RANCA NSW
HMAS WHYALLA J153
Namesake: City of Whyalla, SA
Builder: Broken Hill
Laid down: 24 July 1940
Launched: 12 May 1941
Commissioned: 8 January 1942
Decommissioned: 16 May 1946
Battle honours:
Pacific 1942–45
New Guinea 1942–44
Okinawa 1945
Fate: Sold into civilian service
Victorian Public Works Department
Name: Rip
Acquired: 10 February 1947
In service: 1947
Out of service: 1984
Reclassified:
Lighthouse maintenance vessel
Fate: Sold in 1984
Whyalla City Council
Name: Whyalla
Acquired: Late 1984
Status: Landlocked museum ship
Displacement: 733 tons (standard)
Length: 186 ft (57 m)
Beam: 31 ft (9.4 m)
Draught: 8.5 ft (2.6 m)
Propulsion: triple expansion
engine, 2 shafts
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h;
17 mph) at 1,750 hp
Complement: 85
Armament: 1 × 4-inch gun
3 × Oerlikons
(1 later removed)
1 × Bofors
(installed later)
Machine guns
Depth charges
chutes & throwers
Extract from Corvette Magazine
70TH ANNIVERSARY OF HMAS WHYALLA COMMISSIONING
Able Seaman Don Beinke was posted to HMAS Whyalla, a Bathurst Class corvette serving in the northwest Pacific in 1943. Now at 87, Mr. Beinke of Port Turton, returned to the landlocked museum ship at Whyalla last month to join celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of its commissioning.
The Whyalla was the first ship constructed by the Whyalla shipyard and was launched in May 1941 and officially commissioned on 8 January 1942. The anniversary celebrations were organised by the South Australian branch of the Naval Association and hosted by the Whyalla sub-branch. Mr. Beinke was the only person at the event who had actually served aboard the ship.
The Governor, Real Admiral Kevin Scarce attended the celebrations, along with the Lord Mayor, the senior Police Officer, the Local Member of Parliament and a representative of BHP.
Source RAN (SA) newsletter March 2012
EXTRACT FROM CORVETTE MAGAZINE 1989
THE WHYALLA, originally the corvette HMAS Whyalla and later the Melbourne Harbour Trust vessel "Rip" was, on 28 October last, "re-commissioned" as the centre piece of the Maritime Museum at the City of Whyalla.
Eric Spooner, recently returned from the official launching of the Whyalla Maritime Park and Museum, is enthusiastic about the vision and dedication of the Whyalla City Council and the band of volunteers in creating this impressive project.
BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM - to make this old ship really authentic, it sorely needs a 4"gun for'd.
Does anybody know where one may be obtained? THINK SHIPMATES! Is there one, say in some country or suburban park or outside some RSL where perhaps a swap deal might be arranged. Even a 12 pounder would be better than nothing. Will other states please publish this problem?
EXTRACT FROM CORVETTE MAGAZINE JULY 1991
Ted Lewis ex Whyalla recalls this event late May 1943:
Whyalla was headed south for a refit and some leave when she was diverted for a salvage job at Bougainville Reef.
It seems that a convoy of United States LCI’s was in line-ahead formation. The leading ship grounded on the reef, followed by about 13 others.
Whyalla ship’s company worked for several days clearing stranded vessels from the rocks, two slipped off and sank, but most of the others were saved. If they were still working on a particular ship when night fell, the crew would be taken off in case, in the dark, she slipped off the reef and sank.
This editor has been told that it was fairly common with US non-combat ships, because of a grave shortage of experienced marine officers, for the leading ship of a convoy, to carry the only navigator. The other ships just optimistically followed the leader.