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Ordered
on 10th
June 1925 as part, of an
expansion programme for the Royal
Australian Navy including two
cruisers and two submarines which were to be built in UK. This vessel exceptionally was to be built in. Australia by the RAN Dockyard at Cockatoo Island, Sydney which would result in a saving of £1m and also be politically advantageous. She was
laid down on 16th June 1926 as Yard No 106 and launched by Lady Ethel Stonehaven, wife of the Governor
General on 23rd February 1928 as the 12th RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1795 for a Brig
Sloop built at Rochester. It had last been used by five minor warships hired during WW1 and
which were identified by numeric suffices I to V inclusive.
.Build was completed on 21st December
1928 and the ship was
commissioned as HMAS ALBATROSS. Her RAN service was
short, lived and she paid off and
was placed in Reserve after refit in 1933. In 1939 this ship was transferred to the
Royal Navy as part payment for HM Australian Cruiser HOBART (Ex HMS
APOLLO) being built, in. UK. She is not
shown in the Admiralty record of adoptions by civil communities after WARSHIP WEEK campaigns in 1941-42.
B a t t l e H o
n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-42 - NORMANDY 1944
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
Badge: On a Field Barry wavy white and blue
an
Albatross volant proper.
see addendum
D e t a i l s
o f S e r v i c e
1 9 2 8
November Builders
trials
Acceptance
sea trials.
December Completion of sea trials.
21st Build completion.
with Seagull Mk 3 seaplanes
1 9 2 9
January Deployed as Guard-ship at Hobart,
Tasmania during Annual Royal Regatta.
to
On completion
took passage to Port Phillip
Bay to re-embark RAAF SEAGULL
III
March seaplanes (above
and following three photographs) and deployed in Jervis
Bay area for trials
and working up for
RAN service.
(Note: Limitations of operation
this aircraft in anything but calm weather were
exposed during the trials.)
April
Deployed for further
trials and exercises in Sydney
area.
to
Embarked
Governor General and wife for visit to Australian Mandated Territories
August in SW Pacific.
September Local deployment in
continuation.
to
December
1 9 3 0 t
o 1 9 3 2
Deployed
at Darwin for reconnaissance flights over approaches to Northern Territories.
1 9 3 3
January Local deployment in continuation.
to
March
April
Aircraft disembarked
and Paid off.
Reduced to
Reserve status.
May
Used as base for visiting seaplanes.
to
December
1 9 3 4 t o
1 9 3 5
January Reserve service in
continuation..
1 9 3 6
Under
refit during which new catapult was fitted.
Re-commissioned to carry out
trials on catapult
Paid-off into Reserve on
completion.
1 9 3 7
Returned to Reserve
on completion.
Discussions
with RN relating to transfer in part, payment for build of cruiser for
RAN - see
above.
1 9 3 8
January In Reserve.
to
March Transfer to RN
agreed.
April
19th Re-commissioned for passage to UK.
May
Prepared for passage
to UK
to
June
July
11th Sailed from Sydney for UK with calls at Singapore, Colombo and Suez.
August
September
8th Arrived in UK. Paid-off from RAN and transferred to RN.
October Held in Reserve and under
refit.
to
One crane
removed.
December
1 9 3 9
January In Reserve.
to
Allocated for
deployment at war station to provide air surveillance.
May
June
Commissioned as HMS
ALBATROSS for service.
War Station
at Freetown allocated
July
Carried out harbour
and sea trials
to
Prepared for use
at Freetown.
August Six WALRUS aircraft
embarked.
September Worked-up for service and took
passage to Freetown
to
Deployed as
static base for air operations in Atlantic.
December Provided
air reconnaissance for trade defence and interception of blockade runners
and commerce
raiders.
(Note: Visits were paid to Bathurst
in the Gambia
and French naval base at Dakar
1 9 4 0
January Freetown deployment in continuation.
to
Air Operations
included anti-submarine patrol.
May
June
Deployed with HM
Cruiser DEVONSHIRE between Freetown and Dakar.
(Note: This
was part of precautionary moves after French collapse.
July
Freetown deployment in continuation.
to
(Note: NOT
actively part of Operation MENACE for occupation of Dakar by
December Free French in September.
During this operation Free French troops
were
supported by ships detached from the Home Fleet and Force H at
Gibraltar.
lt was a disastrous failure. See MENACE by A Marder.)
Christmas Card, possibly 1940
(or 1941), courtesy John Phillips,
detail from card
1 9 4 1
January Freetown deployment in continuation
February Passage to Simonstown for
essential repair
March On completion returned
to Freetown.
April
Deployed at Freetown
to
Nominated for
refit at Mobile, Alabama, USA.
October Disembarked aircraft
November Passage to Alabama
to
Prepared for
refit.
December
1 9 4 2
January Under refit at Mobile.
to
March
April
Post refit trials and
passage to Freetown.
Nominated
for support of planned operations in Indian Ocean.
May
Transferred to East Indies
Station.
3rd Took passage from Freetown as part of Ocean Escort for military convoy WS18
with HM
Cruiser GAMBIA and HM Destroyer TETCOTT.
15th Detached from W518 of Cape of Good Hope.
(Note: This
convoy ran into minefield off Cape
of Good Hope. HM Depot Ship
HECLA
was
damaged.)
19th Rejoined WS19 with HM Cruiser FROBISHER as Ocean Escort
for passage in the
Indian Ocean.
23rd Detached from WS18 to refuel and rejoined on 24th May.
(Note: HM
Battleship RESOLUTION Joined as Ocean Escort)
30th Detached from WS18 with HMS RESOLUTION.
June
Deployed in Indian Ocean for trade defence.
July
Deployed with HM
Destroyers GRIFFIN and FOXHOUND to establish forward base
at Ile
Mayote in Mozambique Channel, north
west of Madagascar.
(Operation
THROAT)
(Note: Base
was to be established for anti-submarine patrols using four CATALINA
aircraft
consequent on increase in U-Boat activity in Mozambique Channel.
See WAR WITH
JAPAN Volume III (HMSO).
This project
was not implemented as enemy offensive ceased.)
Returned to
Kilindini.
August Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.
Nominated
for support of landings in Madagascar (Operation STREAM).
(Note: This
was to occupy the whole island following partial occupation in May
1942
(Operation IRONCLAD) - See Naval Staff History and THE WATERY
MAZE by B
Fergusson.)
September
10th Deployed with HM Fleet Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS to
provide air cover for the
landings of
British troops in Madagascar.
(Note: Ships
deployed, identified as Force M, included HM Cruisers CARADOC,
GAMBIA, BIRMINGHAM, MANXMAN and DAUNTLESS, HM Monitor
EREBUS and
twelve destroyers. See above reference.)
October Resumed support of air
surveillance in Indian Ocean for trade defence.
November Nominated for refit.
Aircraft
disembarked for shore based service
19th Sailed to Durban for refit.
December Under refit at Durban
1 9 4 3
January Under refit
February Completion of refit arranged at Bombay
Passage to Bombay
with calls at Killindini
March Under repair and refit by HM Dockyard, Bombay
to
(Note: Leave granted at rest camps.)
June
July
Nominated for
return to UK.
15th Took passage to Devonport with calls at Durban. Simonstown, Point Noire and
.
Gibraltar.
August On passage
September Arrived at Devonport.
Paid-off and withdrawn from service as an aircraft base ship.
October Nominated for conversion
as a Repair Ship
Taken in
hand for conversion
November Under conversion.
to
Extensive
changes made Included removal of catapult and forward main armament.
December Workshop facilities provided
in former hangar area.
Radar Type
286 was fitted on a new tripod foremast
and close range AA defence was
supplemented
by six extra 20mm Oerlikon weapons.
1 9 4 4
January Under conversion
to
Selected for
support of allied landings in France on completion.
April
Allocated for
duty with Force S on completion of refit.
Re-commissioned
as HMS ALBATROSS and prepared for support duties in
Operation NEPTUNE.
(Note: To be
designated as Landing Ship (Engineering - LSE).
For details
of naval activities prior to and during NEPTUNE
see OPERATION
NEPTUNE
by K Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO).
LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY does not include allocated to an Assault
Group.)
May
Joined Force S based
at Portsmouth.
Allocated
for repair of Landing Craft in GOOSEBERRY 5 to be established NE
of Ouistreham,
Normandy and to take passage after Assault Phase.
See above
references.
June
Deployed for deception operation.
Sailed from Portsmouth
and joined convoy for passage to Southend through
Dover Straits
Deployed in
Nore Command area for deception operation.
8th Took passage passage from Thames
estuary to GOOSEBERRY 5 location.
9th Ran aground on Goodwin Sands but refloated after 24 hours with assistance.
Came under
air attack by single Me109 aircraft without serious damage.)
10th Deployed for repair duties on arrival at Beachhead.
Provided naval gunfire support
and supplemented AA defence of anchorage.
Under shore
fire during which one rating was killed.
19th Onset of extreme north easterly gale which caused
extensive damage to many
to ships engaged in NEPTUNE.
See above references.
23rd (Note: During this period repair parties from ship saved
79 craft from total loss
and enabled
132 others to resume service off the beachhead.)
27th Retained off beachhead for continuation of repair task
when NEPTUNE
terminated.
July
Passage to Portsmouth to replenish and give leave,
Resumed
Repair Ship duty off JUNO Beach.
(Note: This
included completion of work on craft damaged in gale.)
August Normandy deployment in continuation.
11th Hit by torpedo and sustained major structural damage with
many casualties;
66 of ships
company lost their lives
(Note: Post
war assessments suggest the weapon used was a new design
'circling'
torpedo which searched for possible targets.)
Withdrawn
from service and taken in tow by Dutch tug ZWART ZEE to
Portsmouth.
September Under repair by HM Dockyard Portsmouth.
to
(Note: In view
of urgent need for repair of other ships it may be assumed that
December the work involved would be
given a low priority.)
1 9 4 5
January Repair in continuation.
to
Nominated for
service as depot ship in support of minesweepers
March
April
Depot Ships
deployment in continuation.
to
Nominated for
reduction to Reserve.
July
August
3rd Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status
Laid-up at Plymouth pending disposal.
P o s t W a
r N o t e s
HMS
ALBATROSS was placed on the Disposal List in 1946 and sold to South Western
Steam Navigation Company for use as a mercantile on 19th August 1946.
Initially named PRIDE OF TORQUAY but later renamed HELLENIC PRINCE. The
ship was used for transport of immigrants
between Naples and Australia. She continued mercantile use until sold to a British Ship-breaker in 1954.and
broken up in Hong Kong where she arrived in tow on 12th August 1954.
Addenda
Convoy Escort Movements of HMS ALBATROSS
by
Don Kindell
Date convoy Joined convoy Convoy No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort
arrived
03/05/42 03/05/42 WS 018F 15/05/42 18/05/42
19/05/42 19/05/42 WS 018C 30/05/42 02/06/42
30/07/43 30/07/43 BA 046 unknown unknown
17/09/43 30/09/43 MKF 024 05/10/43 07/10/43
(Note on Convoys)
A CHRISTMAS CARD from HMS ALBATROSS, c 1940
from John Phillips
I had a number of relatives, both close
and distant who served on various ships. One Great.Uncle died in submarine
G8 during WW1, and another perished on the SS RIVER AFTON lost in
Russian Convoy Q17 in July 1942. Also my uncle (mother's brother) was on
HMS ALBATROSS, and I have worked out that he was on board from 1940 to the
end of 1941,when she was sent to Alabama for a refit. He was then posted to
other duties, some shore-based, when he was taken seriously ill with spinal
meningitis. This quirk of fate saved his life as otherwise he would have
been another casualty lost on HMS HOOD. Attached is a drawing of HMS ALBATROSS
which was used as a Christmas Card. Looking at the ship's crest, I
assume the five stars represent the Australian flag and her time in
Australian service.
The SUPERMARINE SEAGULL
SEAPLANE
from Bob ‘Windy’ Geale, Australian Fleet Air Arm Museum
Most of the photographs are of the
Seagull Mark III, a ‘puller’ except for the Seagull V, a ‘pusher’. The RAN
bought 24 Supermarine Seagull Mark V in 1933, incidentally designed by R J
Mitchell of Spitfire fame. They were used for flying off cruisers and Armed
Merchant Cruisers and only one ever flew off HMAS ALBATROSS
in the RAN and that was when the catapult was tested. Later,
when the Royal Navy saw the Seagull V and realised it was what they
needed, they placed an order in 1935 and the Walrus was born.
The only differences between the Seagull V and Walrus are small and only
recognized by those who had flown both. The RAN later acquired 24 Walrus and
flew them until 1945.
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