HMAS Una - a Work Horse - 1914

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A.N. Other
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Naval Historical Review, Ship histories and stories
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ONE OF THE SPOILS from the capture of the German New Guinea colonies in 1914 was the steam yacht Komet. Built in 1911 as the Government yacht for the colonies, Komet was commissioned into the Imperial Navy just prior to the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. Her capture by the RAN is well covered in the official history.

Sent back to Sydney, Komet was renamed Una and commissioned as an HMA Ship. Her armament comprised three BL 4 inch Mark VIIIs, arranged with one gun on the foc’sle, with the other two sited on the quarter-deck. She has been described as a sloop and also a gunboat, but whatever her designation she was a workhorse during her time with Grey Funnel Line. The name chosen was a good one, but not actually the proper one for the message to be given. She was meant to signify that she was the first of many, and as such the name Primo would have been appropriate. As it was, Una was properly translated as ‘the only one’.

Once Una commenced duties with the RAN she was quickly sent back to the New Guinea area, on a truly flag showing exercise. It was reasoned that seeing as the ship was well known by the natives in the islands as a German ship, she would have a great impact when she turned up wearing the White Ensign.

Evidently the natives were more impressed with the cook’s false teeth than they were with the change of ownership.

The following diary of movements are given to show just how Una travelled on her lawful occasions. Dealing with only one period of 1918-19, it illustrates the use the ship was put to.

Place

Arrived

Departed

 

 

10.4.18

Townsville

15.4.18

15.4.18

Rabaul

20.4.18

9.5.18

Keivieng

10.5.18

12.5.18

Sturm Island

12.5.18

13.5.18

St. Matthias Island

13.5.18

14.5.18

Keivieng

15.5.18

16.5.18

Rook Island

17.5.18

18.5.18

Madang

19.5.18

21.5.18

Victoria Bay

22.5.18

27.5.18

Eitape

27.5.18

28.5.18

Angriff Haven

8.5.18

29.5.18

Madang

30.5.18

31.5.18

Morobe

1.6.18

5.6.18

Ablinghi

6.6.18

7.6.18

Rabaul

8.6.18

27.6.18

Kokopo

27.6.18

28.6.18

Keivieng

29.6.18

30.6.18

Feni
Island

3.7.18

3.7.18

Rabaul

4.7.18

16.7.18

Teap Haven

17.7.18

18.7.18

Tulagi

20.7.18

29.7.18

Gizo

30.7.18

1.8.18

Fairi

1.8.18

2.8.18

Kieta

2.8.18

5.8.18

Rabaul

6.8.18

20.8.18

Ablinghi

21.8.18

21.8.18

Morobe

22.8.18

23.8.18

Witu

24.8.18

24.8.18

Rabaul

25.8.18

13.9.18

Angriff Haven

16.9.18

16.9.18

Eitape

17.9.18

18.9.18

Madang

19.9.18

20.9.18

Rabaul

22.9.18

8.10.18

Samarai

10.10.18

11.10.18

Rabaul

13.10.18

23.10.18

Keita

24.10.18

26.10.18

Ablinghi

28.10.18

28.10.18

Thilinius Haven

28.10.18

29.10.18

Rabaul

30.10.18

4.11.18

Kokopo (two trips)

 

21.11.18

Keivieng

22.11.18

23.11.18

Namatanlia

24.11.18

25.11.18

Rabaul

26.11.18

26.11.18

Kokopo

26.11.18

27.11.18

Rabaul

27.11.18

30.11.18

(out for firing practice)

 

1.12.18

Brisbane

6.12.18

12.12.18

Townsville

16.12.18

18.12.18

Thursday
Island

22.12.18

22.12.18

Palmerston

23.12.18

26.12.18

Thursday
Island

26.12.18

29.1.19

Sydney

6.2.19

 

From 10.4.18 to 31.12.18, Una steamed 14,455 miles.

The above timetable comes from the notebook of the late Dan Clifford, a former Royal Marine Light Infantry man. He paid off from the Marines in Sydney before the Great War, and was called back to the colours, serving with the RAN. He spent a great deal of his time in Una.

Originally printed in the Naval Historical Review - March 1983 Edition

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