HMAS Cessnock (J175) explained

HMAS Cessnock (J175/B240/A114), named for the town of Cessnock, New South Wales, was one of 60 Bathurst-class corvettes constructed during World War II and one of 20 built for the Admiralty but manned by personnel of and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).[1]

Design and construction

See main article: Bathurst-class corvette. 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.[2] [3] The vessel was initially envisaged as having a displacement of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least, and a range of [4] The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelled Bar-class boom defence vessel saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a top speed, and a range of, armed with a 4 inch Mk XIX 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.[2] [5] Construction of the prototype did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.[6] 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 ordered by the RAN, 20 (including Cessnock) ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.[2] [7] [8] [9] [1]

Cessnock was laid down by Cockatoo Docks and Engineering at Sydney, New South Wales on 16 April 1941.[1] She was launched on 17 October 1941 by Lady Gordon, wife of Sir Thomas Gordon, a director of the constructing firm, and commissioned on 26 January 1942.[1]

Operational history

After a period of working up, Cessnock commenced duty as an escort vessel and escorted Allied shipping travelling between Townsville and New Guinea until September 1942.[1] Cessnock was then assigned as an anti-submarine patrol ship operating in Western Australian waters from October until November 1942, when she was assigned to the British Eastern Fleet and based in Kenya.[1]

Cessnock escorted Allied convoys in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea during 1943 and 1944.[1] In January 1945 she returned to Australia and became part of the British Pacific Fleet in February.[1] The ship operated as an escort in the Pacific until the end of the war.[1]

Cessnock was present in Tokyo Bay on Victory over Japan Day (2 September 1945), when the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed.[10]

Four battle honours were awarded to Cessnock for her wartime service: "Pacific 1942", "New Guinea 1942", "Indian Ocean 1942–45", and "Sicily 1943".[11] [12]

Fate

Cessnock paid off on 12 July 1946 and was sold for scrap to the Nan Chiao Shipping and Salvage Company of Shanghai, China on 23 April 1947.[1]

References

Books
Journal and news articles

Notes and References

  1. Web site: HMAS Cessnock (I) . 21 December 2008 . HMA Ship Histories . Sea Power Centre – Royal Australian Navy.
  2. Stevens, The Australian Corvettes, p. 1
  3. Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, p. 103
  4. Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 103–4
  5. Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 103–5
  6. Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, p. 104
  7. Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 105, 148
  8. Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, p. 29
  9. Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 108
  10. Web site: Allied Ships Present in Tokyo Bay During the Surrender Ceremony, 2 September 1945 . 13 January 2007 . 27 May 2005 . Naval Historical Center – U.S. Navy . Taken from Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPAC/CINCPOA) A16-3/FF12 Serial 0395, 11 February 1946: Report of Surrender and Occupation of Japan . 5 February 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070205021301/http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq69-2.htm . dead .
  11. News: Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours . 1 March 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110613184920/http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours . 13 June 2011 . Royal Australian Navy . 23 December 2012.
  12. Web site: Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours . 1 March 2010 . Royal Australian Navy . https://web.archive.org/web/20110614064156/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf . 14 June 2011 . 23 December 2012.

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