The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Torres Strait. 1947-08. Bathurst class corvette HMAS Warrnambool of the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla about to deploy oropesa sweeping equipment to clear defensive minefields laid by HMAS Bungaree during World War 2. Six seamen are at the aft rail deploying an otter from the starboard davit, while a sweep float is seen, swung out, in the port davit to be deployed when the required length of sweep wire has been run out. The terms otter and kite refer to the same piece of equipment, the otter hangs below the float at the end of the sweep wire, and the kite is trailed on a separate wire which is attached to the leading end of the sweep wire. Both the otter and kite are used to determine the depth of the sweep gear. The empty float cradle and sweep wire, leading across the deck to the winch, are clearly seen.
Cairns, Qld. 1947-09-04. Bathurst class corvette HMAS Warrnambool of the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla in port during operations to clear defensive minefields laid by HMAS Bungaree during World War 2. Tw
Torres Strait. 1947-08. Bathurst class corvette HMAS Warrnambool of the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla recovering oropesa sweeping equipment while on operations to clear the defensive minefields laid by H
Torres Strait. 1947-09-13. Starboard side view of HMAS Warrnambool a few minutes before she sank after hitting a mine while on minesweeping operations. HMAS Warrnambool is listing heavily to starboard
Torres Strait. 1947-08. Ships of the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla actively sweeping the defensive minefields laid by HMAS Bungaree during World War 2. The ships are in O (oropesa) sweep 'G' formation, t
MARYBOROUGH, QLD. 1941-10. STARBOARD SIDE VIEW OF THE CORVETTE HMAS TOOWOOMBA RUNNNING TRIALS PRIOR TO COMMISSIONING. NOTE THE RED ENSIGN. HER ARMAMENT HAS NOT YET BEEN FITTED. NOTE THE KITE/OTTER AND
C.1942. ABOARD AN AUXILIARY MINESWEEPER OF THE RAN A KITE IS TO BE LOWERED INTO THE SEA AT THE COMMAND OF THE LIEUTENANT AT LEFT. IT IS THE PART OF THE MINESWEEPING APPARATUS WHICH TAKES THE OROPESA F
