Frigates: River Class
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2019 4:24 am
River Class Frigate HMAS Barcoo pictured at Port Melbourne in 1946.
One of twelve Frigates constructed in Australia during World War II, Barcoo was laid down by Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company, Ltd. at Cockatoo Island Dockyard,Sydney in 1942, and commissioned into the RAN in early 1944.
Most of her wartime service was spent in New Guinea waters; with primary duties including Patrol, Convoy Escort, Troop Transport, along with the shelling of Japanese positions. In April 1945, Barcoo was attached to the Borneo campaign. She was the Command Ship for a landing craft division at the Tarakan landings in May, and directly supported the North Borneo landings in June, before being assigned to General Escort and Fire Support roles.
After World War II, Barcoo was converted into a Survey Ship. In 1948, she spent over a week aground on West Beach, South Australia after bring driven ashore by a storm. Barcoo spent the rest of her career surveying the waters of Australia and New Guinea, except for periods of deactivation from 1949 to 1951, and from 1956 to 1959. She was decommissioned for the final time in 1964, and sold for scrapping.
One of twelve Frigates constructed in Australia during World War II, Barcoo was laid down by Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company, Ltd. at Cockatoo Island Dockyard,Sydney in 1942, and commissioned into the RAN in early 1944.
Most of her wartime service was spent in New Guinea waters; with primary duties including Patrol, Convoy Escort, Troop Transport, along with the shelling of Japanese positions. In April 1945, Barcoo was attached to the Borneo campaign. She was the Command Ship for a landing craft division at the Tarakan landings in May, and directly supported the North Borneo landings in June, before being assigned to General Escort and Fire Support roles.
After World War II, Barcoo was converted into a Survey Ship. In 1948, she spent over a week aground on West Beach, South Australia after bring driven ashore by a storm. Barcoo spent the rest of her career surveying the waters of Australia and New Guinea, except for periods of deactivation from 1949 to 1951, and from 1956 to 1959. She was decommissioned for the final time in 1964, and sold for scrapping.