HMAS Korowa

Name

Edward McGuire^[1]
Cape St. Vincent^{[citation needed]}
St. Lolan^{[citation needed]}
St. Lolau^{[citation needed]}
Korows^{[citation needed]}
Korowa^[2]

Owner

Red Funnell Trawler Pty Ltd (1919-1939)^[1]
Royal Australian Navy (1939-1954)^[1]

Laid down1919 by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby, England^[1]

Launched17 May 1919

History

Aerial port bow photograph of the auxiliary minesweeper HMAS Korowa.




Name	Edward McGuire^[1] Cape St. Vincent^{[citation needed]} St. Lolan^{[citation needed]} St. Lolau^{[citation needed]} Korows^{[citation needed]} Korowa^[2]
Owner	Red Funnell Trawler Pty Ltd (1919-1939)^[1] Royal Australian Navy (1939-1954)^[1]
Laid down	1919 by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby, England^[1]
Launched	17 May 1919
Completed	30 November 1919
In service	3 December 1919
Fate	Broken up in 1954



History

Australia
Name	Korowa
Acquired	14 September 1939
Commissioned	6 October 1939
Decommissioned	1946
Fate	Restored and returned to owner before scrapping in 1954


General characteristics
Tonnage	324 gross tonnage^[3]
Length	138.3 ft (42 m)^[3]
Beam	23.7 ft (7 m)^[3]
Depth	12.7 ft (4 m)^[3]
Armament	1 × 12-pounder gun 1 × 20mm Oerlikon cannon 1 × .303-inch Vickers machine gun

HMAS Korowa was an auxiliary minesweeper operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during World War II. She was laid down in 1919 by Cochrane and Sons Ltd at Selby as the Edward McGuire. The ship operated in Australian waters from 1937, and was requisitioned by the RAN in September 1939. She was returned to her owners in 1945 before being scrapped in 1954.^[1]

The ship was launched on 17 May 1919 by Cochrane & Sons Ltd in Selby^[1] as part of the “Mersey” class for The Admiralty, and was named Edward McGuire. It was completed on 30 November 1919 and sold to West Riding Steam Trawling Co Ltd in Hull, with Thomas Hudson as the manager. On 3 December 1919, the vessel was delivered and began operating as a fishing vessel. It was registered in Hull on 19 January 1920 under the name Cape St. Vincent.

In October 1928, the ship was sold to H. Croft Baker & Sons Ltd in Grimsby, managed by Sydney C. Baker from Cleethorpes, and re-registered in Hull on 31 October 1928 as St. Lolan. On 1 October 1931, while leaving Blyth after refueling, the ship collided with the Workington steamer Galacum (built in 1915) in South Harbour, resulting in damage to both vessels. On 6 January 1932, during the return journey from the Norwegian coast, the ship ran aground at Storfjorden, Norway. With the assistance of a salvage steamer, the ship was refloated on 7 January 1932 at 9:20 pm with minor damage and continued to Grimsby.

The ship was sold on 11 April 1934 to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd in Fleetwood, managed by Basil A. Parkes from Cleveleys. It made its last landing at Fleetwood on 1 April 1937. On 25 May 1937, the ship was sold to Red Funnel Trawlers Pty Ltd in Sydney, New South Wales, and the Hull registry was closed on 26 May 1937. The ship was registered in Sydney on 16 July 1937 as Korowa.

St. Lolau was purchased by the Red Funnell Trawler Pty Ltd and sailed to Sydney, Australia in 1937 and was later renamed Korowa.^[3] In September 1939, Korowa was requisitioned by the RAN for use as an auxiliary and commissioned on 6 October 1939.^[1]

On 14 September 1939, the ship was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy for war service as a minesweeper. It was returned to the owner in February 1946 after restoration and survey in Sydney. In 1955, the ship was sold for scrapping in Sydney, and the registry was closed on 13 July 1955 after the vessel was completely dismantled.

During the war, Korowa was based initially in Melbourne before later operating out of Fremantle with Minesweeping Group 66 and operated along the West Australian coastline. She was returned to her owners in November 1945.

Korowa was broken up in 1954.

Citations

References

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