HMAS Lithgow (J206) explained
HMAS Lithgow (J206/M206), named for the city of
Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia was one of 60
Bathurst-class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by 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 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 (including Lithgow) ordered by the RAN, 20 ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.[2] [7] [8] [9] [1]
Lithgow was laid down by Morts Dock & Engineering Co at Mort's Dock in Balmain, New South Wales on 19 August 1940.[1] She was launched on 21 December 1940, and commissioned into the RAN on 14 June 1941.[1]
Operational history
Lithgow, in company with,, and, sank the enemy Japanese submarine I-124 off Darwin, the first enemy submarine sunk in Australian waters, on 20 January 1942.[1]
In May 1943, Lithgow was one of several ships to search for survivors following the torpedoing of AHS Centaur, with no success.[10]
The corvette received three battle honours for her wartime service: "Darwin 1942", "Pacific 1941–45", and "New Guinea 1942–44".[11] [12]
Fate
Lithgow paid off to reserve on 8 June 1948 and was sold for scrap to the Hong Kong Delta Shipping Company on 8 August 1956.[1]
References
- Books
- Book: Donohue, Hector . From Empire Defence to the Long Haul: post-war defence policy and its impact on naval force structure planning 1945–1955 . Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs . 1 . October 1996 . Sea Power Centre . Canberra . 0-642-25907-0 . 1327-5658 . 36817771.
- Book: Stevens, David . A Critical Vulnerability: the impact of the submarine threat on Australia's maritime defense 1915–1954 . Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs . 15 . 2005 . Sea Power Centre Australia . Canberra . 0-642-29625-1 . 62548623 . 1327-5658.
- Book: Stevens, David . Sears, Jason. Goldrick, James. Cooper, Alastair. Jones, Peter. Spurling, Kathryn . Stevens, David . The Royal Australian Navy . The Australian Centenary History of Defence (vol III) . 2001 . Oxford University Press . South Melbourne, VIC . 0-19-554116-2 . 50418095.
- Journal and news articles
- Stevens . David . May 2010 . The Australian Corvettes . Hindsight (Semaphore) . Sea Power Centre – Australia . 2010 . 5 . 13 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110320183407/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Semaphore_2010_5.pdf . 20 March 2011 .
Notes and References
- Web site: HMAS Lithgow . 15 September 2008 . Sea Power Centre Australia.
- Stevens, The Australian Corvettes, p. 1
- Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, p. 103
- Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 103–4
- Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 103–5
- Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, p. 104
- Stevens, A Critical Vulnerability, pp. 105, 148
- Donohue, From Empire Defence to the Long Haul, p. 29
- Stevens et al., The Royal Australian Navy, p. 108
- Book: Smith, A.E. . Three Minutes of Time – the torpedoing of the Australian Hospital Ship Centaur . 1991 . Second Printing . May 1992 . Tasman Press . Miami, QLD . 0-646-07631-0.
- 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.
- 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.