HMAS ''Moresby'' (formerly HMS ''Silvio'') was a (also known as ''Racehorse'' class) "Fleet Sweeping"
sloop that served in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
(RN) and
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) as a minesweeper, anti-submarine vessel, and survey ship. The ship was involved in both World Wars, and was the venue of the Japanese surrender of
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, in the north of the Timor Sea. The island is divided between the sovereign states of East Timor on the eastern part and Indonesia on the western part. The Indonesian part, also ...
on 11 September 1945.
Design and construction
The 24 class were designed as
minesweeping
Minesweeping is the practice of the removal of explosive naval mines, usually by a specially designed ship called a minesweeper using various measures to either capture or detonate the mines, but sometimes also with an aircraft made for that ...
sloops
A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular ...
capable of accompanying fleets on operations.
[ As built, the vessels had a ]displacement
Displacement may refer to:
Physical sciences
Mathematics and Physics
* Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...
of 1,320 tons, were in length, and had a standard ship's company of 82.[ The sloops were powered by coal-fuelled boilers connected to steam turbines.][ Although larger and roomier than preceding designs, the 24 class had a reputation of poor ]seakeeping
Seakeeping ability or seaworthiness is a measure of how well-suited a watercraft is to conditions when underway. A ship or boat which has good seakeeping ability is said to be very seaworthy and is able to operate effectively even in high sea stat ...
capabilities.[
The sloop was laid down as HMS ''Silvio'', named after a British Epsom Derby-winning racehorse, by Barclay Curle and Co Ltd at their Glasgow shipyard on 27 November 1917.][Royal Australian Navy, ''HMAS Moresby (I)''] She was launched on 12 April 1918, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 25 May 1918.[
]
Operational history
Royal Navy
On 25 July 1918, ''Silvio'', , and three other warships were escorting a convoy when it came under attack by a U-boat
U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...
off the coast of Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
.[ All five escorts attacked the submarine, but none were successful in damaging it.][
In 1925, ''Silvio'' was the last of five of the 24-class sloops to be converted to survey ships.][ In the same year, the ship was lent to the Australian Government to replace and assist in surveying throughout northern Australian waters, including a navigation channel through the ]Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...
.[Frame & Baker, ''Mutiny!'', p. 138][ The ship was renamed and recommissioned into the Royal Australian Navy as HMAS ''Moresby'', after ]John Moresby
Rear Admiral John Moresby (15 March 1830 – 12 July 1922) was a British naval officer who explored the coast of New Guinea and was the first European to discover the site of Port Moresby.
Life and career
Moresby was born in Allerford, Somerset ...
, on 20 June 1925.[ She departed England on 28 June, and arrived in Australia in September.][
]
Royal Australian Navy
''Moresby'' participated in the Great Barrier Reef survey until 21 December 1929, when she was decommissioned into reserve in Sydney.[
She was recommissioned on 27 April 1933, to perform urgent strategic surveys of the waters north of Australia.][ During the 1930s, conditions for the sailors aboard were a matter of contention.][Frame & Baker, ''Mutiny!'', pp. 139-40] Survey work was already arduous, but the ship had not been designed for tropical operations, causing greater discomfort.[ In addition, the sailors had experienced reductions in pay.][ Over the course of mid-1934, the number of sailors reported for discipline had increased.][ These issues came to a head in the early morning of 19 August, when an ]able seaman
An able seaman (AB) is a seaman and member of the deck department of a merchant ship with more than two years' experience at sea and considered "well acquainted with his duty". An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination o ...
punched a petty officer
A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotation OR-5 or OR-6. In many nations, they are typically equal to a sergeant in comparison to other military branches. Often they may be super ...
who admonished him for dirtying the ship's paintwork while attempting to move a crate, then insulted the seaman for dropping the crate when a support rope the petty officer was holding came loose.[Frame & Baker, ''Mutiny!'', p. 141] The able seaman was arrested and restrained in irons until the ship reached Darwin in two days time for a court martial
A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...
.[Frame & Baker, ''Mutiny!'', p. 142] At breakfast, other sailors discussed the incident, with the idea of refusing the morning's call to work.[ Twenty-seven sailors ignored the bosun's call to work, and when confronted by the executive officer, said they were protesting against conditions and discipline aboard ''Moresby''.][ After consultation between the captain and his officers, the sailors were informed that they would be charged by warrant (with their actions judged by the captain, instead of by a ]court martial
A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...
).[Frame & Baker, ''Mutiny!'', p. 143] After returning to duty, the 27 sailors were later charged with "an act prejudicial of good order and naval discipline" and generally punished by the removal of merit and good-conduct badges.[ The ]Australian Commonwealth Naval Board
The Australian Commonwealth Naval Board was the governing authority over the Royal Australian Navy from its inception and through World Wars I and II. The board was established on 1 March 1911 and consisted of civilian members of the Australian ...
felt that the captain's decision to charge by warrant was alarming, and felt the charges and punishment were an underreaction to what they considered an act of mutiny.[ After an inquiry into the incident, six of the sailors, plus a seventh who had incited but not participated in the protest, were discharged from the navy, and provisions were made to restore sailor pay levels.][
After the surveying exercises were completed, ''Moresby'' was returned to reserve on 14 December 1934 and her boilers were converted from coal to oil burning.][ ''Moresby'' was reconverted for survey work and recommissioned on 11 April 1935, returning to northern Australia until the beginning of World War II in September 1939.][ In May 1937, after the eruption of volcanoes of the ]Rabaul caldera
The Rabaul caldera, or Rabaul Volcano, is a large volcano on the tip of the Gazelle Peninsula in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, and derives its name from the town of Rabaul inside the caldera. The caldera has many sub-vents, Tavurvur being t ...
resulted in the evacuation of Rabaul to nearby Kokopo
Kokopo is the capital of East New Britain Province in Papua New Guinea. It is administered under Kokopo-Vunamami Urban LLG. The capital was moved from Rabaul in 1994 when the volcanoes Tavurvur and Vulcan erupted. As a result, the population of ...
, ''Moresby'' was sent to New Britain and instructed to provide any assistance necessary.[ The only need for the sloop was to transport provisions to the refugees.][
During the first year of World War II, ''Moresby'' was used as an anti-submarine training vessel, a role she maintained until January 1941, when she was reassigned to survey duty in the waters of Australia and New Guinea.][ Following the Japanese attacks on the Allies in December 1941, the sloop was used as a convoy escort and anti-submarine vessel off the east coast of Australia.][ During the two years in this role, three of the convoys escorted by ''Moresby'' were attacked by Japanese submarines; December 1942 off ]Gabo Island
Gabo Island is a island located off the coast of eastern Victoria, Australia, between Mallacoota and Cape Howe on the border with New South Wales. It is separated from the mainland by a wide channel; access is available by arranged flights an ...
with no damage, April 1943 with the sinking of the Yugoslav vessel ''Recina'' and the loss of 32 of her crew, and May 1943 off the New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
coast with SS ''Ormiston'' damaged but able to reach port.[ This two-year period saw the greatest Japanese submarine activity off Australia's east coast, with sixteen other ships sunk.][
]
In November 1943, ''Moresby'' was reassigned to survey duties, and spent the rest of the war based in Darwin.[ In September and October 1945, ''Moresby'' was assigned to a group of ships assisting the re-occupation of ]Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, in the north of the Timor Sea. The island is divided between the sovereign states of East Timor on the eastern part and Indonesia on the western part. The Indonesian part, also ...
.[ The Japanese surrender of Timor was performed aboard ''Moresby'' on 11 September 1945.][ ''Moresby'' earned two ]battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible.
In European military t ...
s for her wartime service: "Pacific 1942-43", and "New Guinea 1943-44".[Royal Australian Navy, ''Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours''][Royal Australian Navy, ''Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours'']
After the ceremony, the sloop was sent to survey Yampi Sound.[ On 4 October, a second mutiny occurred aboard ''Moresby''.][Frame & Baker, ''Mutiny!'', pp. 212-3] The overcrowded conditions (particularly when carrying passengers to the Timor surrender), difficulties of surveying work, tropical conditions, and bullying by the chief boatswain's mate (who had become the ship's disciplinarian after the master-at-arms
A Master-at-Arms (US: MA; UK & some Commonwealth: MAA) may be a naval rating, responsible for law enforcement, regulating duties, security, anti-terrorism/force protection (AT/FP) for/of a country's navy; an army officer responsible for physical ...
departed at the end of World War II) were them main factors in the sailors' spontaneous decision to barricade themselves into their mess deck instead of reporting for exercises.[ Several senior personnel, including the captain, repeated the order to report with no effect, but when the captain ordered the mess deck door to be unbarred and opened, those inside did so.][Frame & Baker, ''Mutiny!'', p. 213] ''Moresby'' returned to Darwin and an inquiry was held: the spontaneity of the mutiny meant that there were no ring-leaders to identify and court-martial, so the decision was made to charge all the leading seamen involved with failure to report for duty (with ten days imprisonment followed by transfer to other ships), while the other sailors were given ten days stoppage of leave (an effectively meaningless punishment, as the ship left Darwin after the inquiry, and did not enter a port until after the punishment had expired).[ This was the last incident in RAN history where personnel were charged for mutinous acts.][
]
Decommissioning and fate
After completing the survey work, ''Moresby'' sailed to Sydney and was decommissioned into reserve for the final time on 14 March 1946, and was sold to Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd (BHP) for scrapping on 3 February 1947.[ After being towed to BHP's Newcastle works, ''Moresby'' was cut down until there was only of freeboard.][Other, ''White Lady of the North''] This 420-ton hulk was towed up the Hunter River Hunter River may refer to:
*Hunter River (New South Wales), Australia
*Hunter River (Western Australia)
*Hunter River, New Zealand
*Hunter River (Prince Edward Island), Canada
**Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, community on Hunter River, Canada
...
, beached, and broken down into sections.[
]
Citations
References
Books
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News articles
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Websites
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Moresby
Silvio
Ships built on the River Clyde
1918 ships
World War I sloops of the United Kingdom
Survey ships of the Royal Australian Navy
World War II naval ships of Australia
24-class sloops of the Royal Australian Navy