HMAS Diamantina - The Last of the RAN River Class Frigates
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- Ware, John
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- Naval Historical Review
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In December, after transporting troops of the Australian 6th Division from Wewak to Madang, Diamantina sailed for Sydney carrying 78 passengers. Sydney Harbour was reached on 13th December, after an absence of 181 days. Since commissioning the ship had steamed 17,625 miles and had been under way 1,161 hours.
In March 1946, Diamantina returned to New Guinea and for the next two months was engaged on general duties based on Rabaul and Manus. On 31st May she departed Manus beginning a fourteen day tow of ASR 912 to Sydney via Trobriand Islands, Milne Bay, China Straits, Port Moresby, Bramble Bay and thence inside the Barrier Reef.
On 25th June 1946, Diamantina entered Port Phillip for the first time when she arrived at Williamstown. She paid off into reserve on 9th August 1946. Since commissioning she had steamed 29,175 miles.
Diamantina recommissioned on 22nd June 1959, and commenced oceanographic survey duty, mainly off the West Australian coast and in the Indian Ocean and Java Sea. She carried CSIRO technicians during most of these surveys, but also assisted the Australian Army Survey team on the north west coast of Australia.
Between survey cruises, Diamantina assisted in the training programme, giving junior recruits from HMAS Leeuwin the opportunity to train at sea.
In March 1963, she was escort to the Royal Yacht Britannia during the Royal visit to West Australia.
Since then Diamantina has continued with a regular routine of survey and training cruises, including eight visits to Singapore, one to Colombo and Mauritius, one to Subic Bay (Philippines) and Hong Kong, one to Noumea and two to New Guinea.
On 1st October 1971 officers and sailors from Diamantina participated in the Christmas Island Territory Day celebrations. The ship visited Djakarta in November 1971 when problems of mutual interest were discussed with officers of the Indonesian Navy.
To the end of January 1972 Diamantina had steamed 380,677 miles since recommissioning in 1959 and 409,852 miles since first commissioning.
Originally printed in the Naval Historical Review-August 1972 Edition
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