- HMAS Parramatta (D55)
The first HMAS "Parramatta" (D55) was a
River class torpedo boat destroyer laid down by theFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited ofGovan atGlasgow inScotland , launched on 9 February 1910 by Mrs. H. E. Asquith, wife of the British Prime Minister, commissioned asRoyal Navy ship HMS "Parramatta" for the voyage toAustralia on 10 September 1910, and passed to the control of the Australian government at Broome inWestern Australia on 15 November 1910."Parramatta", along with sister ship HMAS "Yarra", was the first ship to be commissioned into the
Royal Australian Navy .Operational history
"Parramatta" operated with the fleet in the search for the German Pacific Squadron, took part in the capture of the German Colonies in the South West Pacific, was present at the surrender of
German New Guinea atRabaul on 13 September 1914, assisted in the consolidation of the Australian occupation ofNew Guinea andNew Britain , served with the British Far East Patrol atSandakan inBorneo andSingapore , operated in theMediterranean as part of theBritish 5th Destroyer Flotilla , operated with an Allied Squadron atConstantinople , returned to Australia on 21 May 1919, paid off atSydney on 22 July 1919, recommissioned for the period 17 May to 13 June 1920 for the visit of the Prince of Wales in HMS "Renown", was based atWesternport as a training ship from October 1924 until November 1925, and was placed in Reserve with a Care and Maintenance Party in May 1926 for Naval Reserve Training atAdelaide .HMAS "Parramatta" paid off on 20 April 1928 and handed over to the
Cockatoo Dockyard for dismantling on 17 October 1929. The hulk was used as accommodation by the NSW Penal Department before it was sold to George Rhodes of Cowan as scrap. The remains were deposited on a mudbank north ofMilson Island , on theHawkesbury River .Memorial
Beginning on 7 July 1973, the bow and stern sections were salvaged. They were converted to memorials, with the stern installed on the south bank of the
Parramatta River inParramatta, New South Wales and the bow atGarden Island, New South Wales .References
* [http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Parramatta_(I) Sea Power Centre webpage on HMAS Parramatta (I)]
* Memorial information boards located in Parramatta, New South Wales.
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