HMAS Swan (U74)

{{Main|Grimsby-class sloop}}

The Grimsby class consisted of thirteen sloops, four of which were built in Australia for the RAN. Swan, one of the first pair constructed, had a displacement of 1,060 tons at standard load and 1,500 tons at full load, was {{convert|266|ft|3|in}} long, had a beam of {{convert|36|ft}}, and a draught of between {{convert|7.5|and|10|ft}} depending on load.{{sfn|Bastock|1975|p=130}} Propulsion machinery consisted of two Admiralty 3-drum boilers connected to Parsons geared turbines, which delivered {{convert|2000|shp}} to the sloop's two propeller shafts.{{sfn|Bastock|1975|p=130}} Maximum speed was {{convert|16.5|kn}}.{{sfn|Bastock|1975|p=130}} The ship's company in peacetime consisted of 135 officers and sailors; this increased to 160 during the war.{{sfn|Bastock|1975|p=130}}

Swan{{'}}s initial armament consisted of three QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun and a quadruple .50 in anti-aircraft machine gun mount for close-in defence.{{sfn|Hague|1993|p=55}} From 1942, this was increased to four QF 4 inch Mk XVI guns in 2 twin mounts, with a close-in armament of a Bofors 40 mm gun and six Oerlikon 20 mm cannon.{{sfn|Hague|1993|p=55}}[http://cas.awm.gov.au AWM caption for photo ID Number: 301383] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105134900/http://cas.awm.gov.au/ |date=5 January 2009 }} states that the 3 4-inch Mk V guns were replaced by twin 4-inch Mk XVI guns in positions A & X, and by a 40mm Bofors AA gun in B position" The ship's depth charge load had increased to 40 by the end of the war.{{sfn|Campbell|1980|p=56}}

Swan was laid down by Cockatoo Island Dockyard at Sydney, New South Wales on 1 May 1935. She was launched on 28 March 1936, and commissioned into the RAN on 21 January 1937.{{sfn|Hague|1993|p=55}}

Swan served as an escort and patrol vessel during World War II and escorted many convoys, including the Pensacola Convoy,{{cite web |url=http://www.ozatwar.com/pensacola.htm |title=Pensacola Convoy (PLUM Convoy) Arriving In Australia During WWII |author=Oz At War |access-date=19 May 2013}} in Australian waters and the South-West Pacific. On 12 January Swan arrived at Ambon escorting Bantam with reinforcements and remained there until 18 January, engaging bombers during raids on 15–16 January.{{sfn|Gill|1957|p=551}} In late January 1942 the ship was assigned to the short lived American-British-Dutch-Australian Command.{{sfn|Gill|1957|p=520}}

The ship was part of the escort, led by {{USS|Houston|CA-30|6}} with the destroyer {{USS|Peary|DD-226|6}} and {{HMAS|Warrego|U73|6}}, for a convoy composed of {{USAT|Meigs||2}}, {{SS|Mauna Loa||2}}, {{SS|Portmar|1919|2}}, and {{MV|Tulagi||2}} leaving Darwin before two in the morning of 15 February for Koepang carrying troops to reinforce forces already defending Timor. By eleven in the morning the convoy was being shadowed by a Japanese flying boat that dropped some bombs without causing damage before departing. The next morning another shadowing aircraft had taken position and before noon the convoy was attacked by bombers and flying boats in two waves. After the attacks the convoy continued toward Timor for a few hours with Houston launching a scout plane seeking the enemy position. ABDA suspected the presence of Japanese carriers, an imminent invasion of Timor and a support fleet lying in wait and thus ordered the convoy back to Darwin which it reached before noon on the 18th.{{sfn|Gill|1957|pp=581, 585}}{{sfn|Office Of Naval Intelligence|1943|pp=36–37}}{{sfn|Masterson|1949|p=26}}

Swan was in Darwin the next day when the Japanese attacked the port and was secured alongside {{MV|Neptuna||2}}, which had a cargo that included 100 depth charges.{{Cite web | url=http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=398253 |title = MV Neptuna - Loss of by Japanese Aircraft}} The ship managed to get underway and contributed fire in defence, but was heavily damaged by a near miss. Three crew members were killed in the attack. The day after the attack Warrego escorted the damaged Swan through Clarence Strait. {{sfn|Gill|1957|pp=589–590, 592, 594, 602}}

On 2 September 1942 Swan with {{HMAS|Castlemaine}} departed Townsville escorting Sea Witch, {{SS|Taroona||2}}, {{MV|Anshun|1930|2}} and {{SS|'s Jacob|1907|2}} bound for Port Moresby and Milne Bay. {{HMAS|Arunta|I30|6}} joined to be the escort with Swan for Anshun and 's Jacob to Milne Bay while Castlemaine escorted Sea Witch and Taroona to Port Moresby.{{sfn|Gill|1968|p=171}}

File:HMAS Swan guns (079323).jpg

General Kenneth Eather, GOC Australian 11th Division, accepted the surrender of Japanese forces in New Ireland from General Ito on board Swan on 18 September 1945. From late 1945 to August 1948 she was used to command the RAN's minesweeping operation in Australian and New Guinean waters.

The ship received three battle honours for her wartime service: "Darwin 1942", "Pacific 1941–45", and "New Guinea 1943–44".{{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}}{{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}}

Swan paid off to reserve on 18 August 1950, was converted to a training ship between October 1954 and February 1956 and recommissioned on 10 February 1956.

Swan paid off for disposal on 20 September 1962 and was sold for scrap to Hurley and Dewhurst of Sydney on 5 June 1964.

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |last=Bastock |first=John |title=Australia's Ships of War |year=1975 |publisher=Angus and Robertson |location=Cremorne, NSW |isbn=0-207-12927-4 |oclc=2525523}}
• {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau |editor1-first=Roger |publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK |year=1980 |isbn=0-85177-146-7 |chapter=Great Britain (including Empire Forces)|author-first=N. J. M. |author-last=Campbell |pages=2–85}}
• {{cite book |last1=Colledge |first1=J. J. |title=Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present |date=2020 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |location=Barnsley, UK |isbn=978-1-5267-9327-0 |edition=5th revised and updated|first2=Ben|last2=Warlow|first3=Steve|last3=Bush|name-list-style=amp}}
• {{cite book|last=Gill|first=G. Hermon|title=Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942|series=Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 2 – Navy|volume=1|year=1957|publisher=Australian War Memorial|location=Canberra|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070207/|oclc=848228}}
• {{cite book |last=Gill |first=G. Hermon|title=Royal Australian Navy 1939–1942| series =Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 2 – Navy|volume =2 |year=1968 |publisher=Australian War Memorial |location=Canberra|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070208/|oclc=65475}}
• {{cite book|last=Hague|first=Arnold|title=Sloops: A History of the 71 Sloops Built in Britain and Australia for the British, Australian and Indian Navies 1926–1946|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Kendal, UK|isbn=0-905617-67-3}}
• {{cite book |last=Masterson |first=Dr. James R. |title=U. S. Army Transportation In The Southwest Pacific Area 1941–1947 |year=1949 |publisher=Transportation Unit, Historical Division, Special Staff, U. S. Army |location=Washington, D. C. }}
• {{cite book |last1=Office Of Naval Intelligence – United States Navy |year=1943 |title=The Java Sea Campaign |series=Combat Narratives |location=Washington, DC |publisher= United States Navy | url=http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/javasea_campaign.htm | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628034726/http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/javasea_campaign.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=28 June 2013 |ref=CITEREFOffice_Of_Naval_Intelligence1943}}

• {{cite book |last=Gillett |first=Ross |others=MacDougall, Anthony; Graham, Colin (illustrations) |title=Warships of Australia |year=1977 |publisher=Rigby |location=Adelaide, SA |isbn=0727004727 |oclc=4466019}}

{{Commons category|HMAS Swan (U74)}}

• [http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-swan-ii HMAS Swan (II)] RAN Ship Histories

{{Grimsby class sloop}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swan (U74)}}

Category:Grimsby-class sloops of the Royal Australian Navy

Category:Training ships of the Royal Australian Navy

Category:1936 ships