HMAS ''Parramatta'', named after the

Parramatta River The Parramatta River is an intermediate tide-dominated, drowned valley estuary located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. With an average depth of , the Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson. Seco ...

, was a

River-class torpedo-boat destroyer The River class was a class of six torpedo-boat destroyers operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The design was based on a modified version of the British River-class destroyer, 13 of which were planned under the 1904 Naval Estimates, b ...

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). Ordered in 1909 for the

Commonwealth Naval Forces 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 ...

(the predecessor of the RAN), ''Parramatta'' was the first ship launched for the RAN. Temporarily commissioned into 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 F ...

for the delivery voyage to Australia, the destroyer came under Australian naval control in 1910, and was recommissioned into the RAN on 1 March 1911, shortly before the latter's formal creation. After the beginning of the First World War in 1914 until 1917, ''Parramatta'' was conducted patrols in the Pacific and

South-East Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...

, before she and her

sister ship A sister ship is a ship of the same class or of virtually identical design to another ship. Such vessels share a nearly identical hull and superstructure layout, similar size, and roughly comparable features and equipment. They often share a ...

s were transferred to the Mediterranean for anti-submarine operations. She returned to Australia in 1919 and was placed in

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...

. Apart from a brief period of full commission during the visit of the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

in 1920, ''Parramatta'' remained in reserve until 1928. She was fully decommissioned in 1928, stripped of parts, and sold for use as prisoner accommodation on the

Hawkesbury River The Hawkesbury River, or Hawkesbury-Nepean River, is a river located northwest of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its associated main tributary, the Nepean River, almost encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney. ...

. After changing hands several times, the hull ran aground during a

gale A gale is a strong wind; the word is typically used as a descriptor in nautical contexts. The U.S. National Weather Service defines a gale as sustained surface winds moving at a speed of between 34 and 47 knots (, or ).salvaged, and converted into memorials.

Description

The Australian River-class destroyers had an

overall length The overall length (OAL) of an ammunition cartridge is a measurement from the base of the brass shell casing to the tip of the bullet, seated into the brass casing. Cartridge overall length, or "COL", is important to safe functioning of reloads i ...

of , a

beam Beam may refer to: Streams of particles or energy *Light beam, or beam of light, a directional projection of light energy **Laser beam *Particle beam, a stream of charged or neutral particles **Charged particle beam, a spatially localized grou ...

of Briggs, "Australia's First Destroyers", p. 157 and a

draft Draft, The Draft, or Draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vessel ...

of .HMAS Parramatta (I) They displaced at normal load. The destroyers were powered by one set of

Parsons Parsons may refer to: Places In the United States: * Parsons, Kansas, a city * Parsons, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Parsons, Tennessee, a city * Parsons, West Virginia, a town * Camp Parsons, a Boy Scout camp in the state of Washingt ...

steam turbine A steam turbine is a machine that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and uses it to do mechanical work on a rotating output shaft. Its modern manifestation was invented by Charles Parsons in 1884. Fabrication of a modern steam turbin ...

s that drove three propeller shafts using steam provided by three Yarrow boilers. The turbines were rated at which was designed to give the ships a speed of . During her sea trials, ''Parramatta'' was able to achieve . The ships could carry enough fuel oil to give them a range of at a speed of . The ship's company consisted of between 66 and 73 crewmen, including five officers. The ship were armed with a single BL Mk VIII gun in a platform on the forecastle, three 12-pounder () 12 cwt guns"Cwt" is the abbreviation for hundredweight, 20 cwt referring to the weight of the gun. in single mounts, one on each

broadside Broadside or broadsides may refer to: Naval * Broadside (naval), terminology for the side of a ship, the battery of cannon on one side of a warship, or their near simultaneous fire on naval warfare Printing and literature * Broadside (comic ...

amidships and the third on the

quarterdeck The quarterdeck is a raised deck behind the main mast of a sailing ship. Traditionally it was where the captain commanded his vessel and where the ship's colours were kept. This led to its use as the main ceremonial and reception area on bo ...

. They were also fitted with three 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes in rotating single mounts, two aft of the rear funnel and the last on the quarterdeck at the stern.

Construction and career

''Parramatta'', along with

s and , were ordered on 13 March 1909; the first ships to be ordered for the

, the post- Federation amalgamation of the Australian colonial navies. The ship was laid down by

Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a Scottish shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow. Fairfields, as it is often known, was a major warship builder, turning out many vessels for the Royal Navy ...

, at its

shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...

in Govan, Scotland, on 17 March.Cassells, ''The Destroyers'', p. 74 She was launched on 9 February 1910 by

Margot Asquith Emma Margaret Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith (' Tennant; 2 February 1864 – 28 July 1945), known as Margot Asquith, was a British socialite, author. She was married to H. H. Asquith, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from 18 ...

, wife of British Prime Minister

Herbert Asquith Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, (12 September 1852 – 15 February 1928), generally known as H. H. Asquith, was a British statesman and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of ...

; the first new ship launched for the Australian navy. Construction was completed on 10 September, and the ship was commissioned into the

as HMS ''Parramatta'' for the voyage out to Australia. ''Parramatta'' and sister ship sailed from Portsmouth on 19 September. Once the ships arrived in Broome in December, they were transferred to the control of the

.Cassells, ''The Destroyers'', p. 75 After entering Australian control, the two ships sailed to Melbourne for a gala welcome. During the celebrations, the ship's engineering officer fell overboard and drowned. On 1 March 1911, ''Parramatta'' was recommissioned as His Majesty's Australian Ship, although the HMAS prefix was not officially approved until 10 July, when King George V granted permission for the Commonwealth Naval Forces to be renamed the Royal Australian Navy. On 4 October 1913, ''Parramatta'' took part in a formal fleet entry into

Sydney Harbour Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...

welcoming the

battlecruiser The battlecruiser (also written as battle cruiser or battle-cruiser) was a type of capital ship of the first half of the 20th century. These were similar in displacement, armament and cost to battleships, but differed in form and balance of attr ...

World War I

During the early stages of World War I, ''Parramatta'' operated with the Australian fleet in the search for the German East Asia Squadron, then was involved in the capture of German colonies in the South Pacific region, including German New Guinea, and the consolidation of Allied occupation in these regions. On 5 February 1915, ''Parramatta'' and sister ships ''Yarra'' and sailed for Australia, where they were used for convoy escort duties along the continent's eastern coast until November. The ships were refitted at Sydney, then sent to patrol the region around

Malaya Malaya refers to a number of historical and current political entities related to what is currently Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia: Political entities * British Malaya (1826–1957), a loose collection of the British colony of the Straits ...

, the East Indies, and the Philippines. ''Parramatta'' returned to Australia on 17 July 1916, and patrolled home waters until 17 May 1917, when she and her sister ships were ordered to Malta. HMAS Parramatta

On arrival, the six River-class ships were to undergo anti-submarine training, but were instead immediately deployed on convoy escort operations from

Port Said Port Said ( ar, بورسعيد, Būrsaʿīd, ; grc, Πηλούσιον, Pēlousion) is a city that lies in northeast Egypt extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal. With an approximate population of 6 ...

to Malta. On 16 August, lookouts aboard ''Parramatta'' spotted the

wake Wake or The Wake may refer to: Culture *Wake (ceremony), a ritual which takes place during some funeral ceremonies *Wakes week, an English holiday tradition * Parish Wake, another name of the Welsh ', the fairs held on the local parish's patron s ...

from a periscope. The destroyer sped to the area of the sighting, and dropped a

depth charge A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon. It is intended to destroy a submarine by being dropped into the water nearby and detonating, subjecting the target to a powerful and destructive Shock factor, hydraulic shock. Most depth ...

on a submarine travelling just below the surface. After completing the convoy run, the Australian warships completed the training, and were assigned to patrols of the

Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) ...

. For this, ''Parramatta'' was fitted with an observation balloon. On 16 November 1917, ''Parramatta'' and several sister ships came to assist the Italian transport ''Orione'', whose stern had been destroyed by a torpedo. ''Parramatta'' towed the stricken ship towards the mainland, while ''Warrego'' and recovered survivors and ''Yarra'' chased the attacking submarine. Apart from this, the patrols were uneventful, and on 28 September 1918, ''Parramatta'' was refitted in Greece before joining Allied forces at Constantinople. During October 1918, following the surrender of Turkish forces, ''Parramatta'' accepted the surrender of a German admiral assigned to the area. The destroyer was then used for mail runs between Constantinople and Sevastopol, Russia, until December, when she sailed to Devonport, arriving on 14 January 1919. During her career, ''Parramatta'' received no honours or awards for her activities during World War I. Following an overhaul of the RAN battle honours system, completed in 2010, the ship's wartime service was retroactively recognised with the honours "Rabaul 1914" and "Adriatic 1917–18".

Post-war

On 6 March 1919, ''Parramatta'' sailed for home, in company with several other Australian ships. ''Parramatta'' and ''Yarra'' ran out of fuel on 26 April, less than a day out from

Darwin Darwin may refer to: Common meanings * Charles Darwin (1809–1882), English naturalist and writer, best known as the originator of the theory of biological evolution by natural selection * Darwin, Northern Territory, a territorial capital city i ...

, and had to be towed into port by ''Warrego''. The destroyer paid off into reserve at

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

on 22 July 1919. She was recommissioned for the period 17 May to 13 June 1920 for the visit of the

aboard the battlecruiser , then was returned to reserve. From October 1924 until November 1925, ''Parramatta'' was based at

Westernport Western Port, (Boonwurrung: ''Warn Marin'') commonly but unofficially known as Western Port Bay, is a large tidal bay in southern Victoria, Australia, opening into Bass Strait. It is the second largest bay in the state. Geographically, it is ...

, Victoria for use as a training ship, then spent time in Sydney, then Adelaide, before returning to Sydney in April 1928.Cassells, ''The Destroyers'', p. 76

Decommissioning and fate

''Parramatta'' was paid off from service on 20 April 1928 and handed over to the Cockatoo Island Dockyard for dismantling on 17 October. ''Parramatta'' and ''Swan'' were stripped down, and their

hulks The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book ...

were sold to the New South Wales Penal Department and towed to Cowan Creek, where they were used to house prisoner labourers working on roads along the

. The two hulks were then sold in 1933 for 12 pounds each to George Rhodes of Cowan, New South Wales, who intended to use them as accommodation for fishers. This was opposed, and the ships were sold on to a pair of fishermen, who used them to transport

blue metal Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obse ...

to Milson and Peat Islands. On 2 February 1934, ''Parramatta'' and ''Swan'' were being towed down the Hawkesbury River

scrapped Scrap consists of recyclable materials, usually metals, left over from product manufacturing and consumption, such as parts of vehicles, building supplies, and surplus materials. Unlike waste, scrap has monetary value, especially recovered me ...

in Sydney, when a gale caused both hulls to break their tows; ''Swan'' foundered and sank, while ''Parramatta'' ran aground in a

mangrove swamp Mangrove forests, also called mangrove swamps, mangrove thickets or mangals, are productive wetlands that occur in coastal intertidal zones. Mangrove forests grow mainly at tropical and subtropical latitudes because mangroves cannot withstand fre ...

opposite Milson Island and was abandoned in position . In 1973, the bow and stern sections of ''Parramatta'' were salvaged, with the stern established as a memorial on the south bank of the

in Parramatta, and the bow later placed outside the

Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre The Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre is the maritime museum of the Royal Australian Navy. The centre opened on 4 October 2005 and is located within the Public Access Area on the northern end of the Garden Island naval base in Sydney. The ...

, at the northern tip of the naval base at Garden Island, New South Wales. The wreck and bow and stern sections are heritage listed.

Description

Construction and career

World War I

Post-war

Decommissioning and fate

Notes

Citations

References

External links