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Allied Warships

HMAS Wollongong (J 172)

Minesweeper of the Bathurst class

NavyThe Royal Australian Navy
TypeMinesweeper
ClassBathurst 
PennantJ 172 
Built byCockatoo Docks and Engineering Co. Ltd. (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) 
Ordered 
Laid down29 Jan, 1941 
Launched5 Jul, 1941 
Commissioned23 Oct, 1941 
End service11 Feb, 1946 
Loss position
 
HistoryDecommissioned on 11 February 1946.
Transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy being renamed Banda.
In April 1950 Banda was transferred to the Indonesian Navy being renamed RADJAWALI. 

Noteable events involving Wollongong include:

12 Sep, 1943
The German submarine U-617 was beached, in the Mediterranean near Melilla, in position 35º38'N, 03º27'W, after being damaged in aerial attacks by British Hudons (Sqdn 48 and 233) and 2 Swordfish aircraft (FAA Sqdn 833 and 886). The Wreck was destroyed by gunfire from the British corvette HMS Hyacinth (Lt.Cdr. J.D. Hayes, DSO, RN) and the Australian minesweeper HMAS Wollongong (Lt. T.H. Smith, RANR(S)). (see map)


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