HMAS Tarakan (L-3017)

HMAS "Tarakan" (L-3017) was a Mark III Tank Landing Ship, or LST(3), built for the Royal Navy by R. and W. Hawthorne, Leslie and Company at Hebburn-on-Tyne in England and launched on 28 November 1944 as LST 3017. The ship was loaned to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and commissioned on 4 July 1946. She was named "Tarakan" on 16 December 1948, and served in Australian and New Guinea waters as a general purpose vessel, but was mainly used for dumping condemned ammunition at sea.cite web |title=HMAS Tarakan (I) |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Takaran_(I) |publisher=Sea Power Centre Australia |accessdate=2008-09-15]

On 25 January 1950 "Tarakan" was berthed alongside HMAS "Kuttabul" naval base at Garden Island in Sydney, making good defects prior to departure for New Guinea, when an explosion occurred aft under the mess decks, resulting in the deaths of seven sailors and one dockyard tradesman. A further 12 sailors and one dockyard tradesman were injured. The ship was extensively damaged and never returned to seagoing service. She was sold for breaking up on 12 March 1954.

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