Navy | The Royal Australian Navy |
Type | Sloop |
Class | 24 |
Pennant | |
Built by | Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. (Glasgow, Scotland) |
Ordered | |
Laid down | 27 Nov 1917 |
Launched | 12 Apr 1918 |
Commissioned | 20 Jun 1925 |
End service | 14 Mar 1946 |
History | Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Silvio on 25 May 1918. |
Former name | HMS Silvio |
Commands listed for HMAS Moresby
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.Cdr. William Harold Martin, RAN | 23 Mar 1939 | 17 Dec 1939 |
2 | Cdr. (retired) Harold Exton Turner, RN | 17 Dec 1939 | 25 May 1940 |
3 | Lt.Cdr. (retired) Basil Theodore Brewster, DSC, RN | 25 May 1940 | 26 Jul 1940 |
4 | Cdr. William Harold Martin, RAN | 26 Jul 1940 | 13 Oct 1940 |
5 | Lt. John Midford Little, RANR(S) | 13 Oct 1940 | 8 Nov 1940 |
6 | Cdr. William Harold Martin, RAN | 8 Nov 1940 | 28 Apr 1941 |
7 | Lt.Cdr. Robert Bagster Atlee Hunt, RAN | 28 Apr 1941 | 19 Jan 1942 |
8 | T/Lt. Charles Hugh Brown, RANR(S) | 19 Jan 1942 | Jan 1944 |
9 | A/Cdr. Colin Goyder Little, RAN | Jan 1944 | 15 May 1945 |
10 | A/Cdr. Robert Bagster Atlee Hunt, OBE, RAN | 15 May 1945 | 9 Aug 1945 |
11 | Lt.Cdr. D'Arcy Thomas Gale, DSC, RAN | 9 Aug 1945 | 14 Mar 1946 |
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Notable events involving Moresby include:
10 Mar 1942
HMAS Vendetta (Lt. W.G. Whitting, RANR(S)) departed Fremantle for Melbourne. Once again she was in tow of the naval auxiliary HMS Ping Wo (T/Lt. J. Fant, RNR).
On 12 March 1942, HMS Ping Wo developed engine trouble and course was set for Albany where they arrived on the 15th. HMAS Vendetta then anchored outside Albany harbour. Due to the bad weather conditions and the risk of dragging anchor she was towed into the harbour on the 19th.
On 24 March 1942, HMS Ping Wo towed HMAS Vendetta out of the harbour where the merchant vessel Islander (British, 1619 GRT, built 1929) took over the tow.
Early on the 25th the tow parted and later HMS Ping Wo took over while the Islander prepared a new tow line. The Islander was able to resume towing HMAS Vendetta late in the afternoon.
Early the 29th, weather had become so bad that the ships had to hove to. HMS Ping Wo then parted company and continuing on to Melbourne independently. Late on the 29th the Islander resumed towing.
Around noon on 31 March the tow again parted and due to the bad weather conditions a new tow could not be established. HMAS Vendetta was at the mercy wind and sea.
On 1 April weather had cleared a little and an attempt was made to pass another tow line but while doing so the Islander fouled the line and as a result also lost propulsion to her port screw decreasing her manoeuvring capabilities.
Shortly before noon on the 3rd of April a new tow line was finally established and the ships got underway again. It had been decided to proceed to Adelaide.
Around mid afternoon of 5 April 1942, the sloop / escort vessel HMAS Moresby (T/Lt. C.H. Brown, RANR(S)) joined.
Around mid afternoon of 6 April 1942, the tug Woonda joined and shortly afterwards she took over the tow and towed HMAS Vendetta into Adelaide harbour. (1)
21 Jul 1942
Convoy ZK 15.
This convoy departed Sydney on 21 July 1942.
It was made up of the transports; Oakbank (Australian, 5154 GRT, built 1926), Sea Witch (American, 6021 GRT, built 1940) and Van der Lijn (Dutch, 2464 GRT, built 1928).
On departure from Sydney the convoy was escorted by the destroyer HMAS Stuart (Cdr. S.H.K. Spurgeon, DSO, RAN) and the sloop / escort vessel HMAS Moresby (T/A/Lt.Cdr. C.H. Brown, RANR(S)).
On 24 July 1942, the escorts parted company with the convoy near Lady Elliott Island. The convoy was then dispersed. (2)
27 Jul 1942
on this day both HMAS Stuart (Cdr. S.H.K. Spurgeon, DSO, RAN) and HMAS Moresby (T/A/Lt.Cdr. C.H. Brown, RANR(S)) arrived at Sydney after escort duty with convoy ZK 15. (3)
1 May 1943
Convoy CO 92.
This convoy departed Newcastle, NSW, on 1 May 1943.
It was made up of 12 merchant vessels.
On departure from Newcastle the convoy was escorted by the sloop HMAS Moresby (T/A/Lt.Cdr. C.H. Brown, RANR(S)), minesweeper HMAS Warrnambool (Lt.Cdr. N.R. Read, RAN) and the auxiliary A/S vessel HMAS Bingera (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Little, RANR(S)).
Later the same day the Sydney section of 9 merchant vessels joined. As did their escort, the minesweepers HMAS Ballarat (T/Lt. D. MacLeman, RANR(S)) and HMAS Bundaberg (Lt.Cdr. N.D. Pixley, RANR).
The convoy now was made up of the following transports; Age (Australian, 4734 GRT, built 1936), Carlisle (Australian, 1861 GRT, built 1919), Corinda (Australian, 3376 GRT, built 1937), Dan Beard (British, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Doris (Greek, 4604 GRT, built 1917), Evi Livanos (Greek, 4839 GRT, built 1937), Iron Warrior (British, 3345 GRT, built 1923), Kooyong (Australian, 2296 GRT, built 1907), Lansing (British, 4422 GRT, built 1890), Maria Mitchell (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Mary Livanos (Greek, 4771 GRT, built 1938), Michael J. Goulandris Greek, 6669 GRT, built 1921), Michael L. Embriricos (Greek, 5202 GRT, built 1918), Mount Robson Park (American, 7132 GRT, built 1942), Murada (Australian, 3345 GRT, built 1921), Pegasus (Swedish, 9583 GRT, built 1930), Rahmani (British, 5463 GRT, built 1928), Tanda (British, 7174 GRT, built 1914), Wear (Australian, 1869 GRT, built 1911), William B. Ogden (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943) and William McArthur (Australian, 2393 GRT, built 1924).
During the night of 2/3 May the destroyer HrMs Van Galen (Lt.Cdr. F.T. Burghard, RNethN) joined as reinforcement for the escort. She had departed Sydney on 2 May 1943.
Around 1230K/3, the merchant vessel Lansing parted company with to convoy to proceed independently to Hobart.
Around 1042K/3, convoy OC 92 was encountered and the escorts, except HrMs Van Galen, changed over from one convoy to the other. The original escort of convoy OC 92 therefore now joined convoy CO 92. This was the A/S patrol vessel HMAS Doomba (T/A/Lt.Cdr. F.J. Reading, RANR(S)).
Convoy CO 92 arrived in Port Phillip on 4 May 1943.
Sources
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Vendetta from 6 December 1941 to 15 April 1942
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Moresby for July 1942
- War diary Naval Officer in Charge, Sydney for July 1942