HMAS Quiberon (G81)

HMAS "Quiberon" (G81/F03) was a Q class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy. Although built for the Royal Navy (RN) and remaining British property until 1950, "Quiberon" was one of two Q class destroyers crewed by and commissioned into the RAN. She was passed into full RAN ownership in 1950, and converted into an anti-submarine frigate.

Construction and acquisition

"Quiberon" was laid down by J. Samuel White and Company, Limited, at Cowes on the Isle of Wight on 14 October 1940. She was launched on 31 January 1942 by Mrs. Tillard, wife of Rear Admiral S. D. Tillard, Flag Officer in Charge, Southampton and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 6 July 1942. The ship was named after the Battle of Quiberon Bay, which occurred in 1759.

Operational history

World War II

"Quiberon" first served on North Atlantic convoy escort duty. She supported the Allied landings in North Africa in October 1942, attacked and sank the enemy Italian submarine "Dessiè" off the Algerian coast on 28 November 1942, operated in North African waters on convoy and fleet escort duties, served on convoy escort duties in the Indian Ocean, took part in the carrier air strikes against Sabang in April 1944 and Surabaya in May 1944, took part in a series of fleet bombardments of the Japanese held Nicobar Islands in October 1944, took part in operations in support of the American seizure of Okinawa and attacks on the Japanese home islands, and served on occupation duties in Japan following the cessation of hostilities.

Frigate conversion

In early 1950, the decision was made to convert all five Q class destroyers in RAN service (three more had been acquired after World War II) to anti-submarine warfare frigates, similar to the Type 15 frigate conversions performed on several War Emergency Programme destroyers of the RN.Cooper, in Stevens, "The Royal Australian Navy", p. 168] A proposal was made by the Australian government to pay for the upgrade to the five on-loan vessels, at the predicted cost of AU₤400,000 each. Instead, the British Admiralty presented the ships to the RAN on 1 June as gifts.Bastock, "Australia's Ships of War", p. 316] The conversions were part of an overall plan to improve the anti-submarine warfare capability of the RAN, although "Queenborough" and the other ships were only a 'stopgap' measure until purpose-built ASW frigates could be constructed.Donohue, "From Empire Defence to the Long Haul", p. 67]

"Quiberon" paid off in 1950 for conversion at Cockatoo Island Dockyard and Garden Island Dockyard in Sydney. She was recommissioned on 18 December 1957.

Post-conversion service

"Quiberon" served in the Far East with the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve and as a unit of the Australian Fleet on the Australia Station.

Decommissioning and fate

"Quiberon" paid off to reserve on 26 June 1964. She was sold for scrap to the Fujita Salvage Company Limited of Osaka, Japan on 15 February 1972 and left Sydney under tow on 10 April 1972.

References

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* |oclc=36817771
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** cite book |last=Cooper |first=Alastair |editor=Stevens, David |title=The Royal Australian Navy |chapter=The Korean War Era (pp 155-180)
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ee also