HMAS Wato

In today's world, HMAS Wato plays a fundamental role in various areas of society. Whether on a personal, professional or social level, HMAS Wato has become increasingly relevant over time. Its influence is present in decision making, the development of new technologies, the expansion of knowledge and the creation of opportunities. In this article we will explore the importance of HMAS Wato and its impact on different aspects of modern life, analyzing its effects and possible implications for the future. Likewise, we will also consider the multiple perspectives that exist around HMAS Wato, evidencing its complexity and importance in a constantly changing world.

HMAS Wato
Wato just prior to being requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy.
History
Australia
NameWato
OwnerAdelaide Steam Tug Company
BuilderJ. T. Eltringham & Company
Launched14 July 1904
History
Australia
NameWato
Commissioned11 May 1941
Decommissioned12 November 1945
Honours and
awards
FateReturned to owners; scrapped 1955
General characteristics
TypeTug boat
Tonnage292 GRT
Length125 ft (38 m)
Beam23.7 ft (7.2 m)
Depth12.4 ft (3.8 m)
Installed powerTriple expansion steam 182 hp (136 kW)
Armament2 × .303-inch Vickers machine gun

HMAS Wato (W127) was a tug boat operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during World War II. During World War I she was operated by the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean Sea. She later operated as a tug boat for the Adelaide Steam Tug Company before being requisitioned by the RAN. She was scrapped in 1955.

Operational history

Built by J. T. Eltringham & Company, South Shields in 1904 for the Adelaide Steam Tug Company and arrived in Australia in October 1904. Wato served with the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean during World War I.

After being requisitioned by the RAN on 11 May 1941, she was sent to Darwin, Northern Territory. During the Japanese air raid on Darwin on 19 February 1942 she pulled an oil lighter clear of Barossa, and then pulled Barossa away from the MV Neptuna, only moments before Neptuna exploded. As the war moved away from Australia, Wato operated around New Guinea until 1944 before being operated out of Sydney at the end of the war. The vessel earned a single battle honour, "Darwin 1942", for her wartime service.

She was returned to owners and was later scrapped in 1955.

References

  1. ^ a b c "The New Tug Wato". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 September 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Details of the Ship". Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Lloyds Register" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  4. ^ "Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours". Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  5. ^ "Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours" (PDF). Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.

External links