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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY - UNITED KINGDOM

MINE WARFARE SHIPS

BATHURST minesweepers (1940 - 1944)

Bendigo 1941

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Australian-built
Ararat (RAN) K34, 1948- M34   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 7.1942 20.2.1943 6.1943 sold 1.1961
Armidale (RAN) J240   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 9.1941 24.1.1942 6.1942 sunk 1.12.1942
Ballarat (RAN) J184   Williamstown DYd, Australia 4.1940 10.12.1940 8.1941 sold 7.1947
Bathurst (RAN) J158 146 Cockatoo DYd, Australia 2.1940 1.8.1940 12.1940 sold 6.1948
Benalla (RAN) J323, 1948- M323   Williamstown DYd, Australia 3.1942 19.12.1942 4.1943 sold 2.1958
Bendigo (RAN) J187 150 Cockatoo DYd, Australia 8.1940 1.3.1941 5.1941 sold 5.1947, later purchased by China (洛阳 [Loyang])
Bengal (RIM) J243 156 Cockatoo DYd, Australia 12.1941 28.5.1942 8.1942 sold 1967
Bombay (RIM) J249   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 7.1941 6.12.1941 4.1942 sold 1962
Bowen (RAN) J285, 1948- M285   Walkers, Maryborough, Australia 2.1942 11.7.1942 11.1942 sold 5.1956
Broome (RAN) J191   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 5.1941 6.10.1941 7.1942 to Turkey 8.1946 (Alanya)
Bunbury (RAN) J241, 1948- M241   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 11.1941 16.5.1942 1.1943 sold 1.1961
Bundaberg (RAN) J231, 1948- M231   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 6.1941 1.12.1941 9.1942 sold 1.1961
Burnie (RAN) J198   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 6.1940 25.10.1940 4.1941 to Netherlands 7.1946 (Ceram)
Cairns (RAN) J183   Walkers, Maryborough, Australia 3.1941 5.7.1941 5.1942 to Netherlands 1.1946 (Ambon)
Castlemaine (ex-Castle Harbour) (RAN) J244, 1948- M244   Williamstown DYd, Australia 2.1941 7.8.1941 7.1942 hulk 1956, preserved 1974
Cessnock (RAN) J175 153 Cockatoo DYd, Australia 4.1941 17.10.1941 1.1942 sold 4.1947
Colac (RAN) J242, 1948- M05   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 4.1941 30.8.1941 1.1942 tank cleaning vessel 1962
Cootamundra (RAN) J316, 1948- M186   Poole & Steel, Sydney, Australia 2.1942 3.12.1942 4.1943 sold 9.1961
Cowra (RAN) J351, 1948- M351   Poole & Steel, Sydney, Australia 8.1942 27.5.1943 10.1943 sold 1.1961
Deloraine (RAN) J232, 1948- M252   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 3.1941 26.7.1941 11.1941 sold 8.1956
Dubbo (RAN) J251, 1948- M251   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 10.1941 7.3.1942 7.1942 sold 2.1958
Echuca (RAN) J252, 1948- M252   Williamstown DYd, Australia 2.1941 17.1.1942 9.1942 to New Zealand 6.1952 (Echuca)
Fremantle (RAN) J246, 1948- M246   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 2.1942 18.8.1942 3.1943 sold 1.1961
Gawler (ex-Gambier) (RAN) J188   Broken Hill, Whyalla, Australia 1.1941 4.10.1941 8.1942 to Turkey 8.1946 (Ayvalık)
Geelong (RAN) J201   Williamstown DYd, Australia 10.1940 22.4.1941 1.1942 collision 18.10.1944
Geraldton (RAN) J178   Poole & Steel, Sydney, Australia 3.1941 16.8.1941 4.1942 to Turkey 8.1946 (Antalya)
Gladstone (RAN) J324, 1948- M324   Walkers, Maryborough, Australia 8.1942 26.11.1942 3.1943 sold 6.1956
Glenelg (RAN) J236, 1948- M236 157 Cockatoo DYd, Australia 3.1942 25.9.1942 11.1942 sold 5.1957
Goulburn (RAN) J167   Cockatoo DYd, Australia 7.1940 16.11.1940 2.1941 sold 10.1947
Gympie (RAN) J238, 1948- M238   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 8.1941 30.1.1942 11.1942 sold 1.1961
Horsham (RAN) J235, 1948- M235   Williamstown DYd, Australia 6.1941 23.5.1942 11.1942 sold 8.1956
Inverell (RAN) J233, 1948- M233   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 12.1941 2.5.1942 9.1942 to New Zealand 4.1952 (Inverell)
Ipswich (RAN) J186   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 3.1941 11.8.1941 6.1942 to Netherlands 7.1946 (Morotai)
Junee (RAN) J362, 1948- M362   Poole & Steel, Sydney, Australia 2.1943 16.11.1943 4.1944 sold 6.1958
Kalgoorlie (RAN) J192   Broken Hill, Whyalla, Australia 7.1940 7.8.1941 4.1942 to Netherlands 8.1946 (Ternate)
Kapunda (RAN) J218, 1948- M218   Poole & Steel, Sydney, Australia 8.1941 23.6.1942 10.1942 sold 1.1961
Katoomba (RAN) J204   Poole & Steel, Sydney, Australia 9.1940 16.4.1941 12.1941 sold 5.1957
Kiama (RAN) J353, 1948- M353   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 11.1942 9.7.1943 1.1944 to New Zealand 5.1952 (Kiama)
Latrobe (RAN) J234, 1948- M234   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 1.1942 19.6.1942 11.1942 sold 5.1956
Launceston (RAN) J179   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 12.1940 30.6.1941 4.1942 to Turkey 8.1946 (Hamit Nacı)
Lismore (RAN) J145   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 3.1940 10.8.1940 1.1941 to Netherlands 7.1946 (Batjan)
Lithgow (RAN) J206, 1948- M206   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 8.1940 21.12.1940 6.1941 sold 8.1956
Madras (RIM) J237 155 Cockatoo DYd, Australia 8.1941 17.2.1942 5.1942 sold 1962
Maryborough (RAN) J195   Walkers, Maryborough, Australia 4.1940 17.10.1940 6.1941 sold 5.1947
Mildura (RAN) J207, 1948- M207   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 9.1940 14.3.1941 7.1941 sold 9.1965
Parkes (RAN) J361, 1948- M361   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 3.1943 30.10.1943 5.1944 sold 5.1957
Pirie (RAN) J189   Broken Hill, Whyalla, Australia 5.1941 3.12.1941 10.1942 to Turkey 8.1946 (Amasra)
Punjab (RIM) J239   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 5.1941 10.10.1941 3.1942 sold 1949
Rockhampton (RAN) J203, 1948- M203   Walkers, Maryborough, Australia 11.1940 26.6.1941 2.1942 sold 1.1961
Shepparton (RAN) J248, 1948- M246   Williamstown DYd, Australia 11.1941 15.8.1942 2.1943 sold 2.1958
Stawell (RAN) J348, 1948- M348   Williamstown DYd, Australia 6.1942 3.4.1943 8.1943 to New Zealand 5.1952 (Stawell)
Strahan (RAN) J363, 1948- M363   Newcastle DYd, Australia 11.1942 12.7.1943 3.1944 sold 1.1961
Tamworth (RAN) J181   Walkers, Maryborough, Australia 8.1941 14.3.1942 8.1942 to Netherlands 4.1946 (Tamworth)
Toowoomba (RAN) J157   Walkers, Maryborough, Australia 8.1940 26.3.1941 10.1941 to Netherlands 7.1946 (Boeroe)
Townsville (RAN) J205, 1948- M205   Evans Deakin, Brisbane, Australia 11.1940 13.5.1941 12.1941 sold 8.1956
Wagga (RAN) J315, 1948- M183   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 3.1942 25.7.1942 12.1942 sold 3.1962
Wallaroo (RAN) J222   Poole & Steel, Sydney, Australia 4.1941 18.2.1942 7.1942 collision 20.6.1943
Warrnambool (RAN) J202   Morts Dock, Sydney, Australia 11.1940 8.5.1941 9.1941 sunk 13.9.1947
Whyalla (ex-Glenelg) (RAN) J153   Broken Hill, Whyalla, Australia 7.1940 12.5.1941 1.1942 sold 5.1947
Wollongong (RAN) J172 152 Cockatoo DYd, Australia 1.1941 5.7.1941 10.1941 to Netherlands 2.1946 (Banda)
Indian-built
Assam (RIM)     Garden Reach, Ranchi, India   --- --- cancelled
Gondwhana (RIM)     Garden Reach, Ranchi, India   --- --- cancelled
Sind (RIM)     Garden Reach, Ranchi, India   --- --- cancelled

 

Displacement standard, t

650

Displacement full, t

790

Length, m

56.7

Breadth, m

9.50

Draught, m

3.00 deep load

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 VTE, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers

Power, h. p.

1550 - 2000

Max speed, kts

15 - 16

Fuel, t

oil 124 - 153

Armament

1 x 1 - 102/45 BL Mk IX or 1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk XIX, (1 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII or 1 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV) or 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (12 - 40 or up to 82 in ASW role), mechanical minesweeping gear

earlier Australian-built and Indian-built: 1 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I/II/V, (1 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII or 1 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV) or 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (12 - 40 or up to 82 in ASW role), mechanical minesweeping gear

later Australian-built: 1 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, (1 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII or 1 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV) or 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (12 - 40 or up to 82 in ASW role), mechanical minesweeping gear

Sensors

completed 1940-1943: type 128 sonar

completed 1943-1944: type 271, SC radars, type 128 sonar

Complement

80 - 90

Project history: Design of Bathurst class was created in Australia on the basis of Bangor with VTE. At the expense of hull beam increase approximately on 0.7m it was possible to fix the basic lack of a prototype: insufficient stability. Australian ships were better adapted for escort service and often unofficially rated as corvettes. At the same time it was not possible to place the additional equipment for work with acoustic and magnetic minesweeping gear, as well as Bangor class, they were of little use for newest mines countermeasures. In total Australian yards built 59 ships of this class, including 4 for the RIM. From remained 55 ships 20 were built by British order, but they were also a part of the Australian Navy.

In process of class building some changes were made to the design. Earlier ships had 76mm AA or 102mm single-purpose gun and 1 40mm pompom, later ships had 102mm AA gun and sometimes one 40mm Bofors. Machinery was also improved: engine power increased from 1750 to 2000hp, and fuel stowage from 124 to 153t.

Modernizations: 1943-1944, many earlier ships: + type 271 (mostly), SC (some) radars

Naval service: Armidale was sunk by Japanese aircraft (torpedo) 1.12.1942 off Timor. Wallaroo was lost 18.6.1943 as a result of collision with s/s Gilbert Costin off Fremantle. Geelong was lost 18.10.1944 as a result of collision with s/s York between Australia and New Guinea. Castlemaine was preserved as memorial at Williamstown.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.

 

Gympie 1946

 

Bunbury 1946

 

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10