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==Remarks==
 
==Remarks==
Built for the Tasmanian Steamers Pty Ltd. She served the Melbourne –Bell Bay-Beauty Point – Melbourne – Devonport – Burnie then back to Melbourne route.
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Built for 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.
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''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.
  
  
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Taroona arrived in Sydney 4 February 1946, ending her career as an Australian troop carrier. She was handed back to Tasmanian Steamers <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Taroona</ref>. 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.
+
Taroona arrived in Sydney 4 Feb 1946, ending her career as an Australian troop carrier. She was handed back to Tasmanian Steamers <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Taroona</ref>. 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==
 
==Soldiers carried==
  
===Port Moresby to Townsville 19 -21 Oct 1942===
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===Townsville to Port Moresby 18 - 22 September 1942===
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* [[Wilfred John Alldridge]]
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===Port Moresby to Townsville 19 -21 October 1942===
 
* [[David Edward Kitchener Granberg]]
 
* [[David Edward Kitchener Granberg]]
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===Townsville to Fall River, New Guinea 30 November - 4 December 1942===
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* [[Donald Roberts Scott]]
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===Townsville to Port Moresby 8 - 12 December 1942===
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* [[Edward Maurice Trew]]
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 +
===Port Moresby to Brisbane 4 - 11 February 1943===
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* [[Alexander William Turner MID]]
  
 
===Townsville to Milne Bay, PNG 28 - 31 March 1943===
 
===Townsville to Milne Bay, PNG 28 - 31 March 1943===
 
* [[Jack Bell]]
 
* [[Jack Bell]]
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 +
===Townsville to Port Moresby 6 - 8 Aug 1943===
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* [[John Patrick Whitaker]]
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 +
===Milne Bay, PNG to Townsville 29 February - 4 March 1944===
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* [[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]]
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* [[Forrest John Spencer Robertson]] Milne Bay
  
 
===Lae, PNG to Townsville  3 - 8 September 1944===
 
===Lae, PNG to Townsville  3 - 8 September 1944===
 
* [[Frederick Arnold Griffiths]]
 
* [[Frederick Arnold Griffiths]]
  
===Lae, New Guinea to Townsville 1 - 4 December 1944===
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===Townsville to Lae, New Guinea 6 - 10 October 1944===
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* [[Steven Ralph Cox]]
 +
 
 +
===Townsville to Lae, New Guinea 27 Nov - 1 Dec 1944===
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* [[Joseph George Lewis Jalli]]
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===Lae, PNG to Townsville 1 - 4 December 1944===
 
* [[Derrick Leonard Saw]]
 
* [[Derrick Leonard Saw]]
  
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* [[Frederick Arnold Griffiths]]
 
* [[Frederick Arnold Griffiths]]
  
===Brisbane to Lae, New Guinea 29 May - 5 Jul 1945===
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===Jacquinot Bay, New Britain to Brisbane 15 - 21 April 1945===
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* [[Charles Kenneth Neilson]]
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===Brisbane to Torokina, Bougainville 22 - 28 April 1945===
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* [[Frank Lindsay Cornish]]
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===Brisbane to Lae, PNG 29 May - 5 Jul 1945===
 
* [[John William Alexander]]
 
* [[John William Alexander]]
  
===Jacquinot Bay to Brisbane 12 - 21 April 1945===
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===Jacquinot Bay, New Britain to Brisbane 12 - 21 April 1945===
 
Sailed 15 April
 
Sailed 15 April
 
* [[16th Australian Infantry Battalion (Cameron Highlanders Regiment)]]
 
* [[16th Australian Infantry Battalion (Cameron Highlanders Regiment)]]
 
* [[James Butler Boyd]]
 
* [[James Butler Boyd]]
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* [[Alfred James Gregory]]
 
* [[Herber Archibald Walton]]
 
* [[Herber Archibald Walton]]
  
===Brisbane to Lae, New Guinea 29 June - 5 July 1945===
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===Brisbane to Lae, PNG 29 June - 5 July 1945===
 
* [[John William Alexander]]
 
* [[John William Alexander]]
  
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===New Guinea to Sydney 30 July - 8 August 1945===
 
===New Guinea to Sydney 30 July - 8 August 1945===
 
* [[Cornielius Harold (Con) Kerrison]]
 
* [[Cornielius Harold (Con) Kerrison]]
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 +
===Jacquinot Bay, New Britain to Brisbane 10 - 15 September 1945===
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* [[John Coffey]]
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* [[Albert George Lawrence]]
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* [[Ernest Stanley Lawrence]]
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=== Wewak to Brisbane 24 - 31 December 1945===
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* [[Alan Henry Brockwell]]
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
 
[[Category:Ships]]
 
[[Category:Ships]]

Latest revision as of 22:50, 11 October 2023

HMT Taroona
HMT Taroona.jpg
HMT Taroona 1.jpg
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)



Remarks

Built for 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 Feb 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

Townsville to Port Moresby 18 - 22 September 1942

Port Moresby to Townsville 19 -21 October 1942

Townsville to Fall River, New Guinea 30 November - 4 December 1942

Townsville to Port Moresby 8 - 12 December 1942

Port Moresby to Brisbane 4 - 11 February 1943

Townsville to Milne Bay, PNG 28 - 31 March 1943

Townsville to Port Moresby 6 - 8 Aug 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

Townsville to Lae, New Guinea 6 - 10 October 1944

Townsville to Lae, New Guinea 27 Nov - 1 Dec 1944

Lae, PNG to Townsville 1 - 4 December 1944

Townsville to Jacquinot Bay, New Britain 9 - 12 April 1945

Jacquinot Bay, New Britain to Brisbane 15 - 21 April 1945

Brisbane to Torokina, Bougainville 22 - 28 April 1945

Brisbane to Lae, PNG 29 May - 5 Jul 1945

Jacquinot Bay, New Britain to Brisbane 12 - 21 April 1945

Sailed 15 April

Brisbane to Lae, PNG 29 June - 5 July 1945

Brisbane to Port Moresby 18 - 23 July 1945

New Guinea to Sydney 30 July - 8 August 1945

Jacquinot Bay, New Britain to Brisbane 10 - 15 September 1945

Wewak to Brisbane 24 - 31 December 1945

Notes