H.M.A.S. Stawell Corvette Escort Vessel WW2 stawell

From his obituary published in Optometry Australia: Born in 1925 in Swan Hill, his parents were soldier settlers in the Mallee before moving to Melbourne. After obtaining his leaving certificate from Melbourne Grammar, he worked as a laboratory assistant in an explosives factory but later completed a chemistry diploma. He enlisted in the Navy in 1943 aged 17 years and due to a colour vision deficiency, served in the supply branch on HMAS Rockhampton, being discharged aged 21. His deuteranomaly steered him to learn adaptive behaviours while studying optometry, ensuring his clinical practice remained unaffected.According to wikipedia 2017 : Rockhampton began her career as a convoy escort along the east coast of Australia.[1] Following a series of Japanese submarine attacks along the east coast of Australia, a convoy system was established.[1] Rockhampton and USS Selfridge escorted the first Sydney to Brisbane convoy.[1] The corvette remained in this role until January 1944, when she began escorting convoys to and from New Guinea.[1] She underwent refit in Sydney over April and May 1944, before returning to escort duties in New Guinea waters.[1] Rockhampton operated in both Australian and New Guinea waters up until the end of World War II.[1] Following the end of the war, Rockhampton was involved in the rescue of Dutch and Indonesian prisoners-of-war and the occupation of Ambon.[1] On 8 October 1945, the corvette carried the Sultan of Ternate on his return home.[1] Rockhampton returned to Sydney in November 1945, where she was assigned to minesweeping duties off the east coast of Australia.[1] She later participated in survey duties off the coast of South Australia, before returning to Sydney on 29 April 1946.[1] The corvette received two battle honours for her wartime service: "Pacific 1942–45" and "New Guinea 1944"HMAS Rockhampton launched 1941 and de-commissioned 1946. Operated in the Pacific and New Guinea theatres of WW2 see supplementary files for details Maritime ArtJames CockburnAcrylic painting on composition board of a military or armed corvette at sea. Framed with a speckled pale blue painted moulded pine ? frame. The painting is signed on lower right corner and inscribed with both blue and black fibre tipped pen.Front: lwr right corner: "D Cockburn" in pale blue paint ; Verso "WW2 AMS (Corvette): HMAS Rockhampton / PAINTED BY DAVID M COCKBURN FORMER CREW MEMBER / PH DAVE ..."hmas rockhampton, corvette, ww2, merchant navy, world war 2, david cockburn, crew, sailors, seamen, seafarers, optometrist, artwork-paintings, hobbies

HMAS COLAC WAS LAUNCHED ON 30 AUGUST 1941 AT MORTS DOCK SYDNEY. ONE OF SIXTY MINESWEEPERS, (CORVETTES), BUILT DURING WW11. TWENTY SIX WERE BUILT FOR THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY, COMMISSIONED AT SYDNEY ON THE 6TH JANUARY1942. LATER IN JANUARY1942, COLAC WAS ASSINGED TO ANTI-SUBMARINE PATROL, OPERATION BETWEEN TOWNSVILLE AND NEW GUINEA. IN DECEMBER 1942 COLAC AND HER SISTER SHIPS, BALLARAT AND BROOME WERE ASSIGNED TO TRANSPORT AUSTRALIAN TROOPS TO THE BUNA AREA. THE THREE VESSELS REACHED THE LANDING POINT, AT CAPE SUDEST,NEAR ORO BAY. ALL 762 TROOPS LANDED SUCCESSFULLY. DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE MONTH COLAC WAS INVOLVED IN TROOP CARRYING. IN MARCH 1943, COLAC DETACHED FROM OPERATIONS IN FORWARD AREAS AND WAS ASSINGED TO CONVOY ESCORT DUTY ON THE AUSTRALIAN EAST COAST. ENEMY SUBMARINES WHERE OPERATING IN THE AREA, AND ON THE 26TH APRIL, A CONVOY OF FIVE SHIPS, ESCORTED BY COLAC AND BALLARAT WERE ATTACKED ABOUT 20 MILES OFF CAPE BYRON. THE BRITISH SHIP, M V LIMERICK WAS HIT BY A TORPEDO AND SANK. COLAC RESCUED ALL BUT TWO OF THE LIMERICKS CREW. JULY 1943 COLAC RETURNED TO THE ESCORT, OF CONVOYS BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AN NEW GUINEA, WHICH KEPT HER ALMOST CONSTANTLY AT SEA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR. IN JANUARY 1944 SHE RESUMED ESCORT DUTIES OFF THE EAST COAST FOR CONVOYS, FOR A BRIEF PERIOD. THE SHIP RETURNED TO NEW GUINEA WATERS IN 1944 AND 1945. EARLY 1945 COLAC, IN THE COMPANY OF HMAS SWAN AND SISTER SHIP HMAS DELORAINE, AND HMAS DUBBO, GAVE BOMBARDMENT SUPPORT TO OPERATIONS IN THE WEWAK AREA. TARGETS INCLUDED MUSCHA ISLAND, KAIRISU ISLAND ,AND CAPE SAMIER AND WEWAK. IN MAY, COLAC PROCEEDED TO BOUGAINVILLE, IN THE SOLOMON ISLAND WHERE SHE TOOK PART IN OPERATIONS TO PREVENT JAPANESE TROOPS ON CHOISEUL ISLAND, FROM EVACUATING TO BOUGANVILLE, AND TO HARASS THE ENEMY AND TO DESTROY THEIR INSTALLATION ON THE COAST. DURING THESE OPERATIONS COLAC SUBTAINED HER FIRST CASUALTIES. ON THE 26 MAY SHE RECEIVED TWO HITS FROM ENEMY SHORE BATTERIES. THE FIRST KILLED TWO RATINGS. AND WOUNDED TWO OTHERS, WHILE THE SECOND SHELL STRUCK THE SHIP ON THE WATERLINE. AFTER THROWING ALL DEPTH CHARGERS AND FITTINGS OVERBOARD ,SHE WAS ABLE TO PROCCEDTO TREASURY ISLAND; BUT HAD TO BE TAKEN UNDER TOW TO BLANCHE HARBOUR. AFTER REPAIRS, SHE WAS TOWED TO FINSCHHAFEN IN NEW GUINEA. FROM THERE THE COLAC WAS SENT TO SYDNEY. SHE ARRIVED ON 18TH JUNE 1945, TO GO INTO DOCKYARD HANDS. THE SHIP WAS STILL IN DOCKYARD HANDS WHEN THE HOSTILITIES ENDED ON 15 AUGUST 1945. SHE WAS THEN COMMISIONED INTO RESERVE, AT SYDNEY ON 27 NOVEMBER 1945, WITHOUT BECOMING OPERATIONAL. SHE STEAMED 199,991 MILES SINCE COMMISSIONING. ON 20 FEBURAY 1951 COLAC RECOMMISSIONED FOR SERVICE AS A TRAINING SHIP FOR NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINEES AND NAVAL RESERVE PERSONNEL. SHE SERVED ON THE AUSTRALIAN STATION FOR TWO YEARS. PAID OFF INTO RESERVE AT SYDNEY ON 30 JANUARY 1953 SHE HAD STEAMED A FURTHER 33,317MILES . AFTER NINE YEARS IN RESERVE, COLAC WAS TAKEN IN HAND IN 1962 FOR CONVERSION TO A TANK CLEANING VESSEL .COLAC CEASED SERVICE AS A TANK CLEANING VESSEL ON THE 30 SEPTEMBER 1983. HMAS COLAC WAS SUNK BY A MK48 WARSHOT TORPEDO FIRED BY HMAS OVENS OFF JARVIS BAY ON 4 MARCH 1987 NUMBER J2422nd world war