At the outbreak of World War 2 in September 1939 the Royal Australian Navy was just a small naval squadron comprised of 14 warships and 5 principal support vessels. Two additional Sloops were under construction at Cockatoo Dockyard, Sydney and the oldest Cruiser, HMAS Adelaide has recently completed a major refit.

The pride of the Australian Squadron was the cruiser force. Apart from its 3 heavy Cruisers, AUSTRALIA, CANBERRA and ADELAIDE (which was commisioned in 1922), the RAN possessed 3 modern Light Cruisers, PERTH, SYDNEY and HOBART.

HMAS Canberra 4 Inch Secondary Armament Night Firing.

 

HMAS ADELAIDE (Improved Town Class)

HMAS Adelaide May 1941

Pendant No: 147,
Builder: Cockatoo Dockyard Sydney
Construction Time: 7 Years 4 Months
Commissioned: 5th August 1922
Sold: 21st March 1947

HMAS Adelaide was the oldest British built cruiser to participate in the second world war. Her main armament consisted of BL 6-inch Mk13 Guns which was a far siperior gun than that was fitted to the 3 modern Town Class Cruisers.

She was extensively refitted just prior to the outbreak of the war, her fore funnel was removed and she was converted from coal to furnace fuel oil. She was also equipped with 2x 21 inch submerged torpedo tubes and a further two forward gun mountings. Her single 3" AA Gun, aft, and 2 single 3'' on the beams were replaced with a single 4" mounting each. In 1943 two six inch guns were removed and replaced by two sets of Depth Charge Launchers whilst at the same time the aft 4" gun mount was replaced by a 6" gun mount. Several 20mm Oerlikon mountings were also added. All the main guns were further protected with new shields.

Displacement (Tons): 5,560
Dimensions (Feet): Length 460 - Beam 50 - Draught 18.6
Machinery: Parsons Turbines, Twin Screws 25,000 shp
Speed (Knots): 25.5
Complement: 470
Armament: 9 Single 6", Ix3", 1x12Pdr, 4x3Pdr, !0x 20mm, 2x21" Torpedo Tubes.

 

AUSTRALIA and CANBERRA (County Class)

Both ships were ordered by the Australian Government in 1924 as part of a 5 ship construction programme. Six sister ships were built for the Royal Navy at the same time.

Australia was modernised between April 1938 and August 39, replacing the four single 4" Gun Mounts with 4 Twin Mk16 4" Gun Mounts.

HMAS AUSTRALIA

Australia was refitted again at Liverpool late in 1940. Whilst in refit the Nazi bombing (Blitz) was at its height. Australia survived the bombings of Liverpool unscathed. During 1942 she had her topedo tubes removed and by late 1943 the two quadruple .50Cal mounts were replaced bt seven single 20mm Oelikons. These were upgraded to twin mounts by early 1944. 1945 saw eight single 40mm Bofors fitted whilst all 20mm were removed plus X Turret (8") was removed.

Australia was refitted after the war and remained in commission until 31st August 1954. See left menu for Australia's war duties, Against The Divine Wind.

HMAS CANBERRA

By early 1941 Canberra had her four single Pom Poms removed and two eight-barrelled Pom Poms and 20mm mounts were added with two of the 20mm mounts being placed atop her B and X 8" Gun Turrtes. Canberra was sunk in the battle Of Savo Island duting the Guadalcanal Campaign (see WW2 Section In Left Hand Menu) and replaced, by the Britsh Government, by the Cruiser HMAS Shropshire.

Ship	Pendant No	Builder	Build Time	Commissioned	Fate
Australia	184 D84 - 1940	John Brown & Co.	2 Years 8 Months	24/4/28	Sold 25/1/55
Canberra	133 D33 - 1940	Same as Above	2 Years 10 Months	9/7/28	Sunk - Savo Island 9/8/42

Displacement (Tons): Standard 9,850; Fully Loaded 13,630
Dimensions: (Feet); Length 630, Beam 68.4, Draught 21.8
Machinery; Brown Curtis geared turbines, 4 Screws, 80,000 s.h.p.
Speed (Knots): 31.5
Range (Miles): 848
Armament: Eight 8-inch (4x2), Four 4-inch (4x1), Four 2Pdr Pom Poms, Four .303 Vickers Machine Guns, Eight .303 Lewis Machine Guns, Eight 21-inch Torpedo Tubes, One Seagull 3 Amphibian.

Both ships were fitted with catapults, Australia in September 1935 and Canberra in April 1936. Up until 1936 Seagull 111s were embarked when Seagull 5s replaced them. Australia's aircraft and catapult were removed in October 1944.

Seagull V Launching from HMAS AUSTRALIA

RAN CRUISERS CONTINUED
Next Page - Modified Leander Class

HMAS Shropshire - County Class