HMAS Murchison 1944 River-class frigate
HMAS Murchison operating off the coast of Korea, circa 1951–52
Name Murchison Namesake Murchison River Builder Evans Deakin & Company , Brisbane Laid down 3 June 1943 Launched 31 October 1944 Commissioned 17 December 1945 Decommissioned 15 April 1954 Motto "With Undaunted Heart" Honours and
Battle honours: Korea 1951–52 Fate Sold for scrap
Class & type Modified River (Bay)-class frigate Displacement 1,537 tons (standard), 2,200 tons (full load) Length 301 ft (92 m) Beam 36 ft (11 m) Draught 12 ft (3.7 m) Propulsion Triple expansion, 2 shafts, 5,500 ihp (4,100 kW) Speed 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph) Complement 175 Armament
HMAS Murchison (K442/F442) was a Modified River or Bay-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ship was laid down in 1943, but not commissioned until after the end of World War II . Murchison fought in the Korean War , was decommissioned in 1956, and sold for scrap in 1961.
Operational history
Completed too late in the war to take part in the fighting, Murchison began her career by visiting Morotai , Ternate , and the Celebes for surveillance duties and War Graves Commission tasks, before sailing to Japan and joining the British Commonwealth Occupation Force . The frigate returned to Australia in May 1946.[ 1]
Murchison later saw extensive operational service during the Korean War and was involved in the Naval Battle of Han River on 28–30 September 1951, during which she was heavily engaged by Chinese shore installations while conducting riverine operations. Four sailors were wounded in the encounter, while Murchison destroyed a number of Chinese gun positions.[ 2] battle honour "Korea 1951–52" for her actions during the war.[ 3] [ 4]
On 3 October 1952, Murchison was present of the Montebello Islands for the Operation Hurricane nuclear weapons test.[ 5]
Fate
Murchison paid off on 31 January 1956 and she was sold for scrap on 21 September 1961.[ 1]
