TRIBAL-Class Destroyer ordered from Cockatoo  Docks and Engineering Co at Sydney, Australia for service with the Royal Australian Navy on 24th January 1939. The ship was laid down on 15th November 1939 and launched on 3rd November 1940. Her build was completed on 30th April 1942. Build design followed that of the TRIBAL Class Fleet Destroyers ordered from UK shipyards in 1936. She was the first RAN ship to bear the name

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

GUADALCANAL 1942-43 - PACIFIC 1942-45 - NEW GUINEA 1942-44  - LEYTE GULF 1944 - LINGAYEN GULF 1945

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

None is recorded in the Admiralty Official List

as this ship belonged to the RAN

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

1 9 4 2

April

Contractors trials

30th - Commissioned for RAN service.

Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

May to June

On completion of trials and storing worked-up for operational service based on Sydney.

July

Nominated for convoy escort duties in defence of military convoys/ Prepared for war service. Passage to Port Moresby

August

Deployed for escort of troopships to New Guinea. Carried troops to Milne Bay from Port Moresby with HM Australian Sloop SWAN.

29th - During escort of troopship MARITA from Milne Bay to Cairns came under attack by Japanese submarine which torpedoed the troopship. (Note: Japanese troops had been landed near Milne Bay, Papua ). Detected submarine and carried out depth charge attacks which sank submarine RO33. MARITA was damaged but survived this attack.

September

Deployed in support of defence of New Guinea including convoy defence,

October

New Guinea deployment in continuation

23rd - Deployed with HM Australian Destroyer STUART and carried 640 troops for landing on Goodenough Island which had been evacuated by Japanese troops.

November

New Guinea deployment in continuation.

December

Carried out routine maintenance at Port Moresby. Resumed operational duties in New Guinea,

1 9 4 3

January

Deployed in SW Pacific

9th - Carried out rescue of 282 troops and 31 civilians from Timor Island which had been occupied by Japanese troops. Passage to Darwin to land passengers.

February

Joined combined US and Australian Task Force 74 on formation with HM Australian Cruisers AUSTRALIA, HOBART and HM Australian Destroyer WARRAMUNGA. Took passage with ships of TF74 to Coral Sea. Pennant Number for visual Signalling purposes changed to D05 to conform with US Navy designation for destroyers.

March

Detached from TF74 with same RAN ships and joined US Desdron 5 in 7th US Fleet with HMAS WARRAMUNGA. (Note: Desdron is the US Navy equivalent of RN Destroyer Flotilla and also included seven US Navy destroyers.)

Under refit at Sydney Deployed for escort of convoys between Queensland and New Guinea.

April

Convoy defence duties in continuation.

May

Re-joined TF74 and deployed with HMAS AUSTRALIA and HMAS WARRAMUNGA and provided cover for landings by US 158th Infantry Regiment on Woodlark and Kiriwina Islands

June

Resumed convoy defence duties in SW Pacific.

23rd - Deployed with HMAS AUSTRALIA, HOBART, WARRAMUNGA and US Destroyer LAMSON of TF74 to provide cover for US landings on New Georgia in Solomons. (Operation CARTWHEEL)

July

4th - Released from covering force and resumed convoy defence duties.

August

Convoy defence in continuation

21st - Deployed with HMAS WARRAMUNGA for escort of damaged cruiser HMAS HOBART during passage from Espiritu Santo to Sydney for repair. (Note: HOBART had been damaged by torpedo from Japanese submarine I11.)

26th - Detached from HMAS HOBART on arrival at Sydney. Took passage to Milne Bay for support of operations in New Guinea against Japanese invasion.

29th - During deployment as part of escort for convoy to Port Moresby came under under submarine attack. Sank Japanese submarine RO33 after mercantile had been torpedoed.

September to October

Deployed for convoy escort in SW Pacific.

November

5th - Transferred with HMAS AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE and ARUNTA and joined US Destroyers RALPH TALBOT and HELM to reinforce TF74 for planned operations in New Hebrides. Passage from Milne Bay, New Guinea.

29th - Provided Naval Gunfire Support during landings at Gasmata on south coast of New Hebrides with same ships.

December

.

13th - Provided cover for US landings at Arawe, New Britain with HMAS AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE and WARRAMUNGA.

26th - Provided Naval Gunfire Support during US landings at Cape Gloucester with same ships.

1 9 4 4

January

2nd - Provided cover for US landings near Saidor, New Guinea with same ships and joined US cruisers USS NASHVILLE, USS PHOENIX and six US Navy destroyers of TF74. (Operation DEXTERITY)

3rd - Released from TF74 and took passage to Sydney for refit and leave. Taken in hand for refit.

February

Under refit.

March

On completion of post refit trials resumed operational duties with Task Group 76.1

2nd - Deployed with eight US Destroyers for escort for assault convoy taking 3rd wave of US troops for landings at Los Negros, Admiralty Islands

5th - Arrived at Los Negros.

April

Deployed with TF74

22nd to 29th - Provided cover for US landings on Hollandia (Operation RECKLESS) and Aitape to with Task 74 which also included HMAS AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, WARRAMUNGA and USS AMMEN and MULLANY (Operation PERSECUTION). Provided Naval Gunfire support during assault with US cruisers USS PHOENIX, USS NASHVILLE and USS BOISE screened by 6 US navy destroyers. (Note: General MacArthur was embarked in USS NASHVILLE.)

May

TF74 deployment in continuation

5th - Sailed from Hollandia as part of Task Group 77.2 to provide cover for US landings on south coast of Biak (Operation HORLICKS) (Note: Task Group also included HMAS AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, WARRAMUNGA and two US Navy destroyers.).

Bombarded positions at Sarwa and Sarmi

25th to 29th - Provided cover and Naval Gunfire Support during landings.

June

Deployed off Biak for support of assault Deployed with HMAS AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, and USS BOISE and PHOENIX, HMAS WARRAMUNGA and 11 US Navy destroyers to intercept Japanese naval force sighted by air reconnaissance. Unable to engage enemy ships which retired.

July

Support of military operations at Biak in continuation

2nd - Carried out bombardment of airstrip at Kamari on Biak with HMAS SHROPSHIRE and WARRAMUNGA.

14th to 26th - Carried out bombardments on troops west of Aitape with HMAS AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, WARRAMUNGA and two US destroyers to deter an advance.  

On release took passage to Sydney for leave and maintenance.

August

Deployed at Sydney.

September

Resumed operational service and joined HMAS AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, WARRAMUNGA and two US Navy destroyers as Task Group 77.2 provide cover and Naval Gunfire Support during planned landings at Morotai

10th - Sailed from Aitape with ships of TF77.

15th - Deployed during assault at Morotai.

October

Nominated for service in Task Group 77.3 to provide cover during planned attacks on Leyte, Cebu and North Mindanao. Joined US Navy cruisers USS PHOENIX and BOISE, HMAS AUSTRALIA and SHROPSHIRE, 5 US Navy destroyers and HMAS WARRAMUNGA.

17th - Entered Leyte Gulf as part of Desdron 24..

20th - Under air attacks and destroyed one aircraft.

24th - Took part in Battle of Leyte Gulf. (For details see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO.))

November

Took part in operations in Leyte Gulf.

1st - Under air attacks including suicide bombers. (See above reference.)

25th - Took part in unsuccessful engagement against Japanese battleships FUSO and YAMASHIRO with WARRAMUNGA and US Navy destroyer

December

Leyte deployment in continuation.

15th - Provided cover for landings at Mindoro with HMAS SHROPSHIRE, USS BOISE, and PHOENIX, HMAS WARRAMUNGA and five US Navy destroyers. On release took passage to British Forward Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands.

1 9 4 5

January

Nominated for escort and support of planned US landings at Lingayen with Task Group 77.2. See above reference. Passage from Manus with HMAS AUSTRALIA SHROPSHIRE and WARRAMUNGA to join ships of Unit 2. Deployed with ships of Desdron 56 with HMAS WARRAMUNGA. (Note: Desdron 56 included five US Navy Destroyers..)

5th - Under attacks by KAMIKAZE aircraft in Lingayen Gulf and sustained damage by near miss with seven casualties including two fatal. Ship remained operational after repair to steering gear.

6th to 8th - Provided Naval Gunfire Support during assault and under sustained air attacks.

9th - Released from support duties and took passage to Leyte with other damaged warships.

Taken in hand for emergency repair before resuming cover duties at Lingayen.

February

Deployed in Lingayen Gulf with Reserve Fire Support Unit CTU 77.2.5. See above reference.

March

1st - Detached from service with 7th US Fleet and took passage to Manus with HMAS SHROPSHIRE.

16th - Arrived at Sydney from Manus. Taken in hand for repair and refit.

April

Deployed at Sydney

May

Nominated for support of landings in New Guinea by US and Australian troops with Wewak Support Force of US 7th Fleet.

4th - Took passage from Sydney for operational service with HMAS HOBART, HM Cruiser NEWFOUNDLAND and HMAS WARRAMUNGA.

9th - Joined Support Force off Wewak and took part in bombardments prior to assault

10th - Bombarded Cape Hoem area with HMS NEWFOUNDLAND.

11th - Provided gunfire support in Dove Bay during landings (Operation DELUGE)

June

Deployed with Cruiser Covering Group (Task Group 74.3) for support of landings in Brunei. See above reference. (Note: Group also included US cruisers USS NASHVILLE and PHOENIX, HMAS HOBART, US Navy destroyers USS CONNOR, CHARLOTTE BELL and BURNS.)

7th - Provided cover for minesweeping operations Brunei Bay.

10th - Provided Naval Gunfire Support with ships of TG74.3 during unopposed landings.

20th to 25th- Deployed to provide cover for landings at Lutong, Seria and Miri with ships of to Task Group 74.1 which also included HMAS SHROPSHIRE, HOBART and WARRAMUNGA (Note: Broad Pendant of Commodore Farncombe was transferred to ship from SHROPSHIRE during this period.)

27th - Arrived with HMAS SHROPSHIRE and HOBART off Balikpapan, Borneo to provide cover during preliminary operations and gunfire support during landings by 7th Australian Division. (Operation OBOE I See above reference.)

July

1st to 9th - Carried out preliminary bombardment with CTG 74.1 and CTG 74.2. Provided Naval Gunfire Support for shore military operations as required.

10th - Released from OBOE I

15th - Took passage to Sydney for refit.

Paid-off and taken in hand for major refit

August

Under refit which included installation of improved radar equipment and fit of lattice foremast.

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

HMAS ARUNTA re-commissioned on completion of refit and was deployed for Fleet duties for screening and associated duties.. She took part in joint exercises with RNZN and was nominated for conversion to an Anti-submarine destroyer in 1950. She rejoined the Fleet in June 1950 with modified armament including a squid Anti-submarine mortar outfit. This destroyer was deployed operationally until 1957 when Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status. Placed on the Disposal List in 1968 the ship was sold the China Steel Corporation for demolition at Taipai. During passage in tow to Taiwan by Japanese tug TOKO MARU to Taiwan she developed a serious list and sank 60 miles from Broken Bay on 13th February 1969.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMAS ARUNTA

by Don Kindell

This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)