HMAS Launceston (J179)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
HMAS Launceston (J179/B246/A120), named for the city of Launceston, Tasmania, was one 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).[1]
.JPG) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia | |
| Namesake | City of Launceston, Tasmania |
| Builder | Evans Deakin & Co |
| Laid down | 23 December 1940 |
| Launched | 30 June 1941 |
| Commissioned | 9 April 1942 |
| Decommissioned | 23 March 1946 |
| Motto | Progress With Prudence |
| Honours and awards |
|
| Fate | Transferred to Turkish Navy |
| Badge | |
 Turkey | |
| Name | Ayancik |
| Renamed | Hamit Naci |
| Fate | Withdrawn from military service, 1965. Transferred to the Turkish Seamanship College. |
| General characteristics during RAN service | |
| Class and type | Bathurst-class corvette |
| Displacement | 650 tons (standard), 1,025 tons (full war load) |
| 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 hp (1,500 kW) |
| Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) at 1,750 hp |
| Complement | 85 |
| Armament |
|
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.[2][3] 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)[4] 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.[2][5] Construction of the prototype HMAS Kangaroo did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.[6] 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 Launceston) ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.[2][7][8][9][1]
Launceston was laid down by Evans Deakin & Co at Brisbane, Queensland on 23 December 1940.[1] She was launched on 30 June 1941 by the wife of William Forgan Smith, then Premier of Queensland, and was commissioned into the RAN on 9 April 1942.[1]
After entering service, Launceston was initially assigned to convoy escort duties in Australian waters before sailing to Colombo in September 1942 to join the British Eastern Fleet.[1] The corvette as used to escort convoys across the Indian Ocean.[1] On 11 February 1944, Launceston, sister ship HMAS Ipswich and the Indian sloop HMIS Jumna destroyed Japanese submarine Ro-110.[1] Convoy duties continued until September 1944, when the corvette returned to Fremantle for refit.[1] After refit, Launceston operated from Fremantle as an anti-submarine patrol ship until February 1945, when she was sent to Manus Island to join the British Pacific Fleet.[1] As part of the Pacific Fleet, the corvette was involved in the Battle of Okinawa.[1]
Following the end of World War II, Launceston was based in Hong Kong as a minesweeper and anty-piracy patrol ship, before returning to Australia in late 1945.[1] Official visits were made to cities in Tasmania, including the corvette's namesake city, before the corvette sailed to Sydney.[1]
The corvette received four battle honours for her wartime service: "Pacific 1942–45", "Indian Ocean 1942–44", "East Indies 1944", and "Okinawa 1945".[10][11]
After the war's end, Launceston was marked for transfer to the Turkish Navy.[1] The corvette was placed in reserve in mid-April 1946, then was recommissioned into the Royal Navy on 21 May as HMS Launceston for the transfer.[1] The corvette, along with sister ships Pirie and Gawler sailed for Colombo, where they were commissioned into the Turkish Navy.[1]
Launceston was initially named TCG Ayancik and she served as a minelayer and minesweeper. She was later withdrawn from military service in 1965.[1] Then, she is transferred to Turkish Seamanship College and renamed as Hamit Naci after the founder of that school.[1]
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