TRIBAL-Class Destroyer
ordered from Cockatoo Docks and
Engineering Co at Sydney, Australia for service with the Royal Australian Navy
on 20th December 1939. The ship was laid down on 30th December 1940 and was to be named HMAS KURNAI, However when launched on 15th
January 1944 the name was changed to HMAS BATAAN in recognition of
the valiant defence of the Phillipines by the US General Douglas MacArthur in 1942. Build was completed
on 25th May 1945 and she was the last of the three TRIBAL destroyers built in
Australia which had been ordered in 1939 She was the only ship of this Class not carry the
name of Commonwealth Tribe. Her build completion on 25th May 1945 had been
delayed due to the low priority given to warship construction after the
outbreak of war with Japan and the consequent threat to Australia in 1942.
B a t t l e H
o n o u r
KOREA 1952 *
(* Awarded for UN service)
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
None is recorded in the Admiralty Official
List
as this ship belonged to the RAN
D e t a i l s
o f W a r S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search)
1 9 4 5
May
Contractors
trials
25th - Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
June
On completion
of trials commenced work-up for operational service based at Sydney. Nominated for service off Japanese mainland with
Commonwealth warships in Task Force 37 in US 3rd
Fleet
July
Completed
storing and took passage with HM Australian Destroyer WARRAMUNGA to Subic Bay to join Task Force 74 prior to sailing to join ships of 3rd US Fleet deployed off Japan fo offensive
operations prior to planned landings. (For
details see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton.)
26th - Arrived
at Subic Bay
August
Deployed at
Subic Bay. After VJ-Day Took passage from Subic
Bay with US warships to Japan with call at Okinawa.
September
Joined British
and Commonwealth warships nominated as Token Force in Sagami Bay.
2nd - Present
at final surrender of Japan in Tokyo Bay.
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMAS BATAAN remained in Japan
and took part in deployments to repatriate allied Prisoners of War and civilians held by
Japanese since 1941. On release from this duty the ship returned to Sydney and
carried out normal Fleet duties until August 1940 when she was deployed for
service with UN Naval Force off Korea in support of military
operations against the North Korean invasion. This destroyer carried out two
tours in UN deployment off Korea and
was nominated for conversion to and Anti-submarine escort destroyer in 1952. On completion of the
modifications which included changes in armament, fit of an anti-submarine
mortar (SQUID) and replacement of foremast with
a lattice structure, the ship resumed Fleet service in 1954. She was deployed in her new role for exercises
with RNZN ships and multi-national exercises with ships of SEATO in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
Paid-off into Reserve in 1960.she was placed on the Disposal List in 1962 and
sold to a Japanese ship-breaker
for demolition in February 1963. Finally
taken in tow to the breakers yard later that year. |