The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
WILLIAMSTOWN, VIC. 1941-08. PORT QUARTER VIEW OF THE CORVETTE HMAS BALLARAT IN THE LAST STAGES OF FITTING OUT. AHEAD OF HER IS HER NEWLY LAUNCHED SISTER SHIP HMAS CASTLEMAINE. BALLARAT WAS BUILT AT THE WILLIAMSTOW NAVAL DOCKYARD, LAUNCHED ON 1940-12-10 AND COMMISSIONED ON 1941-08-30. SHE SAW EARLY WORLD WAR 2 ACTION IN NEI AND SINGAPORE WATERS AND LATER MOVED TO THE NEW GUINEA AREA BEFORE JOINING THE BRITISH PACIFIC FLEET. ON COMPLETION OF HER DUTIES, SHE PAID OFF AND IN THE EARLY 1950S WAS SOLD TO HONG KONG INTERESTS AND RENAMED CARMENCITA, BUT BECAUSE OF THE KOREAN CONFLICT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT RELEASE THE VESSEL; IT WAS EVENTUALLY SCRAPPED IN 1953-11 AT SYDNEY. BALLARAT'S PENNANT NUMBER WAS J184, AND WITH THE BRITISH PACIFIC FLEET B236. (NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION).
Australian ratings from the Australian corvette HMAS Ballarat, secured in background, try out a patent fire engine they found on the wharf at Yokosuka Naval Base in Tokyo Bay. Ballarat wears her Briti
1941-08-30. PORT BOW VIEW OF THE CORVETTE HMAS BALLARAT (J184) ON THE DAY SHE WAS COMMISSIONED. (NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION).
1941-08-30. PORT BROADSIDE VIEW OF THE CORVETTE HMAS BALLARAT (J184) ON THE DAY SHE WAS COMMISSIONED. NOTE THE MINESWEEPING EQUIPMENT AT THE STERN. (NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION).
YOKOSUKA, JAPAN. 1945-08-31. BOW VIEW OF THE CORVETTE HMAS BALLARAT SECURING ALONGSIDE A JETTY. THE SHIP HAS ARRIVED WITH OTHER UNITS OF THE RAN FOR THE SIGNING OF THE JAPANESE SURRENDER. NOTE THE 20
HMAS Whyalla in war time drap grey wearing her original pennant number J153, when serving with the British Pacific Fleet her pennant number was B252.
1941-10-24. AERIAL PORT BOW VIEW OF THE CORVETTE HMAS BALLARAT (J184) SHOWING HER DECK LAYOUT. NOTE THE MINESWEEPING EQUIPMENT AT THE STERN. (NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION).
