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HMAS MILDURA J207

Namesake:                      City of Mildura, Vic

Builder:                           Morts Dock  in Sydney

Laid down:                     23 September 1940

Launched:                      15 March 1941

Commissioned:              23 July 1941

Decommissioned:         21 May 1948

Recommissioned:         20 February 1951

Motto:                             Look Ahead

Reclassified:                  Training ship (1951–1953)

                                         Immobilised

                                         training hulk (1954–1965)

Decommissioned:        11 September 1953

 

Battle honours:

Pacific 1941–45

New Guinea 1943–44

Fate:

The ship was sold for scrap to Brisbane Non-Ferrous on 8 September 1965.

 

 

MILDURA I copy (1).jpg

Displacement:       650 tons (standard),

                                 1,025 tons (full war load)

Length:                   186 ft (57 m)

Beam:                      31 ft (9.4 m)

Draught:                 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)

Propulsion:            1 × triple expansion engine,                                           1,750 hp  (1,300 kW), 2 shafts

Speed:                     15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)

Complement:         85

Armament:             1 × QF 4-inch gun

                                  3 × 20 mm Oerlikon (later 2)

                                  1 × Bofors 40 mm gun

                                              (installed later)

                                   Machine guns

                                   Depth charges

                                    chutes and throwers

Extract from Corvette magazine

 

 

 

Letter from   Allan Waugh ex HMAS Mildura

He writes:

 

Unfortunately RANCA Vic packed up a little while ago.  However, those of us still left, attend “Corvette Day”.  It is held each year on December 1, the anniversary of the sinking of the Armidale in 1942.  The Service is supported by students from the “Star of the Sea Convent” (Germaine Greer’s old school) and one of them reads out the names of the Corvettes.

 

He also reminded us, that HMAS Mildura’s actions deserved a reminder in our magazine.

 

He stated that

  • she was the longest serving Corvette from 1945 to 1965, 24 years

  • She hold the record for most nautical miles sailed:  209,132

  • She was in the thick of the “Secret Battle” on Australia’s East Coast when Japanese submarines played havoc with coastal shipping

  • She was the first ship into Hong Kong after WWII

  • She was the only warship ever to capture a brewery

  • More details can be found in Frank Walker’s book “Corvettes – Little Ships for Big Men”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Attendees at the last “Corvette Day” meeting    (Left to right)

Stan Yates, last president of RANCA Victoria ex Bunbury and Stawell

Allan Waugh, ex Mildura

Ray Leonard, ex Armidale and Bunbury

Ted Hollingsworth, ex Cairns and Bendigo

Mildura Bell 1941
Photo courtesy
Geoff Jones ex Mildura

FINAL MILDURA MURMURS

 

We have received a copy of the final newsletter of the HMAS Mildura Association and would like to share part of it with you.

 

Alan Waugh OAM, president, wrote that the expectations John Walker and he had in 1986, when they took the bold step to launch the Association, had been greatly exceeded.

 

Successful reunions were held every year in the ACT and every other state and by keeping in touch through the "Murmurs" it became one of the strongest ship associations in the RA N history. The achievements were due to the dedication and lots of talent by a large number of people.

 

Their last reunion was held in Mildura on 22 August with a Civic Reception by the Mayor, Councillor and other dignitaries. For those who joined the ship as teenagers HMAS Mildura was their spiritual home. Subsequent reading about other corvettes proves beyond doubt that we were fortunate to be served by a succession of capable Commanding Officers who kept us alive and safe. We also had our share of luck on several occasions.

 

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