HMAS Lachlan (K364/F364) (later HMNZS Lachlan (F364)) was a River-classfrigate that served the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1945 to 1949. The vessel was later transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy serving as surveyor until 1975 and was eventually scrapped in 1993.
During 1945, Lachlan was used during the opening of the Captain Cook Graving Dock; her bow was used to cut the ribbon across the drydock's mouth. In 1949, shortly before her decommissioning, she found the wreck of the SS Yongala, which sank with all 122 aboard in a cyclone in 1911. Her wreck was thought to be a shoal at that time. [1]
Lachlan was paid off on 31 May 1949. She was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy, renamed HMNZS Lachlan, and was a survey and Antarctic supply ship until February 1975. She was used as a "Refit Barge" with many workshops onboard until the late 1980s when she was sold to Chile to continue work as floating workshops for ships being refitted.[citation needed]
In 1948, the New Zealand government sought a survey ship to use temporarily until a new one could be built in Britain. After negotiations, Lachlan was offered on loan for an initial time of three years and on 31 May 1949 was paid off from RAN service and was immediately given to the Royal New Zealand Navy the next day. Following trials through September 1949, on 5 October 1949 HMNZS Lachlan was commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy.[2]
The ship was fully disarmed at the dockyard at HMNZS Philomel and the ship's chart room enlarged for surveying. The ship was rushed into service so quickly that some of the finishing touches were done at sea. Her first survey was started on 18 November 1949 surveying the Wellington Harbour entrance, taking three weeks to complete with assistance of a survey motor boat from Australia. To assist with the creation of the hydrographic service, on earlier voyages part of the ships company included personnel from the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Navy.
HMNZS Lachlan surveyed over fifty percent of New Zealand's coastline over her twenty years in commission. Some of her service included surveys in Australia and the rest of the Pacific, and she helped clear mines around the Gilbert & Ellice Islands from World War II. Her bow was damaged in a collision with the Napier wharf in October 1954. In 1963 the New Zealand government purchased the vessel for £16,000. By 1970, she was due to be decommissioned but in May 1970 the Royal New Zealand Navy was ordered by the government by an extra five years.
In 1975, HMNZS Lachlan was painted all grey and docked at HMNZS Philomel to house ship's companies whose frigates were undergoing refits. In September 1975, her engines were removed and sold, and in 1993 the hulk was sold to a Philippines company for scrapping.
^"Lachlan - Frigate". National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
April 18, 2024
hmas, lachlan, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, december, 20. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources HMAS Lachlan news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message HMAS Lachlan K364 F364 later HMNZS Lachlan F364 was a River class frigate that served the Royal Australian Navy RAN from 1945 to 1949 The vessel was later transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy serving as surveyor until 1975 and was eventually scrapped in 1993 HMAS Lachlan in 1946History Australia NameLachlan NamesakeLachlan River BuilderMort s Dock amp Engineering Company Sydney Laid down22 March 1943 Launched25 March 1944 Commissioned14 February 1945 Decommissioned31 May 1949 FateTransferred to Royal New Zealand Navy New Zealand NameLachlan Commissioned5 October 1949 DecommissionedFebruary 1975 General characteristics Class and typeRiver class frigate Displacement2220 tonnes fully loaded Length91 8 metres 86 3 at waterline Beam11 2 metres Propulsion2x shaft two Admiralty 3 drum boilers 4 cylinder triple expansion oil fired Speed20 knots Complement140 in RNZN service Contents 1 Construction and design 2 Operational history 2 1 Australian service 2 2 New Zealand Service 3 ReferencesConstruction and design editLachlan was laid down by Mort s Dock amp Engineering Company Sydney on 22 March 1943 and launched on 25 March 1944 by Sarah McNamara Scullin wife of former Australian Prime Minister James Scullin and commissioned on 14 February 1945 It was named after the Lachlan River in New South Wales citation needed Operational history editAustralian service edit During 1945 Lachlan was used during the opening of the Captain Cook Graving Dock her bow was used to cut the ribbon across the drydock s mouth In 1949 shortly before her decommissioning she found the wreck of the SS Yongala which sank with all 122 aboard in a cyclone in 1911 Her wreck was thought to be a shoal at that time 1 Lachlan was paid off on 31 May 1949 She was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy renamed HMNZS Lachlan and was a survey and Antarctic supply ship until February 1975 She was used as a Refit Barge with many workshops onboard until the late 1980s when she was sold to Chile to continue work as floating workshops for ships being refitted citation needed New Zealand Service edit nbsp HMNZS Lachlan as a survey ship in Tamatea Dusky Sound South Island In 1948 the New Zealand government sought a survey ship to use temporarily until a new one could be built in Britain After negotiations Lachlan was offered on loan for an initial time of three years and on 31 May 1949 was paid off from RAN service and was immediately given to the Royal New Zealand Navy the next day Following trials through September 1949 on 5 October 1949 HMNZS Lachlan was commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy 2 The ship was fully disarmed at the dockyard at HMNZS Philomel and the ship s chart room enlarged for surveying The ship was rushed into service so quickly that some of the finishing touches were done at sea Her first survey was started on 18 November 1949 surveying the Wellington Harbour entrance taking three weeks to complete with assistance of a survey motor boat from Australia To assist with the creation of the hydrographic service on earlier voyages part of the ships company included personnel from the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Navy HMNZS Lachlan surveyed over fifty percent of New Zealand s coastline over her twenty years in commission Some of her service included surveys in Australia and the rest of the Pacific and she helped clear mines around the Gilbert amp Ellice Islands from World War II Her bow was damaged in a collision with the Napier wharf in October 1954 In 1963 the New Zealand government purchased the vessel for 16 000 By 1970 she was due to be decommissioned but in May 1970 the Royal New Zealand Navy was ordered by the government by an extra five years In 1975 HMNZS Lachlan was painted all grey and docked at HMNZS Philomel to house ship s companies whose frigates were undergoing refits In September 1975 her engines were removed and sold and in 1993 the hulk was sold to a Philippines company for scrapping References edit Frame Tom 2004 No Pleasure Cruise the story of the Royal Australian Navy Crows Nest NSW Allen amp Unwin p 194 ISBN 1 74114 233 4 OCLC 55980812 Lachlan Frigate National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy 18 October 2015 Retrieved 24 January 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMAS Lachlan amp oldid 1153385487, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
