HMAS Lithgow (J206)

HMAS "Lithgow" (J206/M206), named for the city of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia was one of 60 "Bathurst" class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Lithgow |title=HMAS Lithgow |accessdate=2008-09-15 |publisher=Sea Power Centre Australia]

Construction

"Lithgow" was laid down by Morts Dock & Engineering Co at Mort's Dock in Balmain, New South Wales on 19 August 1940, launched on 21 December 1940, and commissioned on 14 June 1941.

Operational history

"Lithgow", in company with USS "Edsall", HMAS "Katoomba" and HMAS "Deloraine", sank the enemy Japanese submarine "I-124" off Darwin, the first enemy submarine sunk in Australian waters, on 20 January 1942.

In May 1943, "Lithgow" was one of several ships to search for survivors following the torpedoing of AHS "Centaur", with no success. [cite book |last=Smith |first=A.E. |title=Three Minutes of Time - the torpedoing of the Australian Hospital Ship Centaur |origyear=1991 |edition=Second Printing |year=1992 |month=May |publisher=Tasman Press |location=Miami |isbn=0-646-07631-0]

Fate

HMAS "Lithgow" paid off to reserve on 8 June 1948 and was sold for scrap to the Hong Kong Delta Shipping Company on 8 August 1956.

References