HMAS Inverell
 HMAS Inverell transferring liberated prisoners of war to HMAS Maidstone off Makassar, Dutch East Indies in September 1945
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia | |
| Namesake | Town of Inverell, New South Wales |
| Builder | Mort's Dock & Engineering Co |
| Laid down | 7 December 1941 |
| Launched | 2 May 1942 |
| Commissioned | 17 September 1942 |
| Decommissioned | 14 June 1946 |
| Identification | Pennant number: J233 or M233 |
| Fate | Transferred to RNZN |
 New Zealand | |
| Acquired | 5 March 1952 |
| Commissioned | 10 April 1952 |
| Decommissioned | 1952 |
| Recommissioned | 15 August 1965 |
| Decommissioned | 19 August 1976 |
| Reclassified | Training and fisheries protection vessel |
| Honours and awards |
|
| Fate | Sold for scrap on 1 November 1977 |
| General characteristics in RAN service | |
| Class and type | Bathurst-class corvette |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 186 ft (57 m) |
| Beam | 31 ft (9.4 m) |
| Draught | 8.5 ft (2.6 m) |
| Propulsion | triple expansion engine, 2 shafts, 2,000 ihp (1,500 kW) |
| Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) at 1,750 hp |
| Complement | 85 |
| Armament |
|
HMAS Inverell, named for the town of
After World War II, the corvette was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), where she served from 1952 to 1976.
Design and construction
In 1938, the
Inverell was
Operational history
World War II
Inverell began service in November 1942 as a convoy escort along the eastern Australian coast.
In early February 1943, Inverell was required to rescue the crew of a
While based in Fremantle, the corvette's main duties was to perform training exercises with United States Navy and Royal Navy submarines, with secondary duties including convoy escort and patrol.[1] Inverell departed Fremantle for Darwin on 4 May 1945.[1] Between 22 May and 11 July, the corvette was involve in minesweeping, before she, sister ship HMAS Stawell, and Services Reconnaissance Department vessel HMAS River Snake were assigned to Morotai.[1] Inverell was required to tow River Snake for the first part of the voyage.[1]
Based in Morotai, Inverell was primarily used as a patrol vessel until the end of World War II, when she became involved in the transfer of
The corvette received two battle honours for her wartime service: "Darwin 1942" and Pacific 1942–45".[10][11]
RNZN service
On 5 March 1952, Inverell and three other Bathurst-class corvettes (HMA Ships Echuca, Kiama, and Stawell) were transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy.[1] Inverell was commissioned into the RNZN on 10 April 1952, but was decommissioned into reserve after a refit.[1]
In 1965, the corvette was refitted as a training and fisheries patrol ship to replace the frigate HMNZS Rotoiti.[1] The 4-inch gun was replaced by a second 40 mm Bofors gun, and minesweeping gear was removed.[12] She was recommissioned on 15 August 1965, and served until 19 August 1976, when she was decommissioned.[1]
On 1 November 1977, Inverell was sold to Pacific Scrap Limited of Auckland for scrapping.[1]
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "HMAS Inverell (I)". HMA Ship Histories. Sea Power Centre – Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
- ^ 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
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Blackman 1971, p. 241.
References
Books
- Blackman, Raymond V. B. (1971). Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd. ISBN 0-354-00096-9.
- 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. 1. Canberra: Sea Power Centre. 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. 15. Canberra: Sea Power Centre Australia. 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. OCLC 50418095.
- Wright, Gerry (2015). Kiwi Bathurst Tales: Some stories from those who served in the four New Zealand Bathursts, HMNZ Ships Echuca, Stawell, Kiama and Inverell. Auckland: Gerry Wright. ISBN 9780473337193.
Journal and news articles
- Stevens, David (May 2010). "The Australian Corvettes" (PDF). Hindsight (Semaphore). 2010 (5). Sea Power Centre – Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
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