Shipbucket

HMAS Hawkesbury, showing the upgrading to Squid, and replacing the 20mm with 40mm Bofors; and the forward 4-in moved onro its own bandstand. At present I'm showing her circa 1952 after recommisioning, but as photo's are very scant, I'm not yet sure about the equipmemt at that period, in particular, did she retain the aft depth charges? And the radar fit? I could also opt for the immediate postwar around 1946, but will be glad of any advice.

Here's a picture which should answer your questions. You'll notice another Bofors Mk.3 on the quarterdeck and one set of DC racks.

It is from the State Library of Victoria, A C Green Collection. Check this out for a higher res picture than I was able to post. Also have a look at pictures of HMAS BARWON, HMAS HAWKESBURY's sister.

Cheers This will help with details. I have that site bookmarked, so I'll try it again - it is a 'mine of information'.

Bill
I have checked all the photos that I have HMS Hawksbury in 51-53 ish era the radar fit you have for her looks correct as to if she had any DC racks orDC throwers in 1952 its very hard to be definitive but I would say she didn’t have any. All the CH Green Photos from the State Library of Victoria show the Rivers in the 1945--49 era where as in 1952 Hawksbury was operating out of Sydney basically as a training ship and she ha undergone small refit the gave her 40mm Mk7 and removed the one from the quarter deck and replace the twin 20mm mounts with 40mm Mk 7 . These ships where changing their appearance rather a lot from when they were build to about 1953 I haven’t quite sort it out in my own mind but that half the fun of what we do !!
I must have been through the SLV collection 10 times its a absolute treasure trove of high quality ship pictures

Graham

Thanks graham; and yes, the number of changes on these ships is daunting, even on the one (as above), where the bridge bofors are removed and it looks like another added aft. I couldn't do worse than work to this latest photo, as it gives a lot of details that I can see would improve my efforts; but what date are we looking at?

The Diamentina is coming along, and I'm basing her on your excellent colour photo's of her last years of service

Bill
The SLV photo is undated but it would be 1946-47. According to Oxfords The Royal Australian Navy by David Stevens 2001 Hawkesbury when in to reserve mid 1947 and then was recommissioned Mar-April 1952 until Feb 1955 this is when you have drawn her. I have gone through some of my photos and some are miss dated quite sure that in the early period she had “K” prefix and when in 52-55 she had a “F” prefix there are photos of her dating her 1945 but quite clearly she is in her 1952-55 configuration. I had not gotten around correctly caption them.

HMAS Diamentina, circa 1979 (she was decommisoned in 1980). I've done my best from what photo images are available (and thanks as usual to graham). As shown she was almost certainly the last River class in service anywhere in the world. She is now being returned to how she looked at the end of WWII, in Brisbane, and if you google her you'll get a link to the site.



Now I've done the last I'll 'refresh' the earlier versions.

Awesome! I wa wrong thinking the Chinese got one until 1983 LOng live assies! what's next!?!

Blimey! That was quick! Anyway, I'll go back and do the original R.N. version, and maybe the Canadian WWII, plus of course the USN, and the Thailand of the same; which, I beleive, has been preserved hull-up as a memorial. I don't know about the Chinese ship, but it is quite possible

BTW, the Diamentina (as shown) was a survey vessel. But I do have a soft spot for this ship. During the sixties and seventies she was tasked with defending Western Australia; and you now have to imagine a coast line that stretches from North Africa up to the Artic Circle.

Surely you mean Aussies?

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