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HMAS Adelaide 1918 – 1949

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Author
Subjects
Ship histories and stories, History - WW2
Tags
Gull Force, Anzac Squadron, Kormoran
RAN Ships
, , ,
Publication
June 2005 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

Acknowledgements:

  • Stan Billington, Leading stoker Sept. 1939 – August 1942.
  • Ken Blade, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Kalkari Visitor’s Centre. Responsible for Kuring-Gai National Park, in which may be found the mainmast of HMAS Adelaide.
  • Lance Clough, Gunner.
  • Kevin Gattinhof, Baker/cook/butcher, 1942 – 1945.
  • Mort Howley, CPO Cook.
  • Martin Lingarde, OS/AB 1942-1946
  • Ross Lyndsay, Engineering Sub. Lt. 1945 for final voyage.
  • Lionel Love, Cook 1942-1946
  • Doug Malloch, Leading Stoker, 8/1939- 12/1942
  • Alan Marshall, AB Gunner, 1940-1942.
  • Douglas A. Marshall, Gunnery Officer.
  • J. S. McLeod, Leading steward, September 1938 – 1941
  • Clem McManus, cook.
  • Jim Nixon, ordinary seaman/later AB. 1942- 1943.
  • Kevin O’Neil, Sub. Lt, gunnery. September 1942 on.
  • Ken Spragg, Stoker 3rd class, 9/1942-1947.
  • Ron Ricardo, ex HMAS Shropshire.
  • Tom Ross, AIF.
  • Bill Wehrman, Seaman QR2, May 1940 – June 1943.

Special mention must be made of ex Stoker Harold Dyball who lent me two magnificent war-time photo albums for copying. The photographs of Adelaide and many other ships of the time are of considerable historic significance.

Bibliography:

  • Australian Shipbuilding June 1947, Conways
  • All the World’s Fighting Ships (various)
  • Janes Fighting Ships (various)
  • French Warships of WWII
  • German Warships of WWII
  • Battleships and Battlecruisers 1905-1970
  • Die Deutsche Flotte 1848 -1945
  • Australia’s Ships of War
  • Cruisers of World War Two
  • RAN material (various)
  • Bulletin 21 November, 1995
  • Australian Womens’ Weekly Pictorial, 21 October 1939
  • Pix, 8 October 1938

Comparative Data

  • Adelaide 1922 5600 disp. 460ft by 50ft 25 knots
  • Durmont D’urville 1932 2156 disp. 340ft by 42ft 15.5 knots
  • Kormoran 1938 8736 grt. 515ft by 66ft 18 knots

Gun Data (from published sources)

  • Adelaide Birmingham class cruiser (in WWI). Eight, later seven, 6in. (152mm) MK XIII guns in single mounts. Range about 17,000 yards (max.) at 45 rounds per minute. Shell weight 45 kg.
  • Durmont D’urville Three 5.5in. (138.6mm) guns in single mounts. Range about 18200 yards (max.), at 12 rounds per minute. Shell weight 40kg.
  • Kormoran Six 5.9in. (150mm) guns in single mounts. Guns originally carried in German pre-dreadnought battleships c.1905. Range about 14700 yards (max.), at 7 rounds per minute. Shell weight 46kg.

 

This article was previously published in “Australian Sea Heritage”

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