HMAS Broome (J191)

For other ships with the same name, see HMAS Broome.

HMAS Broome (J191), named for the town of Broome, Western Australia, was one of 60 Bathurst-class corvettes constructed during World War II and one of 20 built for the Admiralty but manned by personnel of and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).^[3]

HMAS Broome
History
Australia
Namesake	Town of Broome, Western Australia
Builder	Evans Deakin and Company
Laid down	3 May 1941
Launched	6 October 1941
Commissioned	29 July 1942
Decommissioned	24 August 1946
Honours & awards	Battle honours: Pacific 1942-45 New Guinea 1942-44[1][2]
Fate	Sold to the Turkish Navy
History
Turkey
Name	Alanya
Commissioned	1946
Decommissioned	1975
General characteristics
Class & type	Bathurst-class corvette
Displacement	650 tons (standard), 1,025 tons (full war load)
Length	186 ft (57 m)
Beam	31 ft (9.4 m)
Draught	8.5 ft (2.6 m)
Propulsion	triple expansion engine, 2 shafts
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) at 1,750 hp
Complement	85
Armament	1 × 4 inch Mk XIX gun, 3 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, Machine guns, Depth charges chutes and throwers

Design and construction

Main article: Bathurst-class corvette

In 1938, the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board (ACNB) identified the need for a general purpose 'local defence vessel' capable of both anti-submarine and mine-warfare duties, while easy to construct and operate.^[4][5] The vessel was initially envisaged as having a displacement of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), and a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi)^[6] The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelled Bar-class boom defence vessel saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph) top speed, and a range of 2,850 nautical miles (5,280 km; 3,280 mi), armed with a 4-inch gun, equipped with asdic, and able to fitted with either depth charges or minesweeping equipment depending on the planned operations: although closer in size to a sloop than a local defence vessel, the resulting increased capabilities were accepted due to advantages over British-designed mine warfare and anti-submarine vessels.^[4][7] Construction of the prototype HMAS Kangaroo did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.^[8] The need for locally built 'all-rounder' vessels at the start of World War II saw the "Australian Minesweepers" (designated as such to hide their anti-submarine capability, but popularly referred to as "corvettes") approved in September 1939, with 60 constructed during the course of the war: 36 ordered by the RAN, 20 (including Broome) ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.^{[4][9][10][11][3]}

Mrs McKew launching Broome

Broome was laid down by Evans Deakin and Company at Brisbane on 3 May 1941, launched on 6 October 1941 by Mrs. M. J. McKew, wife of the shipyard's works manager, and commissioned on 29 July 1942.^[3]

Operational history

The corvette operated during World War II, and was awarded the battle honours "Pacific 1942-45" and "New Guinea 1942-44" for her service.^[1][2]

HMAS Broome paid off on 24 August 1946, was sold to the Turkish Navy and renamed Alanya.^[3] The vessel left Turkish service in 1975.^[3] The ship's bell was recovered before the sale, and returned to Broome.^[3] It was presented to the Broome Road Board in June 1952, who then passed the bell on to Broome State School in November.^[3] The bell later ended up at the town's Returned and Services League club.^[3]