HMAS Stuart is the leader of the Scott destroyers. The ship was built for the Royal Navy of Great Britain by the shipyard Hawthorn Leslie and Company as HMS Stuart , went into operation on December 21, 1918. In 1933, transferred to the Australian Navy , after which it was called HMAS Stuart . In 1938 it was put into reserve, but on September 1, 1939 it was again put into operation in connection with the outbreak of World War II. After commissioning, it became the flagship of the Australian destroyer flotilla.
| Stewart | |
|---|---|
| English HMAS Stuart | |
| Service | |
 Great Britain | |
| Title | HMS Stuart |
| Named after | |
| Class and type of vessel | Scott destroyer leaders |
| Organization | UK Navy |
| Manufacturer | |
| Construction started | October 18, 1917 |
| Launched | August 22, 1918 |
| Commissioned | December 21, 1918 |
| Withdrawn from the fleet | May 1933 |
| Status | handed over to the Australian Navy |
| Service | |
 Australia | |
| Title | HMAS Stuart |
| Named after | |
| Class and type of vessel | Scott destroyer leaders |
| Organization | Australian Navy |
| Manufacturer | |
| Commissioned | October 11, 1938 |
| Withdrawn from the fleet | April 27, 1946 |
| Status | sold for scrap in 1947 |
| Main characteristics | |
| Crew | 183 officers and sailors in 1918 11 officers and 156 sailors in 1936 |
| Armament (1933) | |
| Artillery | 5 × 120 mm / 45 BL Mk I |
| Mine torpedo armament | 6 × 533 mm torpedo tubes |
As part of the Australian flotilla operating on the Mediterranean Sea, the Stuart participated in the campaign in the Western Desert, the battle of Calabria , the battle of Cape Matapan , the sinking of the Italian submarine Gondar, the evacuation of allied forces from Greece and Crete, as well as in operations supplying the besieged Tobruk. At the end of 1941 he returned to Australia for repair and modernization, spent most of 1942 and 1943 in Australian waters. In early 1944, "Stuart" was converted into a supply ship and military transport, in this capacity acted in the waters of Australia and New Guinea. In 1946, put into reserve, at the beginning of 1947 sold for scrap.
Content
Service
British Navy (1918-1933)
Having entered service with the Royal Navy in December 1918, the Stuart spent most of their service in the Mediterranean [1] as part of the 2nd destroyer flotilla. In 1919-1920, "Stuart" acted on the Black Sea during the Allied intervention in the south of Russia . In April 1919, the destroyer was sent to Yalta after military operations began in Crimea [2] . In March 1920, the Stuart took on board members of the British military mission, evacuated due to the Bolsheviks advancing on Novorossiysk [3] .
In addition to actions against the Bolsheviks, the destroyer was involved in supporting Greek operations against the Turks. Thus, the “Stuart”, together with other ships of the Allies, was guarded by military transports during the Greek occupation of Smyrna in May 1919 [4] , and in July 1920 - during the landing in Panderma [5] .
In early 1921, the "Stuart" was based on Constantinople , since November 1918 occupied by the troops of the Entente [6] .
After 1923, the activity of the British Mediterranean fleet became peaceful and for the remainder of the decade, the destroyer was involved in the routine peacetime service [7] . In May 1933, the ship was put into reserve [1] . The Stuart, along with four Type V and W destroyers, decided to transfer the Australian Navy to replace the destroyers that had previously served there. The former British leader was supposed to replace the Australian leader Anzac [1] . October 11, 1933 "Stuart" became part of the Australian Navy [1] . On October 17, the leader, along with four destroyers, left Chatham and on December 21 the flotilla arrived in Sydney [1] .
Australian Navy (1933-1946)
June 1, 1938 put into reserve, in previous years, the service "Stuart" was held in Australian waters [1] . From September 29 to November 30, 1938 he was again in active service [1] . It was again put into operation on September 1, 1939 (the commander of the ship is Commander Hector Waller). [1] On October 14, the Stuart withdrew the Australian destroyer fleet from Sydney; on January 2, 1940, ships arrived in Malta, forming the 19th division of destroyers [1] . On May 20, the 19th division was merged with the 20th, forming the 10th flotilla of destroyers [8] . On July 9, the Stuart led the 10th flotilla in the battle of Calabria [9] . In addition to naval operations, the Stuart provided artillery support to ground forces fighting the Italians in the Western Desert [9] . On September 30, 1940, the Stuart attacked the Italian submarine Gondar, forcing the crew to flood the boat and surrender [9] .
On January 22, 1941, the Stuart provided artillery support to the 6th Australian Division during its capture of the Italian port of Tobruk . At the end of March of the same year, the Stuart took part in the battle at Cape Matapan ; the Stuart torpedo hit the damaged Italian heavy cruiser Zara .
In April 1941, he participated in the evacuation of allied forces from Greece , in May - from the island of Crete [9] . From June to July, he was involved in the supply of the besieged garrison of Tobruk , making 24 flights to the besieged city [9] . Due to a breakdown of the left car, he went to Australia for repairs on August 22, arrived in Melbourne on September 27, where he got up for repairs and refurbishment, which ended in April 1942 [9] . After commissioning, he participated in the protection of convoys and anti-submarine patrols in the eastern waters of Australia [9] . At the end of 1943 it was put into reserve, at the beginning of 1944 the conversion of the Stuart into a supply ship and military transport began [9] . After the conversion, he acted in a new capacity in the waters of Australia and New Guinea until January 1946 [9] .
April 27, 1946 put into reserve. February 3, 1947 sold for scrap to T. Carr and Company , February 21 transferred to the shipyard for cutting metal [9] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Cassels, 2000 , p. 107.
- ↑ Halpern, 2011 , p. 32.
- ↑ Halpern, 2011 , p. 187.
- ↑ Halpern, 2011 , p. 66.
- ↑ Halpern, 2011 , p. 247.
- ↑ Halpern, 2011 , p. 306.
- ↑ Halpern, 2011 , p. 520.
- ↑ Cassels, 2000 , p. 108.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Cassels, 2000 , p. 109.
Literature
- Cassells, Vic. The Destroyers: Their Battles and Their Badges. - East Roseville, New South Wales: Simon & Schuster, 2000 .-- ISBN 0-7318-0893-2 .
- Halpern, Paul. Mediterranean Fleet 1920-1929. - Farnham, Surrey, UK: Ashgate, 2011 .-- Navy Records Society Publications. - ISBN 978-1-4094-2756-8 .