 November 1945, and was decommissioned into reserve on 27 September 1946.[3] She was sold for scrap to T. Carr and Co of Sydney on 21 June 1948.[3]
CitationsEdit
^. Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
^ ab(PDF). Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
^ abcdefghijklmno"HMAS Bathurst (I)". Sea Power Centre – Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
^Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, p. 29
^Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 108
^Gill, G. Hermon (1957). . Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 2 – Navy. Vol. 1. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. p. 259. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
ReferencesEdit
Books
Donohue, Hector (October 1996). From Empire Defence to the Long Haul: post-war defence policy and its impact on naval force structure planning 1945–1955. Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs. Vol. No. 1. Canberra: Sea Power Centre. ISBN0-642-25907-0. ISSN 1327-5658. OCLC 36817771.
Stevens, David (2005). A Critical Vulnerability: the impact of the submarine threat on Australia's maritime defense 1915–1954. Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs. Vol. No. 15. Canberra: Sea Power Centre Australia. ISBN0-642-29625-1. ISSN 1327-5658. OCLC 62548623.
Stevens, David; Sears, Jason; Goldrick, James; Cooper, Alastair; Jones, Peter; Spurling, Kathryn (2001). Stevens, David (ed.). The Royal Australian Navy. The Australian Centenary History of Defence (vol III). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-554116-2. OCLC 50418095.
Journal and news articles
Stevens, David (May 2010). (PDF). Hindsight (Semaphore). Sea Power Centre – Australia. 2010 (5). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to J158 Bathurst (ship, 1940).
October 25, 2023
hmas, bathurst, j158, other, ships, with, same, name, hmas, bathurst, named, city, bathurst, south, wales, lead, ship, bathurst, class, corvettes, constructed, during, world, built, admiralty, manned, personnel, commissioned, into, royal, australian, navy, con. For other ships with the same name see HMAS Bathurst HMAS Bathurst J158 named for the city of Bathurst New South Wales was the lead ship of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II and one of 20 built for the Admiralty but manned by personnel of and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy RAN 3 Constructed during 1940 the ship spent most of her early career operating with the British Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean She returned to Australian waters in late 1944 then was deployed to New Guinea in 1945 but saw little action Bathurst was paid off in 1946 and sold to a Sydney scrap merchant in 1948 HMAS Bathurst the day before she was commissioned into service with the Royal Australian NavyHistoryAustraliaNamesakeCity of Bathurst New South WalesBuilderCockatoo Island Dockyard in SydneyLaid down10 February 1940Launched1 August 1940Commissioned6 December 1940Decommissioned27 September 1946Motto Strike Hard Honours andawardsBattle honours Indian Ocean 1942 44 Pacific 1945 1 2 FateSold for scrap on 21 June 1948General characteristicsClass and typeBathurst class corvetteDisplacement733 tons standard 1 025 tons full war load Length186 ft 57 m Beam31 ft 9 4 m Draught8 5 ft 2 6 m Propulsiontriple expansion engine 2 shafts 2 000 horsepowerSpeed15 knots 28 km h 17 mph at 1 750 hpComplement85Armament1 12 pounder gun 2 Oerlikon 20 mm cannons 1 Bofors 40 mm L 60 gun Machine guns Depth charges chutes and throwers Contents 1 Design and construction 2 Operational history 3 Decommissioning and fate 4 Citations 5 References 6 External linksDesign and construction EditMain article Bathurst class corvette 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 4 5 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 6 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 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 4 7 Construction of the prototype HMAS Kangaroo did not go ahead but the plans were retained 8 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 Bathurst ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy 4 9 10 11 3 Bathurst laid down by Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney on 10 February 1940 3 She was launched on 1 August 1940 by the wife of the dockyard s Engineer Manager and commissioned on 6 December 1940 under Lieut Commander A V Bunyan DSC RD RANR S 3 12 nbsp Sir Frederick Stewart riveting the first section of Bathurst s hull during her keel laying ceremonyOperational history EditBathurst began her career in January 1941 as part of the 21st Minesweeping Flotilla operating off Australia s east coast 3 Between March and May she was assigned as a patrol and escort vessel to Singapore before proceeding to Colombo and joining the British Eastern Fleet 3 Bathurst spent the month of June patrolling the Red Sea then was deployed for three and a half months as a blockade vessel in the Gulf of Tadjoura 3 During this time the corvette captured at least three small vessels 3 Bathurst returned to Colombo in December and was used as a patrol vessel and escort between the Indian and African coasts until August 1944 3 She underwent refit in Colombo from September to November 1943 and was a key component in the rescue and salvage operation following the explosion of two munitions ships at Bombay on 14 April 1944 3 On 7 August 1944 Bathurst sailed for Fremantle and performed anti submarine patrols along the western coast of Australia until April 1945 3 She was then deployed to New Guinea but the Allied successes of the Pacific War meant that the remainder of World War II consisted of routine patrols 3 Two battle honours recognise the ship s wartime service Indian Ocean 1942 44 and Pacific 1945 2 Following the conclusion of the war in August 1945 Bathurst was again assigned to the 21st Minesweeping Flotilla and carried out minesweeping operations in the Hong Kong area 3 Decommissioning and fate EditBathurst returned to Sydney on 9 November 1945 and was decommissioned into reserve on 27 September 1946 3 She was sold for scrap to T Carr and Co of Sydney on 21 June 1948 3 Citations Edit 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 a b 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 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o HMAS Bathurst I Sea Power Centre Royal Australian Navy Retrieved 14 August 2013 a b c Stevens The Australian Corvettes p 1 Stevens A Critical Vulnerability p 103 Stevens A Critical Vulnerability pp 103 4 Stevens A Critical Vulnerability pp 103 5 Stevens A Critical Vulnerability p 104 Stevens A Critical Vulnerability pp 105 148 Donohue From Empire Defence to the Long Haul p 29 Stevens et al The Royal Australian Navy p 108 Gill G Hermon 1957 Royal Australian Navy 1939 1942 Australia in the War of 1939 1945 Series 2 Navy Vol 1 Canberra Australian War Memorial p 259 Archived from the original on 25 May 2009 Retrieved 14 August 2013 References EditBooksDonohue Hector October 1996 From Empire Defence to the Long Haul post war defence policy and its impact on naval force structure planning 1945 1955 Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs Vol No 1 Canberra Sea Power Centre ISBN 0 642 25907 0 ISSN 1327 5658 OCLC 36817771 Stevens David 2005 A Critical Vulnerability the impact of the submarine threat on Australia s maritime defense 1915 1954 Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs Vol No 15 Canberra Sea Power Centre Australia ISBN 0 642 29625 1 ISSN 1327 5658 OCLC 62548623 Stevens David Sears Jason Goldrick James Cooper Alastair Jones Peter Spurling Kathryn 2001 Stevens David ed The Royal Australian Navy The Australian Centenary History of Defence vol III South Melbourne VIC Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 554116 2 OCLC 50418095 Journal and news articlesStevens David May 2010 The Australian Corvettes PDF Hindsight Semaphore Sea Power Centre Australia 2010 5 Archived from the original PDF on 20 March 2011 Retrieved 13 August 2010 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to J158 Bathurst ship 1940 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMAS Bathurst J158 amp oldid 1116792869, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
