HMNZS Inverell

HMAS ''Inverell'', named for the town of Inverell, New South Wales, was one of 60 s constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

After World War II, the corvette was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), where she served from 1952 to 1976.

Design and construction

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.Stevens, ''The Australian Corvettes'', p. 1Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', p. 103 The vessel was initially envisaged as having a displacement of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least , and a range of Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', pp. 103–4 The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelled saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a top speed, and a range of , 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. Construction of the prototype did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', p. 104 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 (including ''Inverell'') ordered by the RAN, 20 ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.Stevens, ''A Critical Vulnerability'', pp. 105, 148Donohue, ''From Empire Defence to the Long Haul'', p. 29Stevens et al., ''The Royal Australian Navy'', p. 108

''Inverell'' was laid down by Mort's Dock & Engineering Co at Balmain, New South Wales on 7 December 1941. She was launched on 2 May 1942 by Mrs. T. S. Punch, Mayoress of Inverell, and commissioned into the RAN on 17 September 1942.

Operational history

World War II

''Inverell'' began service in November 1942 as a convoy escort along the eastern Australian coast. At the end of December, she was relocated to Darwin, and primarily performed escort runs between Darwin and Thursday Island. On 11 November 1943, ''Inverell'' arrived at Williamstown Naval Dockyard for a month-long refit. On conclusion, she returned to Darwin and resumed escort duties.

In early February 1943, ''Inverell'' was required to rescue the crew of a United States Army Air Forces Liberator bomber, which had crashed on Croker Island. Of the eight survivors, one died onboard while the corvette was returning to Darwin. On 22 September 1944, ''Inverell'' sailed to Fremantle.

While based in Fremantle, the corvette's main duties was to perform training exercises with United States Navy and Royal Navy submarines, with secondary duties including convoy escort and patrol. ''Inverell'' departed Fremantle for Darwin on 4 May 1945. Between 22 May and 11 July, the corvette was involve in minesweeping, before she, sister ship , and Services Reconnaissance Department vessel were assigned to Morotai. ''Inverell'' was required to tow ''River Snake'' for the first part of the voyage.

Based in Morotai, ''Inverell'' was primarily used as a patrol vessel until the end of World War II, when she became involved in the transfer of Dutch East Indies territories from Japanese to Allied control. From 21 September to 18 November, she was designated as the command ship for Port Directorate Macassar. On 29 November, she left Morotai, and spent the next month operating off the coast of Queensland before arriving in Brisbane on 25 December 1945 and preparing for decommissioning. Several delays meant that ''Inverell'' was not paid off into reserve until 14 June 1946. On 4 November 1946, ''Inverell'' was towed to Sydney by sister ship , arriving on 17 November.

The corvette received two battle honours for her wartime service: "Darwin 1942" and Pacific 1942–45".

RNZN service

On 5 March 1952, ''Inverell'' and three other ''Bathurst''-class corvettes (HMA Ships ''Echuca'', , and ''Stawell'') were transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy. ''Inverell'' was commissioned into the RNZN on 10 April 1952, but was decommissioned into reserve after a refit.

In 1965, the corvette was refitted as a training and fisheries patrol ship to replace the frigate . The 4-inch gun was replaced by a second 40 mm Bofors gun, and minesweeping gear was removed.Blackman 1971, p. 241. She was recommissioned on 15 August 1965, and served until 19 August 1976, when she was decommissioned.

On 1 November 1977, ''Inverell'' was sold to Pacific Scrap Limited of Auckland for scrapping.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Inverell
Bathurst-class corvettes of the Royal Australian Navy
Ships built in New South Wales
World War II corvettes of Australia
1942 ships
Bathurst-class corvettes of the Royal New Zealand Navy
Training ships of the Royal New Zealand Navy