.jpg) HMASKiama in 1944 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia | |
| Name | HMASKiama |
| Namesake | Town ofKiama, New South Wales |
| Builder | Evans Deakin & Co |
| Laid down | 2 November 1942 |
| Launched | 3 July 1943 |
| Commissioned | 26 January 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 3 April 1946 |
| Identification | Pennant number: J353 |
| Honours and awards |
|
| Fate | Transferred to RNZN |
 New Zealand | |
| Acquired | 5 March 1952 |
| Decommissioned | 19 August 1976 |
| Renamed | HMNZSKiama |
| Reclassified | Training ship |
| Identification | Pennant number: M353 |
| Fate | Paid off for disposal |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Bathurst-classcorvette |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 186 ft (57 m) |
| Beam | 31 ft (9.4 m) |
| Draught | 8.5 ft (2.6 m) |
| Installed power | 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement |
|
| Armament |
|
HMASKiama, named for the coastal town ofKiama, New South Wales, was one of 60Bathurst-classcorvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by theRoyal Australian Navy (RAN).[1]
After World War II, the corvette was one of four sold to theRoyal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). She served asHMNZSKiama from 1952 until 1976, when the corvette was paid off and marked for disposal.
In 1938, theAustralian 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 adisplacement of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least 10knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), and a range of 2,000nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi)[4] The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelledBar-classboom defence vessel saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph) top speed, and a range of 2,850 nautical miles (5,280 km; 3,280 mi), armed with a 4-inch gun, equipped withasdic, and able to fitted with eitherdepth charges orminesweeping equipment depending on the planned operations: although closer in size to asloop 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 prototypeHMAS Kangaroo 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 (includingKiama) ordered by the RAN, 20 ordered by theBritish Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for theRoyal Indian Navy.[2][7][8][9][1]
Kiama was constructed byEvans Deakin & Co, atBrisbane, Queensland.[1] She waslaid down on 2 November 1942, andlaunched on 3 July 1943 by Mrs. G. Lawson, wife of theMinister for Transport.[1]Kiama wascommissioned into the RAN on 26 January 1944.[1] The coastal community of Kiama, after which the vessel was named, donated recreational materiel for her crew including a radio set, books, and a 16 mm movie projector.[10][11]
Kiama's first deployment was in March 1944 toMilne Bay inNew Guinea.[1] From her arrival until September 1944, the corvette's main duty was to escort convoys along the New Guinea coastline, although a reassignment for the duration of June sawKiama perform anti-submarine patrols in theSolomon Sea.[1] In September,Kiama was used to transport soldiers between New Guinea andNew Britain.[1] On conclusion, she resumed her convoy escort role until the end of 1944, when she departed for Sydney.[1] During her eight months in New Guinea waters,Kiama travelled over 30,000 nautical miles (56,000 km), was at sea for more than 3,000 hours.[1]
In September 1944 'C' Troop and a small detachment from 'B' Troop, from the2/8th Commando Squadron were landed from HMAS Kiama on a reconnaissance operation atJacquinot Bay on the island ofNew Britain, to collect intelligence in preparation for an assault by the5th Division.[12]
The corvette arrived inSydney on 21 December 1944.[1] On 25 December, the crew was recalled from leave to go to the assistance of theliberty shipSS Robert J. Walker, which had been torpedoed by German submarineU-862.[1]Kiama, along withQuickmatch,Yandra, andUSS PC597 were dispatched to the last known location of the ship and began to search the area for the liberty ship's crew and the attacking submarine; finding the 67 survivors of the attack at 05:45 on 26 December but failing to locateU-862.[13]Kiama was assigned to anti-submarine patrols near Sydney for the final days of the year, before sailing toAdelaide for a month-long refit on 3 January 1945.[1]
Post-refit,Kiama was assigned toFremantle for two months of anti-submarine warfare exercises with theUnited States Navy, before returning to New Guinea on 7 May 1945.[1] In May and June, the corvette performed several coastal bombardments in theBougainville area.[1] In July,Kiama transportedPrince Henry, Duke of Gloucester from New Guinea to the Solomon Islands, then spent the rest of the month moving troops and military cargo between these two locations.[1] From 5 to 24 August, the corvette was based in Brisbane, before returning to New Guinea waters.[1]Kiama spent the rest of 1945 as a troop and supply transport, minesweeper, and general duties vessel.[1] When the war ended,Kiama took part in the Japanese surrender atRabaul.[14] In November,Kiama was assigned to escort demilitarized Japanese cruiserKashima as the cruiser embarked Japanese soldiers in New Guinea for repatriation.[15]
Kiama returned to Sydney on 29 January 1946.[1] In February she paid a six-day farewell visit to the town of Kiama, ahead of herdecommission into the Reserve on 3 April.[1][16] During her wartime service, the ship had been at sea for 6,369 hours, and had sailed a distance of 60,822 nautical miles (112,642 km).[1] She earned twobattle honours: "Pacific 1944–45" and "New Guinea 1944".[17][18]
On 5 March 1952,Kiama and three otherBathurst-class corvettes (Echuca,Inverell, andStawell) were transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy.[19]Kiama was commissioned into the RNZN,[when?] receiving the prefix HMNZS. Upon acquisition by New Zealand, the corvette was converted into atraining ship.[20]Kiama's 4-inch gun and aft minesweeping equipment were removed, and replaced with two40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns.[20] This is contradicted by a 1996 newspaper article which said it had been mothballed by the New Zealand Navy and converted to a training ship and for use on fisheries patrols in 1966.[21]
In 1966,Kiama was re-commissioned under command of Lieutenant-Commander E Burrows in the 27th Fisheries Protection Squadron to join her sister shipHMNZS Inverell.[22][23] Other duties included search-and-rescue operations and transportation of scientific teams to small island along New Zealand's coastline.[24][25]
In May 1966 theKiama was involved in the search for theKaitawa which was lost with all hands near 90 mile beach.[26] Apart from the initial search, theKiama formed part ofOperation Seabed, along with theInverell and the frigateTaranaki.[27]
The corvette revisited her namesake town in Australia in late 1966.[28]
On 27 May 1968 the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral J O Ross, described theKiama andInverell as obsolete and no longer fit for purpose.[33] TheKiama remained in service until 1975 when it was placed in reserve. The ship waspaid off for disposal on 19 August 1976 andbroken up in 1979.[1][20]
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