HMAS Pirie (J189)

HMAS "Pirie" (J189/B249/A123), named for the city of Port Pirie, South Australia, was one of 60 "Bathurst" class corvettes constructed during World War II and one of 20 built on Admiralty order but manned by personnel of and later commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Pirie_(I) |title=HMAS Pirie (I) |accessdate=2008-09-15 |publisher=Sea Power Centre Australia]

Construction

"Pirie" was laid down at the Broken Hill Propriety Shipyard at Whyalla, South Australia on 19 May 1941, launched on 3 December 1941 by Mrs. H. T. Kleeman, wife of the Whyalla superintendent of BHP, and commissioned on 10 October 1942. At 733 tons, "Pirie" was 83 tons over the class design's 650 tons.

Operational history

On 11 April 1943, while escorting a British supply ship to Oro Bay, "Pirie" was attacked by a large number of Japanese dive bombers. At least seven bombs were dropped; the first six were near-misses, but the seventh penetrated the armoured bridge canopy, deflected off the hemsman's station, struck and killed the Gunnery Officer, then detonated on the upper deck. Apart from the Gunnery Officer, six sailors were killed and four more wounded. Anti-aircraft fire drove off the fighters before they could attack again, and downed several planes. Repairs were completed in May 1943.

"Pirie" was the third Australian warship to enter Japanese territorial waters during the war, entering Tokyo Bay on 31 August 1945. She remained in Tokyo Bay until mid-September and was present on Victory over Japan Day (2 September 1945), when the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed. [cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq69-2.htm |title=Allied Ships Present in Tokyo Bay During the Surrender Ceremony, 2 September 1945 |accessdate=2007-01-13 |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=27 May 2005 |publisher=Naval Historical Center - U.S. Navy |quote=Taken from "Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPAC/CINCPOA) A16-3/FF12 Serial 0395, 11 February 1946: Report of Surrender and Occupation of Japan"]

HMAS "Pirie" left RAN service on 5 April 1946, and was immediately recommissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS "Pirie". On 21 May 1946, "Pirie", along with sister ships HMAS "Launceston" and HMAS "Gawler", sailed for Colombo for transfer into the Turkish Navy in late 1946. Renamed TCG "Amasra", the ship remained in service with the Turkish Navy until 26 March 1984.

References