Shipbucket

The Cape Class were an attempt by the navy to make a destroyer class that would have the sea keeping qualities, speed and range of cruiser. A “Suitable Ocean Going Destroyer Leader” was motioned in the 1911 budget, which gained £2100 to have a final design before July 1913. Designing started in late 1911, requiring much correspondence with figures in the Royal Navy and by April 1913 a finalized design was submitted for approval. Earlier in the decade, the Colonial Government had reached an agreement with the British Government and the Navy to fund the building of a significantly larger dry-dock alongside the Alfred Graving Dock which would be able to fit all but the largest battleships and battle-cruisers. This was estimated to cost £320000 but the British Government and the Navy agreed to foot £250000 over 4 years, leaving £70000 for the Colonial government to fund. Completed in Dec 1914, this immense dock was to be placed at the RN’s disposal should it be needed at any time. Construction started in March 1911 and ended in January 1915 which marked the start of the construction of the HMVS Schank which like her sister, HMVS Otway who had been laid down 11 months before, were the colony’s largest indigenous built ships once complete, displacing nearly 3000t full and 1900t standard, the outbreak of war, meant that the Otway was rushed to service, launched in late July 1915 and in service by October. A third ship was considered and the Alfred Graving dock, after the launch was prepared. Construction actually started, with the keel laid before the government cancelled the order, after being quoted £395000, a rise of £65,000 The Schanck ended up in service by September 1916, experience on the Otway, had reduced time to get into service and added 5t to her displacement in extra internal fittings.

Otway saw immediate service in the South Pacific, helping the Queensland and New South Wales fleets in holding German possessions, Otway was then offered to the Royal Navy as a lease of both ship and crew and served out of Capetown throughout 1917, helping serve as an local escort for convoys rounding Africa. Schanck saw a moment of excitement when Coastal watcher’s reported an unidentified ship loitering off Gabo Island. Additionally a trawler had seen the ship approaching the coast at night. Word was dispersed throughout the New South Wales and Victorian fleets and also the Tasmanian and South Australian Government fleets were notified. The nearest allied asset was the Schank who had been returning from Sydney to Melbourne, having been released from escort duty to receive a new winch following a failure in the starboard anchor winch. Having been signaled by the Eden lighthouse early in the night, she hove to, receiving a coastal watcher with the report of the ship. Proceeding at 25 knots, she took less than one hour to arrive at the approximate area. After searching the area for 3 hours, she sighted a suspicious ship travelling north east at 9 knots, nearly 14nm off the coast. Signaling for identification, the ship didn’t answer at first but then identified as a Japanese steamer heading from Adelaide for Brisbane. After giving what seemed like correct identification, Schank, turned North West then West, not finding the Japanese steamer again.

HMVS Ricketts, based in Port Albert, arrived south east of the search area at 4 am. She sighted a steamer heading South-West-West, but was concerned at the lack of running lights. Lack of suitable night operation equipment forced the Ricketts to signal the Schank, but confusion led to the Schanck ending up west of the pursuit and having to catch-up after an hour. Signaling again, the steamer gave identification but no reason why it had changed bearing after the previous encounter. Schanck repeated the request when it was answered that it was to avoid the traffic around the central New South Wales Coast. Satisfied with seemingly correct information, the pair of warships left the scene and started returning to their destinations when Ricketts signaled that she was running short on coal, hence as dawn drew near, a tow was arranged and the Schanck towed the tiny Ricketts till 20nm East of Seal Islands and dropped the tow, letting the little boat make its way back to Port Albert. Schanck made Melbourne two days later. The cruisers IJN Chikuma and IJN Hirado `departed Jervis Bay after the news of a ship sinking in the area, searching for the ship they returned, empty-handed for their efforts. At the conclusion of the War, Otway and Schanck were repaired and brought into dock in 1920 to be defouled and inspected. During the 1920’s they remained the only large ships in continual service until 1929 when Otway was taken in for its planned 15 year modification.