HMAS Doomba

HMAS Doomba was a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) warship of World War II. Built for the Royal Navy around the end of World War I as the Hunt-class minesweeper HMS Wexford, the ship only saw two years of service before she was decommissioned in 1921 and sold to the Doomba Shipping Company. The vessel was renamed SS Doomba, converted into a passenger ship, and operated in the waters around Brisbane until 1939, when she was requisitioned by the RAN for wartime service. Serving first as an auxiliary minehunter, then an auxiliary anti-submarine vessel, HMAS Doomba was purchased outright by the RAN in 1940, and served until early 1946, when she was sold and converted into a linseed oil lighter. Doomba was scuttled off Dee Why, New South Wales in 1976.

HMAS Doomba in 1942
HMAS Doomba in 1942
History
United Kingdom
NameWexford
BuilderWilliam Simons & Co, Renfrew, Scotland
Launched10 October 1919
Commissioned1919
Decommissioned1921
FateSold into mercantile service, later acquired by RAN
History
Australia
NameDoomba
Acquired4 September 1939
Commissioned25 September 1939
Decommissioned13 March 1946
Honours and
awards
  • Battle honours:
  • Pacific 1941–43
FateConverted to an oil lighter in 1947 and scuttled in 1976
General characteristics (RAN service)
Class and typeHunt-class minesweeper
Displacement750 tons gross
Length231 ft (70 m)
Beam28 ft 6 in (8.69 m)
Draught16 ft 6 in (5.03 m)
Speed17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Armament1 × 4-inch (102 mm) gun, 1 × Bofors 40 mm, 1 × Oerlikon 20 mm, 2 × Lewis gun, 2 × Vickers MG, 51 depth charges
NotesTaken from:[1]

Building

The ship was built for the RN as the Hunt-class minesweeper HMS Wexford. She was constructed by William Simons & Co at their shipyard in Renfrew, Scotland, launched in 1919, and commissioned later that year.

Operational history
SS Doomba in civilian passenger service in 1923

The minehunter was decommissioned from the RN in 1921 and sold to the Doomba Shipping Company. After being converted to a passenger ship and renamed Doomba, she entered mercantile service in 1923, and was used to carry tourists between Brisbane and Bribie Island.[2] In this role, she could carry 1,500 passengers, and was also used as a flagship for regattas.[3]

The RAN requisitioned Doomba won 4 September 1939 and purchased in June 1940. In her service with the RAN, Doomba was first used as an auxiliary mine sweeper and later an auxiliary anti-submarine vessel. Her service during World War II earned the ship a battle honour: "Pacific 1941–43".[4][5]

She was decommissioned from the RAN on 13 March 1946 and sold on 3 February 1947.[1] She was converted to a linseed oil lighter in 1947 and renamed Meggol.

Fate

On 9 December 1976, Meggol was scuttled off Dee Why, New South Wales.[2][6] 33.716083°S 151.347217°E / -33.716083; 151.347217

References
  1. Straczek, J.H. (1996). The Royal Australian Navy. Ships, Aircraft and Shore Establishments. Sydney: Navy Public Affairs – Sydney. ISBN 1-876043-78-4.
  2. Lind, L.J (31 December 1973). "The Four Lives of HMS Wexford". Naval Historical Society of Australia. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
  3. O'Malley, Brendan (13 January 2009). "Luxury was a Moreton Bay outing on the Doomba". Courier Mail. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
  4. "Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours". Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  5. "Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours" (PDF). Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  6. "Australian Naval History on 09 December 1976". Naval Historical Society of Australia. 9 December 1976. Retrieved 26 August 2009.

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