HMAS Swan (U74)

HMAS "Swan" (U74/F74/A427), the second ship to bear that name, was a "Grimsby" class sloop of the Royal Australian Navy that served during World War II. She was laid down by the Cockatoo Island Dockyard at Sydney in New South Wales on 1 May 1935, launched on 28 March 1936 and commissioned on 21 January 1937.

Operational history

"Swan" served as an escort and patrol vessel during World War II and escorted many convoys in Australian waters and the South-West Pacific. "Swan" was damaged during the first air raid on Darwin on 19 February 1942. General Eather, GOC Australian 11th Division, accepted the surrender of Japanese forces in New Ireland from General Ito on board "Swan" on 18 September 1945. "Swan" paid off to reserve on 18 August 1950, was converted to a training ship between October 1954 and February 1956 and recommissioned on 10 February 1956.

Decommissioning and fate

"Swan" paid off for disposal on 20 September 1962 and was sold for scrap to Hurley and Dewhurst of Sydney on 5 June 1964.

Bibliography

*"Warships of Australia", Ross Gillett, Illustrations Colin Graham, Rigby Limited, 1977, ISBN 0-7270-0472-7

See also

*List of corvette and sloop classes of the Royal Navy
*List of Royal Australian Navy ships