View source for HMAS Barcoo

{{Short description|River-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMAS Barcoo (300353).jpg
|Ship caption=HMAS ''Barcoo'' in 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=Australia
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Australia|naval-1913}}
|Ship namesake=[[Barcoo River]]
|Ship builder=[[Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company]], [[Sydney]]
|Ship laid down=21 October 1942
|Ship launched=26 August 1943
|Ship commissioned=17 January 1944
|Ship decommissioned=21 February 1964
|Ship motto="We Clear the Way"<ref name=RAN/>
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=*'''Battle honours:'''
*[[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|Pacific]] 1944–45
*[[New Guinea campaign|New Guinea]] 1944
*[[Borneo campaign (1945)|Borneo]] 1945
|Ship fate=Sold for scrap on 15 February 1972 to N.W. Kennedy Ltd., [[Vancouver]]. Scrapped in Taiwan.
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship class={{sclass2|River|frigate}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1420|LT|t ST|lk=in}}
*{{convert|2020|LT|t ST|abbr=on}} (deep load)
|Ship length={{convert|91.85|m|ft|order=flip}}
|Ship beam={{convert|11.18|m|ft|order=flip}}
|Ship draught={{convert|3.66|m|ft|order=flip}}
|Ship propulsion=2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers, reciprocating vertical triple expansion engines, {{convert|5500|hp}}, 2 shafts
|Ship speed={{convert|20|kn}}
|Ship range={{convert|9,593|km|nmi|order=flip}} at {{convert|12|kn}}
|Ship complement=140
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*2 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|QF 4&nbsp;inch (102&nbsp;mm) /45 Mark XVI guns]], single [[British ordnance terms#HA/LA|HA/LA]]&nbsp;Mark XX mounts
*2 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|QF 40 mm Bofors]], single Mark VII mounts
*6 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm|QF 20 mm Oerlikons]], single Mark III mounts
*1 × [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] anti-submarine mortar
*2 × [[Squid (weapon)|Squid]] anti-submarine mortars
*Depth charge throwers
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''HMAS ''Barcoo'' (K375/F375/A245)''' was a {{sclass2|River|frigate}} of the [[Royal Australian Navy]] (RAN). One of twelve frigates constructed in Australia during [[World War II]], ''Barcoo'' (named after the [[Barcoo River]]), was [[Keel laying|laid down]] by [[Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company]], [[Sydney]] in 1942, and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] in early 1944.

Most of the ship's 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 (1945)|Borneo campaign]]. She was the command ship for a landing craft division at the [[Battle of Tarakan (1945)|Tarakan landings]] in May, and directly supported the [[Battle of North Borneo|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, the ship 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 [[ship breaking|scrapping]].

==Design and construction==
{{Main|River-class frigate}}
''Barcoo'' was one of twelve frigates built in Australia during World War II.<ref name=RAN>Royal Australian Navy, ''HMAS Barcoo''</ref> She and seven other vessels were constructed to the British River-class design.<ref name=RAN/> ''Barcoo'' was {{convert|91.85|m|ft|order=flip}} in length, with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|11.18|m|ft|order=flip}}, and a [[Draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|3.66|m|ft|order=flip}}.<ref name=RAN/> The frigate displaced 1,340 tonnes at standard load and 1,923 tonnes at full load.<ref name=RAN/> Propulsion machinery consisted of two Admiralty 3-drum boilers, feeding steam to reciprocating vertical [[triple expansion engine]]s, which provided {{convert|5500|hp|lk=in}} to drive two propeller shafts.<ref name=RAN/> Maximum speed was {{convert|20|kn|lk=in}}, and maximum range was {{convert|9,593|km|nmi|order=flip|lk=in}} at {{convert|12|kn}}.<ref name=RAN/> The ship's company consisted of 140 personnel.<ref name=RAN/>

Main armament for the frigate consisted of two [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|QF {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|0}}/45 calibre Mark XVI guns]] in single [[British ordnance terms#HA/LA|HA/LA]]&nbsp;Mark XX mounts.<ref name=RAN/>{{citation needed|date=March 2015|reason=Source only specifies size of gun, not exact model or mounting}} This was supplemented by two [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|QF 40 mm Bofors]] in single Mark VII mounts, and six [[Oerlikon 20 mm|QF 20 mm Oerlikons]] in single Mark III mounts.<ref name=RAN/>{{citation needed|date=March 2015|reason=Source only specifies size of gun, not exact model or mounting}} The ship also carried three anti-submarine mortars (one [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] and two [[Squid (weapon)|Squid]]s) as well as [[depth charge]] throwers.<ref name=RAN/>

''Barcoo'' was laid down by the [[Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company]], [[Sydney]] on 21 October 1942, [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 26 August 1943 by the wife of [[Richard Keane]], the Minister for Trade and Customs, and commissioned on 17 January 1944.<ref name=Morley/>

==Operational history==
===World War II===
After several weeks of working up, ''Barcoo'' was tasked to New Guinea in March 1944 for convoy escort duty.<ref name=RAN/> ''Barcoo'' and the [[corvette]] {{HMAS|Kapunda}} shelled Japanese positions on [[Kar Kar Island]] and at [[Banabun Harbour]].<ref name=RAN/>{{when|date=March 2015|reason=Source only specifies "early 1944"}} From June to August, the frigate was heavily involved in convoy escort and troop transport duties.<ref name=RAN/> On 28 August, ''Barcoo'' rescued two [[United States Army Air Force]] pilots who had been forced to [[water landing|ditch]] their [[Republic P-47 Thunderbolt|P-47 Thunderbolts]] at sea.<ref name=RAN/> During September and October, ''Barcoo'' returned to Sydney for maintenance refits.<ref name=RAN/> Returning to the New Guinea operations area, ''Barcoo'' operated against Japanese positions in New Guinea during November, including the shelling of [[Wilde Bay]].<ref name=RAN/> Convoy escort and patrol duties continued until late January 1945, when the frigate returned to Australia.<ref name=RAN/>

''Barcoo'' was deployed again to New Guinea in late March 1945, and in April was assigned to [[United States Navy]] Task Force 78.1 to support the [[Borneo campaign (1945)|Borneo campaign]].<ref name=RAN/> For the [[Battle of Tarakan (1945)|Tarakan landings]] on 1 May, ''Barcoo'' was designated as the ship in charge of the [[landing craft tank]] division of the assault force.<ref name=RAN/> ''Barcoo'' was also involved in the [[Battle of North Borneo|North Borneo landings]] in June, then was assigned to general escort and fire support duties for the rest of the campaign.<ref name=RAN/> The frigate [[fired in anger]] for the last time on 3 August 1945, during a bombardment of the village of [[Soengaipaten]] in [[Borneo]].<ref name=Morley/>

''Barcoo'' received the three [[battle honour]]s for her wartime service: "Pacific 1944–45", "New Guinea 1944", and "Borneo 1945".<ref name=newhonours>{{cite news |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |title=Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours |date=1 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613184920/http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |archive-date=13 June 2011 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=23 December 2012}}</ref><ref name=honourslist>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf |title=Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours |date=1 March 2010 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614064156/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2011 |access-date=23 December 2012}}</ref> The ship had sailed over {{convert|72,000|nmi}} from commissioning until the end of World War II on 15 August.<ref name=RAN/>

===Post-war===
Immediately after the war, ''Barcoo'' was tasked with repatriation of soldiers and prisoners-of-war, along with patrols of reoccupied areas.<ref name=RAN/> After this, the frigate was docked for an eight-month refit at [[Williamstown Dockyard]] to convert her into a [[survey ship]].<ref name=Morley/><ref name=GillettANZW51>Gillett, ''Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946'', p. 51</ref> Modification work was completed in July 1946, and the ship began surveying operations in August 1946.<ref name=Morley/><ref name=GillettANZW51/> During her remaining career, she carried the [[pennant number]]s F375 and A245 at various times.<ref name=GillettANZW51/>

[[File:Barcoo beached.jpeg|thumb|left|upright|HMAS ''Barcoo'' aground on [[West Beach, South Australia|West Beach]] in April 1948]]
The ship was almost constantly deployed on survey operations in the waters of Australia and New Guinea for the next three years.<ref name=GillettANZW51/> In 1947, ''Barcoo'' conveyed Australian officials to [[Timor]] for visits to the governor of [[Portuguese Timor|Portuguese (East) Timor]] and the Dutch colonial administrative centre in [[West Timor]].<ref>Frame, ''No Pleasure Cruise'', pp. 199–200</ref> During April 1948, ''Barcoo'' and the [[Sloop-of-war|sloop]] {{HMAS|Warrego|U73|6}} were deployed together for surveying operations off South Australia.<ref name=Morley>Morley, ''Severe storm beaches ship''</ref> On 11 April 1948, ''Barcoo'' ran aground at [[West Beach, South Australia]], having been driven ashore by a violent storm.<ref name=Morley/><ref name=GillettAS117>Gillett, ''Australian Ships'', p. 117</ref> Despite attempts to lighten the frigate by removing munitions and stores, the combined efforts of three tugboats were unable to pull ''Barcoo'' off the beach.<ref name=Morley/> A [[dredger]] was brought from [[Adelaide]], which cleared a channel behind the stranded frigate.<ref name=Morley/> On the evening of 20 April, over a week after the initial beaching, ''Barcoo'' was able to be refloated.<ref name=GillettAS117/> ''Warrego'' towed ''Barcoo'' to [[Port Adelaide]] for inspection and repairs.<ref name=GillettAS117/>

''Barcoo'' was placed in reserve in May 1949.<ref name=RAN/> She was recommissioned in March 1951 for use as a training vessel for anti-submarine exercises.<ref name=RAN/> The ship resumed survey duties of the Australian coast from July 1952 to April 1956, then returned to Sydney and was [[paid off]] on 25 September.<ref name=RAN/> The ship was reactivated for further survey work on 7 December 1959.<ref name=RAN/> By this point, the ship's armament had been reduced to a single 40&nbsp;mm Bofors gun.<ref name=GillettANZW50/> Other modifications around the time of her reactivation included the strengthening of the forward tripod mast, and the addition of a deckhouse on the aft deck.<ref name=GillettANZW50>Gillett, ''Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946'', p. 50</ref>

==Decommissioning and fate==
[[File:HMAS Barcoo anchor.JPG|thumb|upright|Anchor of HMAS ''Barcoo'', a 'gate guard' at [[Leslie Morshead|Morshead]] War Veterans Home, [[Lyneham, Australian Capital Territory]].]]
''Barcoo'' was [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] on 21 February 1964.<ref name=RAN/> The frigate had travelled {{convert|342579|nmi}} during her career.<ref name=RAN/> The ship was sold for [[ship breaking|scrapping]] on 15 February 1972 to N. W. Kennedy, Ltd., [[Vancouver]].<ref name=RAN/> The frigate was towed from Sydney to [[Hong Kong]] in March, then was taken to [[Taiwan]] to be broken up.<ref name=RAN/>

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==Citations==
{{reflist}}

==References==
===Books===
*{{cite book |last=Frame |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Frame (bishop) |title=No Pleasure Cruise: the story of the Royal Australian Navy |year=2004 |publisher=[[Allen & Unwin]]|location=Crows Nest, NSW |isbn=1741142334 |oclc=55980812}}
*{{cite book |last=Gillett |first=Ross |title=Australian Ships |year=1989 |publisher=Child & Associates |location=Frenchs Forest, NSW |isbn=0-86777-107-0 |page=117}}
*{{cite book |last=Gillett |first=Ross |title=Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946 |year=1988 |publisher=Child & Associates |location=Brookvale, NSW |isbn=0867772190 |oclc=23470364}}

===News articles===
*{{cite news |last=Morley |first=Dave |title=Severe storm beaches ship |url=http://navynews.realviewdigital.com/?iid=115553#folio=14 |date=26 March 2015 |access-date=24 March 2015 |work=[[Navy News (Australia)|Navy News]]|page=15}}

===Websites===
*{{cite web |title=HMAS Barcoo |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-barcoo |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=24 March 2015}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMAS Barcoo (K375)}}
*[http://www.naa.gov.au/Publications/Research_Guides/guides/dockyard/pages/chapter03/barcoo.htm Cockatoo Island Dockyard: Ships – HMAS Barcoo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611224613/http://www.naa.gov.au/Publications/research_guides/guides/dockyard/pages/chapter03/barcoo.htm |date=11 June 2007 }}

{{River class frigate}}
{{1948 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barcoo (K375), HMAS}}
[[Category:River-class frigates of the Royal Australian Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Survey ships of the Royal Australian Navy]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1948]]