HMAS Murchison

HMAS Murchison operating off the coast of Korea, circa 1951–52
History
Australia
NameMurchison
NamesakeMurchison River
BuilderEvans Deakin & Company, Brisbane
Laid down3 June 1943
Launched31 October 1944
Commissioned17 December 1945
Decommissioned15 April 1954
Motto"With Undaunted Heart"
Honours and
awards
  • Battle honours:
  • Korea 1951–52
FateSold for scrap
General characteristics
Class and typeModified River (Bay)-class frigate
Displacement1,537 tons (standard), 2,200 tons (full load)
Length301 ft (92 m)
Beam36 ft (11 m)
Draught12 ft (3.7 m)
PropulsionTriple expansion, 2 shafts, 5,500 ihp (4,100 kW)
Speed19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)
Complement175
Armament

HMAS Murchison (K442/F442) was a Modified River or Bay-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ship was laid down in 1943, but not commissioned until after the end of World War II. Murchison fought in the Korean War, was decommissioned in 1956, and sold for scrap in 1961.

Construction

Murchison was one of four Bay-class frigates constructed in Australia during World War II, being laid down by Evans Deakin & Company, Brisbane on 3 June 1943. She was launched on 31 October 1944, and commissioned on 17 December 1945. She was named for the Murchison River in Western Australia.[1]

Operational history

Completed too late in the war to take part in the fighting, Murchison began her career by visiting Morotai, Ternate, and the Celebes for surveillance duties and War Graves Commission tasks, before sailing to Japan and joining the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. The frigate returned to Australia in May 1946.[1]

Murchison later saw extensive operational service during the Korean War and was involved in the Naval Battle of Han River on 28–30 September 1951, during which she was heavily engaged by Chinese shore installations while conducting riverine operations. Four sailors were wounded in the encounter, while Murchison destroyed a number of Chinese gun positions.[2] The frigate was awarded the battle honour "Korea 1951–52" for her actions during the war.[3][4]

On 3 October 1952, Murchison was present of the Montebello Islands for the Operation Hurricane nuclear weapons test.[5]

Fate

Murchison paid off on 31 January 1956 and she was sold for scrap on 21 September 1961.[1]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c "HMAS Murchison". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  2. ^ Coulthard-Clark 2001, p. 265.
  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.
  5. ^ Trembath, Brendan (3 October 2012). "Atom bomb veterans remember life-changing blast". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 21 October 2012.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMAS Murchison (K442).