HMAS Woomera
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33°58′44″S 151°33′36″E / 33.979°S 151.560°E
- 1945 (as AV Ashburton)
- 23 January 1946 (into RAN)
 Woomera | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Australia | |
| Namesake | Woomera (spear-thrower) |
| Builder | Australian Shipbuilding Board, Fremantle |
| Completed | November 1945 |
| Commissioned |
|
| Renamed | 23 January 1946 (to HMAS Woomera) |
| Fate | Sunk following an accidental explosion, 11 October 1960 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Armament store carrier |
| Displacement | 603 tons |
| Length | 125 ft (38 m) |
| Beam | 24 ft (7.3 m) |
| Draught | 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) |
| Propulsion | Ruston-Hornsby diesel engines - 2 shafts BHP 306 |
| Speed | 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h) |
| Range | 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km) at 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 17 sailors |
HMAS Woomera was an Australian naval vessel operated by the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built in Fremantle, Western Australia, she was one of a class of 32 wooden motor vessels intended for the Department of Commerce, but later allocated to the Army. She initially entered service in late 1945 as AV 1356 (Ashburton), before being transferred to the RAN on 23 January 1946 and commissioned as Woomera.[1] The ship's main role was carrying stores and dumping obsolete ammunition surplus from all three military services at sea.[2] In this role she visited many ports in Australia and New Guinea.
On the morning of 11 October 1960, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Doug Marshall, Woomera sailed from Sydney Harbour carrying approximately 130 tons of 6-inch shells and 3 tons of unboxed aircraft parachute flares for dumping in the ocean.[3] Shortly before 1000 hours, during the dumping operation, Marshall observed a crew member pick up a flare that appeared to have its parachute deployed and tangled. As the crew member attempted to dislodge the parachute, Marshall heard a crack and was temporarily blinded by a bright flash as stores being raised from the hold exploded.[3]
Now on fire, Woomera broadcast a distress signal giving her position 23 mi (37 km) south-east of Sydney heads. The distress signal was responded to by HMAS Quickmatch and HMS Cavendish, engaged in exercises a few miles from Woomera's position.[2] Their crews observed smoke on the horizon and they immediately set a course to assist. The explosion and fire, fuelled by her cargo of ammunition severely damaged the wooden ship and crew members began to abandon the ship without waiting for orders from Marshall.[3] Arriving on the scene at around 1030, Quickmatch launched boats to pick up survivors seen in the water, while Cavendish positioned alongside the burning Woomera, attempting fight the fire.[3]
25 survivors were rescued with only minor injuries reported. Some survivors reported being attacked by several albatross while awaiting rescue.[4] Aboard Quickmatch, a headcount confirmed that two men, Able Seaman Barrie Baker and Seaman Robert Herd were missing.[1] Not part of the regular crew, Baker and Herd were part of a work party embarked aboard Woomera to assist with the dumping. A few minutes later at 1104, Woomera sank. Cavendish then joined Quickmatch in searching for the missing men downwind of the wreck, but by 1400 had failed to locate them.[3]