HMAS Doomba
| HMAS Doomba in 1942 HMAS Doomba in 1942 | |
| Career (United Kingdom) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Wexford |
| Builder: | William Simons & Co, Renfrew United Kingdom |
| Launched: | 1919 |
| Commissioned: | 1919 |
| Decommissioned: | 1921 |
| Fate: | Sold into mercantile service, later acquired by RAN |
| Career (Australia) | |
| Name: | HMAS Doomba |
| Acquired: | 4 September 1939 |
| Commissioned: | 25 September 1939 |
| Decommissioned: | 13 March 1946 |
| Fate: | Converted to an oil lighter in 1947 and scuttled in 1976 |
| General characteristics (RAN service) | |
| Class and type: | Hunt class minesweeper |
| Displacement: | 750 tons gross |
| Length: | 231 feet (70 m) |
| Beam: | 28 feet 6 inches (8.69 m) |
| Draught: | 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 m) |
| Speed: | 17 knots (31 km/h) |
| Armament: | 1 x 4 inch gun, 1 x Bofors 40 mm, 1 x Oerlikon 20 mm, 2 x Lewis Gun, 2 x Vickers MG, 51 depth charges |
| Notes: | Ship characteristics from Straczek[1] |
HMAS Doomba was a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) warship of World War II. She was built for the British Royal Navy as the Hunt class minesweeper HMS Wexford, entering service in 1919. She was decommissioned from the RN in 1921 and sold to the Doomba Shipping Company. After being converted to a cruise 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 1500 passengers and was also used as a flagship for regattas.[3]
Doomba was requisitioned by the RAN on 4 September 1939 and purchased in June 1940. During her service with the RAN Doomba was first used as an auxiliary mine sweeper and later an auxiliary anti-submarine vessel. 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, on 9 December 1976, was scuttled off Dee Why.[2][4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Straczek, J.H. (1996). The Royal Australian Navy. Ships, Aircraft and Shore Establishments. Sydney: Navy Public Affairs - Sydney. ISBN 1876043784.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lind, L.J. "The Four Lives of HMS Wexford". Naval Historical Society of Australia. http://www.navyhistory.org.au/the-four-lives-of-hms-wexford/. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- ↑ O'Malley, Brendan (13 January 2009). "Luxury was a Moreton Bay outing on the Doomba". Courier Mail. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24902054-5018552,00.html. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- ↑ "Australian Naval History on 09 December 1976". Naval Historical Society of Australia. http://www.navyhistory.org.au/09-december-1976/. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- Pages with broken file links
- Hunt class minesweepers (1916)
- Ships built in the United Kingdom
- 1919 ships
- World War I minesweepers of the United Kingdom
- Merchant ships of Australia
- Minesweepers of the Royal Australian Navy
- Patrol vessels of the Royal Australian Navy
- World War II minesweepers of Australia
- Scuttled vessels of New South Wales
