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HMAS Kookaburra docked at Garden Island
History
Australia
Builder	Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company
Laid down	4 July 1938
Launched	29 October 1938
Commissioned	28 February 1939
Decommissioned	15 January 1946
Recommissioned	November 1950
Decommissioned	November 1950
Recommissioned	11 May 1956
Decommissioned	3 December 1958
Honours and awards	Battle honours: Darwin 1942-43
Fate	Sold in August 1965, scuttled in March 1970
General characteristics
Class and type	Net-class Boom Defence Vessel
Displacement	533 tons
Length	160 ft (49 m)
Beam	26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Draught	10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
Propulsion	Triple-expansion steam engine
Speed	9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph)
Armament	1 × 3-inch anti-aircraft gun, 2 × Vickers machine guns

HMAS Kookaburra (A331) was a Net-class boom defence vessel of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), which served during World War II.

Construction

Kookaburra was one of three ships ordered by the Royal Australian Navy for use as boom-net defence vessels. She was laid down by the Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney on 4 April 1938, launched on 29 October 1938, and commissioned into the RAN on 28 February 1939.

Operational history

Originally used as boom defence ship and anti-submarine training vessel in Sydney, Kookaburra was transferred to Darwin in April 1940. The ship served as a boom defense and examination vessel in Darwin, and remained there until the end of World War II, with the exception of a refit in Brisbane between September 1942 and February 1943. Kookaburra received the battle honour "Darwin 1942-43" for her wartime service.

On 15 January 1946, Kookaburra was paid off into reserve, was briefly recommissioned for a voyage to Sydney in 1950, and underwent conversion to a "Special Duties Vessel". Kookaburra was recommissioned again on 11 May 1956 as a survey and general duties ship.

In July 1952, the ship visited Brisbane. During this visit, a paperboy delivering to the ship fell overboard and was rescued by two personnel from Kookaburra.

Decommissioning and fate

Kookaburra was decommissioned for the final time on 3 December 1958. She was marked for disposal on 24 June 1965, sold in August 1965, and scuttled in March 1970.

Citations

1. David Stevens (2005). A Critical Vulnerability, pg 103
2. ^ Royal Australian Navy, HMAS Kookaburra (I)
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 23 December 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 23 December 2012.

References

• Stevens, David (2005). A Critical Vulnerability: the impact of the submarine threat on Australia's maritime defense 1915-1954. Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs. Vol. 15. Canberra: Sea Power Centre Australia. ISBN 0-642-29625-1. ISSN 1327-5658. OCLC 62548623. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2010.
• "HMAS Kookaburra (I)". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2008.

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• Survey ships of the Royal Australian Navy
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