HMAS Wilcannia

HMAS Wilcannia (FYP2, WN) was a 1,049-ton anti-submarine and patrol vessel of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

HMAS Wilcannia in February 1943
History
Name:
  • Wyrallah (1934–1942) (1947–1960)
  • Colorado del Mar (1960–1964) (?? – 1972)
  • Tamata (1964–??)
  • Union Pacific (1972–1973)
  • Ocean Life (1973–1976)
  • Sri Mahkota (1976–1979)
  • Sinar Surya (1979–??)
Operator:
Builder: Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen
Launched: 1934
Fate: Broken up in 2004
Australia
Name:
  • Wyrallah (1940–1942)
  • Wilcannia (1942–1947)
Commissioned: 2 September 1940
Renamed: February 1942
Honours and
awards:
  • Battle honours:
  • Darwin 1942-43
  • Pacific 1942-44
  • New Guinea 1943
Fate: Returned to owners in 1947
General characteristics
Type: Anti-submarine vessel, patrol vessel
Length: 216.4 feet (66.0 m)
Beam: 36.7 feet (11.2 m)
Draught: 8.3 feet (2.5 m)
Armament:

Wyrallah was built in 1934 by Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen as a cargo passenger motor vessel for the North Coast Steam Navigation Company.[1][2]

She plied the Richmond River to Sydney run. At the start of World War II, Wyrallah was requisitioned and was commissioned into the RAN as an anti-submarine vessel on 2 September 1940. Wyrallah was part of the search for survivors of HMAS Sydney November 1941, off the West Australian coast.

In February 1942, her name was changed to HMAS Wilcannia, to avoid confusion with the new Bathurst class corvette, HMAS Whyalla. During the later part of her service with the RAN, she was in New Guinea waters. HMAS Fremantle collided with Wilcannia on 27 July 1944. Wilcannia earned three battle honours for her wartime service, "Darwin 1942-43", "Pacific 1942-44" and "New Guinea 1943".[3][4]

Wyrallah was returned to owners in 1947. She was sold in 1954 to John Burke & Company, Brisbane, later sold in 1960 and renamed Colorado del Mar. Changing owners again in 1964 and renamed Tamata, briefly before changing ownership and renamed Colorado del Mar. Sold in 1972 and renamed Union Pacific, before being renamed Ocean Life in 1973, Sri Mahkota in 1976, Sinar Surya in 1979.[1]

Fate

She was broken up at Chittagong, Bangladesh in March 2004.

References
  1. "North Coast Steam Navigation Company". Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  2. "New Coastal Vessels". Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 4 July 1934, p.14. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  3. "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 16 May 2012.
  4. "Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours" (PDF). Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
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