HMAS Una – a Work Horse – 1914

Author

A.N. Other and NHSA Webmaster

Subjects

Ship histories and stories

Tags

Komet

RAN Ships

HMAS Una

Publication

March 1983 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

ONE OF THE SPOILS from the capture of the German New Guinea colonies in 1914 was the steam yacht Komet. Built in 1911 as the Government yacht for the colonies, Komet was commissioned into the Imperial Navy just prior to the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. Her capture by the RAN is well covered in the official history.

Sent back to Sydney, Komet was renamed Una and commissioned as an HMA Ship. Her armament comprised three BL 4 inch Mark VIIIs, arranged with one gun on the foc’sle, with the other two sited on the quarter-deck. She has been described as a sloop and also a gunboat, but whatever her designation she was a workhorse during her time with Grey Funnel Line. The name chosen was a good one, but not actually the proper one for the message to be given. She was meant to signify that she was the first of many, and as such the name Primo would have been appropriate. As it was, Una was properly translated as ‘the only one’.

Once Una commenced duties with the RAN she was quickly sent back to the New Guinea area, on a truly flag showing exercise. It was reasoned that seeing as the ship was well known by the natives in the islands as a German ship, she would have a great impact when she turned up wearing the White Ensign.

Evidently the natives were more impressed with the cook’s false teeth than they were with the change of ownership.

The following diary of movements are given to show just how Una travelled on her lawful occasions. Dealing with only one period of 1918-19, it illustrates the use the ship was put to.

From 10.4.18 to 31.12.18, Una steamed 14,455 miles.

The above timetable comes from the notebook of the late Dan Clifford, a former Royal Marine Light Infantry man. He paid off from the Marines in Sydney before the Great War, and was called back to the colours, serving with the RAN. He spent a great deal of his time in Una.