HMAS Warramunga (I44)
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HMAS ''Warramunga'' (I44/D123) was a
destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...
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). Built during
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 ...
, the destroyer entered service in late 1942. She was initially assigned to convoy escort duties, but was assigned to the joint Australian-American
Task Force 74 Task Force 74 was a naval task force that has existed twice. The first Task Force 74 was a mixed Allied force of Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy, and United States Navy ships which operated against Japanese forces from 1943 to 1945 during the ...
in 1943, and was involved in supporting numerous amphibious landings through the South-east Asian region until the end of the war. From 1950 and 1952, ''Warramunga'' fought in the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, then was converted into an anti-submarine destroyer. Returning to service in 1954, the destroyer was one of the first RAN ships to operate with the
Far East Strategic Reserve The British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve (commonly referred to as the ''Far East Strategic Reserve'' or the ''FESR'') was a joint military force of the British, Australian, and New Zealand armed forces. Created in the 1950s and based in ...
, and undertook two tours with the organisation before she was decommissioned in 1959 and sold for
ship breaking Ship-breaking (also known as ship recycling, ship demolition, ship dismantling, or ship cracking) is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships for either a source of parts, which can be sold for re-use, or for the extraction ...
in 1963.


Description

''Warramunga'' was one of three destroyers built for the RAN during World War II. The ship had a displacement of 2,031 tons, a length of
overall Overalls, also called bib-and-brace overalls or dungarees, are a type of garment usually used as protective clothing when working. The garments are commonly referred to as a "pair of overalls" by analogy with "pair of trousers". Overalls were ...
and
between perpendiculars Length between perpendiculars (often abbreviated as p/p, p.p., pp, LPP, LBP or Length BPP) is the length of a ship along the summer load line from the forward surface of the stem, or main bow perpendicular member, to the after surface of the ster ...
, a beam of , and a mean draught of .Cassells, ''The Destroyers'', p. 182 Propulsion machinery consisted of three drum boilers feeding Parsons impulse-reaction turbines, which supplied to the two propeller shafts.Cassells, ''The Destroyers'', p. 183 The destroyer had a maximum speed of . She could travel at or at . The ship's company consisted of 7 officers and 190 sailors. When she was launched in 1942, the ship's main armament consisted of six 4.7-inch Mark XII guns sited in three twin turrets. This was supplemented by two 4-inch Mark XVI* guns in a single twin turret, a quad-barrelled 2-pounder Mark VIII pom pom, six single 20 mm Oerlikons, a quadruple 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tube set, and a rail to launch
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 ...
s. During 1945, the six Oerlikons were replaced with six 40 mm Bofors guns, and two depth charge throwers were added. In 1949, half of the torpedo payload and most of the depth charge payload was removed, to allow for the installation of a new motor cutter. In 1952, the aftmost 4.7-inch turret was replaced by a
Squid True squid are molluscs with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the superorder Decapodiformes, though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fitting t ...
anti-submarine mortar.


Construction and career

''Warramunga'' was laid down 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 ...
at its
Cockatoo Island Dockyard The Cockatoo Island Dockyard was a major dockyard in Sydney, Australia, based on Cockatoo Island. The dockyard was established in 1857 to maintain Royal Navy warships. It later built and repaired military and battle ships, and played a key role ...
on 10 February 1940. The destroyer was launched on 7 February 1942 by the wife of Francis Michael Forde, the Minister for the Army. ''Warramunga'' was commissioned into the RAN on 23 December 1942, the day after her completion. The ship's name comes from the Warramungu Aborigines.


World War II

''Warramunga'' was originally assigned to convoy escort duty between
Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...
and
New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...
. During April and May 1943, the destroyer was docked for refit. On completion, she was assigned to
Task Force 74 Task Force 74 was a naval task force that has existed twice. The first Task Force 74 was a mixed Allied force of Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy, and United States Navy ships which operated against Japanese forces from 1943 to 1945 during the ...
, which was operating off the coast of Queensland. In July, the Task Force provided cover for
Operation Chronicle Operation Chronicle was the Allied invasion of Woodlark and Kiriwina Islands, in the South West Pacific, during World War II. The operation was a subordinate action that formed part of the wider Operation Cartwheel, the advance towards Rabau ...
, the landings at
Kiriwina Kiriwina is the largest of the Trobriand Islands, with an area of 290.5 km². It is part of the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. Most of the 12,000 people who live in the Trobriands live on Kiriwina. The Kilivila language, also known ...
and
Woodlark Island Woodlark Island, known to its inhabitants simply as Woodlark or Muyua, is the main island of the Woodlark Islands archipelago, located in Milne Bay Province and the Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea. Although no formal census has been conducted sinc ...
s. After was damaged by a Japanese torpedo on 20 July, ''Warramunga'' and sister ship escorted the cruiser from Espiritu Santo to Sydney. After this, ''Warramunga'' escorted two convoys from Townsville to Milne Bay, then a force of
US Marines The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
from Melbourne to
Goodenough Island Goodenough Island in the Solomon Sea, also known as Nidula Island, is the westernmost of the three large islands of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. It lies to the east of mainland New Guinea and southwest ...
. After a refit in Sydney, ''Warramunga'' escorted the cruiser to Brisbane, where the two ships joined Task Force 74. On 29 October, ''Warramunga'' shelled
Gasmata Gasmata is a village on the southern coast of New Britain, Papua New Guinea located at 6° 16' 60S 150° 19' 60E. There is a Gasmata Airport in Surumi Peninsula area adjacent. The village is administered under Gasmata Rural LLG in East New Britain ...
. On 15 December, the destroyer supported the amphibious landings at Arawe. On 26 December, ''Warramunga'' was involved in pre-landing bombardments at Cape Gloucester. At the start of 1944, ''Warramunga'' helped cover the
Landing at Saidor The landing at Saidor, codenamed Operation Michaelmas, was an Allied amphibious landing at Saidor, Papua New Guinea on 2 January 1944 as part of Operation Dexterity during World War II. In Allied hands, Saidor was a stepping stone towards Ma ...
, before leaving Task Force 74 for refits in Sydney.Cassells, ''The Destroyers'', p. 184 After rejoining the task fore at the start of February, ''Warramunga'' participated in amphibious landings in the Admiralties, at Tanamera Bay, Wakde-Sarmi, and
Biak Biak is an island located in Cenderawasih Bay near the northern coast of Papua (province), Papua, an Indonesian province, and is just northwest of New Guinea. Biak is the largest island in its small archipelago, and has many atolls, reefs, and c ...
. From May to July, the destroyer was assigned to patrol and escort duties. On 22 July, ''Warramunga'' and the cruiser sailed to Sydney for refits and leave. Returning in August, the destroyer was involved in the Morotai landings on 15 September. ''Warramunga'' was part of the covering force for the Leyte landings, and after ''Australia'' and were damaged during the operation, escorted the two cruisers back to port for repairs. At the start of 1945, while assigned to Manus Island, ''Warramunga''s Oerlikon guns were replaced with Bofors taken from a disabled US Landing Ship Dock. During the
invasion of Lingayen Gulf The Invasion of Lingayen Gulf ( fil, Paglusob sa Golpo ng Lingayen), 6–9 January 1945, was an Allies of World War II, Allied Amphibious warfare, amphibious operation in the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Philippines during World War II. In t ...
in January, ''Warramunga'' was nearly hit by a Japanese
kamikaze , officially , were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, intending to d ...
aircraft, which instead crashed into the destroyer . On 1 May, the destroyer supported the landing at Tarakan, then nine days later participated in landings at Wewak, before sailing to Australia for a two-month refit. On her return to Subic Bay, ''Warramunga'' was present for the Japanese surrender of the Philippines. The destroyer then sailed for Japan, and was present in
Tokyo Bay is a bay located in the southern Kantō region of Japan, and spans the coasts of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Chiba Prefecture. Tokyo Bay is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Uraga Channel. The Tokyo Bay region is both the most populous a ...
on
Victory over Japan Day Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on ...
(2 September 1945), when the
Japanese Instrument of Surrender The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that formalized the surrender of the Empire of Japan, marking the end of hostilities in World War II. It was signed by representatives from the Empire of Japan and from the Allied nat ...
was signed. The destroyer earned five
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 1943–45", "New Guinea 1943–44", "Leyte Gulf 1944", "Lingayen Gulf 1945", and "Borneo 1945". After the end of World War II, ''Warramunga'' assisted in the repatriation of prisoners-of-war, and served four tours of duty with the
British Commonwealth Occupation Force The British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) was the British Commonwealth taskforce consisting of Australian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952. At its peak, t ...
.Cassells, ''The Destroyers'', pp. 184–5


Korean War

On 6 August 1950, ''Warramunga'' sailed to join
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
forces involved in the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
.Cassells, ''The Destroyers'' p. 185 Most of the ship's first tour consisted of patrols and shore bombardments. In February 1951, ''Warramunga'' and the U.S. Navy destroyer were sent to recover an intelligence party. En route, it was learned that the party had been captured by the North Koreans, who had set up the extraction to capture the recovery party, and when the two destroyers received the light signal, shelled the area and killed the North Koreans. During May and June, the destroyer underwent repairs for gale damage. On 6 September, she returned to Sydney and docked for refit. On 11 January 1952, ''Warramunga'' sailed for a second Korean War tour. During this second tour, which concluded on 12 August, the ship operated on coastal patrols, and fired 4,151 4.7-inch shells. A sixth battle honour, "Korea 1950–52" was awarded to the destroyer to recognise these deployments. On 12 November, the destroyer docked for conversion into an anti-submarine destroyer, including the replacement of her aft gun turret with a Squid mortar.


Post-war

''Warramunga'' returned to duty in February 1955, and remained in Australian waters until May 1955, when she sailed to the Far East for exercises with the Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy. ''Warramunga'' stayed in the area, and became one of the first Australian warships assigned to the
Far East Strategic Reserve The British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve (commonly referred to as the ''Far East Strategic Reserve'' or the ''FESR'') was a joint military force of the British, Australian, and New Zealand armed forces. Created in the 1950s and based in ...
. She returned on 19 December. In April 1957, the destroyer was involved in
South East Asia Treaty Organisation The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was an international organization for collective defense in Southeast Asia created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, or Manila Pact, signed in September 1954 in Manila, the Philipp ...
exercises.Cassells, ''The Destroyers'' p. 186 In 1958, she operated again with the Strategic Reserve.


Decommissioning and fate

''Warramunga'' paid off to reserve at Sydney on 7 December 1959. The ship was marked for disposal on 22 May 1961. She was sold to Kinoshita and Company Limited on 15 February 1963, and was towed to Japan for
ship breaking Ship-breaking (also known as ship recycling, ship demolition, ship dismantling, or ship cracking) is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships for either a source of parts, which can be sold for re-use, or for the extraction ...
.


Notes


References

*


Further reading

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Warramunga Tribal-class destroyers (1936) of the Royal Australian Navy Ships built in New South Wales 1942 ships World War II destroyers of Australia Korean War destroyers of Australia