H3: 'Australian Made' The WW2 Bathurst Class Corvettes - The Little Ships that Could

At the outbreak of WW2, the Royal Australian Navy Fleet consisted of 2x Heavy Cruisers; 4x Light Cruisers; 5x Destroyers 3x Sloops and a few ancillary craft. It was quickly realised that none were suitable for protecting our ports, harbours and sealanes close to home, should hostilities extend into the Pacific.

Parliament decided that an Australian designed Mine-Sweeper would be best suited to the task, so an order for 60 locally designed and built ships was placed. They were to be manned by newly recruited Australian crews, many of whom had never been to sea before.

The ‘Class Leader’, HMAS Bathurst, was commissioned on December 6th 1940, named after the NSW town, but they were better known as CORVETTES. These small ships of about 1,000 tons were to the RAN what Jeeps were to the Army and C-47s to the RAAF.

GUEST SPEAKER: LEUT Ron Read RAN (Rtd)

Time: 1830 lecture begins: 1930 dinner

Members Price: $70.00: $15.00 lecture only

Non-Members: $80.00: $15.00 lecture only

Dress: Jacket and Tie

RSVP: By 5pm, Monday 5th December 2022

CANCELLATION POLICY - Bookings cancelled after the RSVP will incur a 50% charge