Difference between revisions of "HMT Taroona"
From Our Contribution
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===Townsville to Milne Bay, PNG 28 - 31 March 1943=== | ===Townsville to Milne Bay, PNG 28 - 31 March 1943=== | ||
* [[Jack Bell]] | * [[Jack Bell]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Milne Bay PNG to Townsville 29 February - 4 March 1944=== | ||
| + | * [[Forrest John Spencer Robertson]] | ||
===Port Moresby to Townsville 15 - 17 April 1944=== | ===Port Moresby to Townsville 15 - 17 April 1944=== | ||
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===Townsville to Port Moresby 6 - 9 June 1944=== | ===Townsville to Port Moresby 6 - 9 June 1944=== | ||
* [[Harold Herman Hilbert]] | * [[Harold Herman Hilbert]] | ||
| + | * [[Forrest John Spencer Robertson]] Milne Bay | ||
===Lae, PNG to Townsville 3 - 8 September 1944=== | ===Lae, PNG to Townsville 3 - 8 September 1944=== | ||
Revision as of 15:27, 17 July 2022
 | |
 Post war refit - single funnel | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | HMT Taroona |
| Owner | Tasmanian Steamers Pty. Ltd., Melbourne |
| Builder | Alexander Stephen & Sons, Glasgow |
| Yard number | 543 |
| Launched | 22 Nov 1934 |
| Completed | January 1935 |
| In service | 1935 |
| Out of service | 1970 |
| Fate | Broken up 23 May 1989 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger / Cargo |
| Tonnage | 4,587 tons |
| Length | 338.2 ft (103.07m) |
| Beam | 50.1 ft (15.27m) |
| Depth | 23.8 ft (7.21m) |
| Propulsion | twin screw |
| Speed | 16 knots (29.63 km/h) |
Contents
- 1 Remarks
- 2 Soldiers carried
- 2.1 Port Moresby to Townsville 19 -21 Oct 1942
- 2.2 Townsville to Milne Bay, PNG 28 - 31 March 1943
- 2.3 Milne Bay PNG to Townsville 29 February - 4 March 1944
- 2.4 Port Moresby to Townsville 15 - 17 April 1944
- 2.5 Townsville to Port Moresby 18 - 20 April 1944
- 2.6 Townsville to Port Moresby 6 - 9 June 1944
- 2.7 Lae, PNG to Townsville 3 - 8 September 1944
- 2.8 Lae, New Guinea to Townsville 1 - 4 December 1944
- 2.9 Townsville to Jacquinot Bay, New Britain 9 - 12 April 1945
- 2.10 Brisbane to Lae, New Guinea 29 May - 5 Jul 1945
- 2.11 Jacquinot Bay to Brisbane 12 - 21 April 1945
- 2.12 Brisbane to Lae, New Guinea 29 June - 5 July 1945
- 2.13 Brisbane to Port Moresby 18 - 23 July 1945
- 2.14 New Guinea to Sydney 30 July - 8 August 1945
- 3 Notes
Remarks
Built for the Tasmanian Steamers Pty Ltd. She served the Melbourne –Bell Bay-Beauty Point – Melbourne – Devonport – Burnie then back to Melbourne route.
Taroona was requisitioned for service as a troop ship in World War II by New Zealand. She carried troops from Auckland, New Zealand to Suva in January 1942, and in March 1942. On her return to the Bass Strait run she was almost immediately again requisitioned this time by Australia and taken over as a fast troop carrier. During her first trip to Port Moresby she carried 480 troops and supplies; on leaving Moresby she ran aground on a reef at the entrance where she remained for three days, helpless hard and fast aground. All attempts to refloat her using both engines and the assistance of navy vessels proved useless. The situation became serious when on several occasions Japanese bombers swept in to attack the Seven Mile Aerodrome outside Port Moresby. Why they failed to attack Taroona remains a mystery. Finally aided by three naval vessels, she shook herself free.
In her war time career she travelled 204,535 miles and carried 93,432 troops. Although frequently under fire during her ninety-four trips she remained unscathed.
Taroona arrived in Sydney 4 February 1946, ending her career as an Australian troop carrier. She was handed back to Tasmanian Steamers [1]. Sold to Typaldos Bros, Steamship Co. Ltd of Piraeus in 1959 , she was renamed Hellas. Laid up in 1970 she was eventually broken up commencing 23 May 1989.
Soldiers carried
Port Moresby to Townsville 19 -21 Oct 1942
Townsville to Milne Bay, PNG 28 - 31 March 1943
Milne Bay PNG to Townsville 29 February - 4 March 1944
Port Moresby to Townsville 15 - 17 April 1944
Townsville to Port Moresby 18 - 20 April 1944
Townsville to Port Moresby 6 - 9 June 1944
Lae, PNG to Townsville 3 - 8 September 1944
Lae, New Guinea to Townsville 1 - 4 December 1944
Townsville to Jacquinot Bay, New Britain 9 - 12 April 1945
Brisbane to Lae, New Guinea 29 May - 5 Jul 1945
Jacquinot Bay to Brisbane 12 - 21 April 1945
Sailed 15 April
- 16th Australian Infantry Battalion (Cameron Highlanders Regiment)
- James Butler Boyd
- Herber Archibald Walton