HMAS ''Kangaroo'' was a Bar-class

boom defence vessel A net laying ship, also known as a net layer, net tender, gate ship or boom defence vessel was a type of naval auxiliary ship. A net layer's primary function was to lay and maintain steel anti-torpedo or anti-submarine nets. Nets could be laid ...

of the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

(RAN). Although originally ordered as a boom vessel, ''Kangaroo'' was at one point to be built as the prototype for what became the ''Bathurst'' class corvettes, but reverted to the boom defence design before construction started. Launched in 1940, the ship spent most of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

operating the anti-submarine net in Darwin. ''Kangaroo'' remained in service until 1955, and after several years as an accommodation ship, was sold for scrapping in 1967.

Design and construction

In 1937, three ships were ordered by the RAN for use as Boom Defense Vessels.Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', p. 103 The plan was altered in early 1938 to require only two ships; the third, ''Kangaroo'' was earmarked to be constructed as a prototype local defense vessel. The RAN's Director of Engineering was instructed to prepare plans for the ship in July 1938, which were completed six months later.Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', p. 104 The ship was to weigh 680 tons, with a speed of , and a range of . ''Kangaroo'' would have been armed with two 4-inch guns and depth charges, and equipped with asdic. Before construction could begin, the number of boom vessels was increased back to three, and ''Kangaroo'' was laid down to this design by

Cockatoo Docks and Engineering Company The Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company was a ship building and maintenance company which operated the Cockatoo Island Dockyard on Cockatoo Island in Sydney, Australia between 1933 and 1992. History The Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company c ...

on 15 November 1939. ''Kangaroo'' was launched on 4 May 1940, and commissioned into the RAN on 27 September 1940. The unused design was later modified and used for the ''Bathurst'' class corvettes.

Operational history

''Kangaroo'' arrived in Darwin in January 1941 and established and maintained the anti-submarine boom in Darwin Harbour with three similar vessels. ''Kangaroo'' suffered damage and one fatality during the bombing of Darwin in February 1942. She was repaired in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

from 1 April to 20 May 1942 and spent the remainder of the war in Darwin. She received the battle honour "Darwin 1942–43" for her wartime service. ''Kangaroo'' remained in active commission after the war and performed various duties Australian and New Guinea waters during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Decommissioning and fate

She paid off to reserve on 15 December 1955 and was used as an accommodation ship. ''Kangaroo'' was sold for scrap on 28 August 1967 and was scrapped in 1968.

References

* Seapower Centre – Australi
HMAS Kangaroo ship history
*

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kangaroo Boom defence vessels of the Royal Australian Navy 1940 ships