| Navy | The Royal Australian Navy |
| Type | Minesweeper |
| Class | Bathurst |
| Pennant | J 233 |
| Built by | Morts Dock & Enginering Co. Ltd. (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) |
| Ordered | 16 May 1941 |
| Laid down | 7 Dec 1941 |
| Launched | 2 May 1942 |
| Commissioned | 17 Sep 1942 |
| End service | 14 Jun 1946 |
| History | Decommissioned into Reserve on 14 June 1946. |
Commands listed for HMAS Inverell (J 233)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt. John Raymond Suffren, RANR(S) | 7 Sep 1942 | 2 Jun 1943 |
| 2 | Lt. Arthur Irwin Chapman, RANR(S) | 3 Jun 1943 | 12 Feb 1946 |
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Notable events involving Inverell include:
14 Oct 1944
HMS Kenya (Capt. C.L. Robertson, RN) departed Fremantle as escort for the troopship Dunnottar Castle (British, 15007 GRT, built 1936).
On departure from Fremantle a local A/S escort was present made up of the mineseepers HMAS Inverell (Lt. A.I. Chapman, RANR(S)) and HMAS Parkes (Lt.Cdr. N.O. Vidgen, RANR). These returned to Fremantle after a few hours. (1)
9 Nov 1944
During 9 and 10 November 1944, HMS Sea Rover (Lt. J.P. Angell, RN), HMS Spiteful (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Sherwood, DSC, RCNVR) and HMS Sturdy (Lt. W.St.G. Anderson, DSC, RNR) conducted exercises off Fremantle. These also included night exercises.
Convoy attack exercises were carried out during which HMAS Bunbury (Lt. J.F. Bleckman, RANR(S)), HMAS Inverell (Lt. A.I. Chapman, RANR(S)), HMAS Launceston (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.J. Barron, RANR(S)), HMAS Mildura (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Little, RANR(S)) and HMAS Warrnambool (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) E.J.B. Wight, RAN) served as the targets. (2)
22 Nov 1944
During 22 and 23 November 1944, HMS Sirdar (Lt. J.A. Spender, RN), conducted exercises off Fremantle. These included night exercises. These included practice attacks on USS Coucal (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Byerly, USNR). During the night convoy attack exercises were carried out with USS Coucal, HMAS Bunbury (Lt. J.F. Bleckman, RANR(S)), HMAS Inverell (Lt. A.I. Chapman, RANR(S)) and HMAS Warrnambool (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) E.J.B. Wight, RAN) pretending to be a convoy. (3)
12 Jan 1945
HMS Spiteful (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Sherwood, DSC, RCNVR) departed Fremantle for her 7th war patrol (6th in the Far East and 3rd in the South-West Pacific area). She was ordered to patrol off Singapore. She was also to perform air/sea rescue duties in that area. Before proceeding on patrol she conducted exercises together with HMS Spark (Lt. D.G. Kent, RN) and HMS Tradewind (Lt. J. Nash, DSC, RN). Practice attacks were made on HMAS Dubbo (T/Lt. F.W. Roberts, RANR(S)), HMAS Inverell (Lt. A.I. Chapman, RANR(S)), HMAS Warrnambool (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy.) E.J.B. Wight, RAN) and USS Hutchinson.
For the daily positions of HMS Spiteful during this patrol see the map below.
(4)
13 Jan 1945
USS Blenny (Cdr. W.H. Hazzard, USN) ended her 1st war patrol at Fremantle, Australia. She was escorted in by HMAS Inverell (Lt. A.I. Chapman, RANR(S)). At Fremantle she was refitted by a relief crew of SubDiv 181 and USS Euryale.
Sources
- ADM 53/119651
- ADM 173/18679
- ADM 173/18790
- ADM 199/1870
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.