Page 3.
THE HMAS WARREGO II STORY
Builder's sea trials were
commenced on the 23 July 1940. The ship was stored, victualled & worked-up
under the command of Commander R.V.Wheatley and commissioned on the 22 August
1940. The ship started working up & training out of Sydney before going on
to Port Melbourne for more of the same. She left for Fremantle on the 11/9/40
and was engaged in anti-submarine patrols ahead of incoming & out going
convoys & at different times under orders from HMAS' Perth & Canberra.
Warrego returned to Melbourne on the 29th. and joined the 20th Minesweeping
Flotilla as the Flotilla Leader. During the next fourteen months Warrego led
the Flotilla in sweeps which destroyed some forty mines between Spencers Gulf
around to and along the NSW coast to Newcastle. Sweeps and A/S patrols were
also carried out in conjunction with the movements of HMT's Queen Elizabeth
& Queen Mary.
After the fitting of extra
Depth Charge chutes and improvements to the ASDIC equipment Warrego commenced
anti-submarine and escort duties off Cape Moreton in December 1941. On New
Years Day 1942 Warrego in company with Swan rendezvoused with
convoy ZK5 carrying 4,259 Australian troops and 10,000 tons of military
equipment to reinforce Port Moresby. They acted as A/S screen to the troop
ships and the escorts (HMAS' Australia, Canberra, Perth & HMNZS Achilles)
till the convoy reached Moresby on the 3/1/42 when they were used to assist
in ferrying troops ashore from the Aquitania, Sarpedon & Herstein.
Warrego & Swan then escorted the Hawaiian Planter to Darwin
where they arrived on the 8th January. Warrego was employed on
anti-submarine, mine sweeping and local defence duties out of Darwin till the
17/1 when in company with USS Pillsbury they escorted MV Koolama carrying
AIF troops bound for Ambon where they arrived on the 22nd. They arrived back in
Darwin on the 24th and Warrego resumed local defence duties.
On 15 February 1942, Warrego, Swan, with
the United States cruiser Houston and destroyer Peary sailed
from Darwin escorting four troopships loaded with the 2/4th. Pioneer Batt. AIF
& a company of US Marines bound for Koepang in the Dutch East Indies. The
ships were alert for signs of the Japanese fleet or aircraft. The USS Houston
was first to fire on a Kawanisi four engine flying boat. On the morning of
the 17th it re-appeared and was later followed by four flights of twin engine
bombers plus 18 Kawanisi flying boats. The escorts were targeted and Warrego
opened fire with every gun. The escorts fought long & valiantly. The Houston
led the planes away from the convoy and by her gallant action saved the
troopships from damage. The convoy was recalled when it was reported that the
Japanese had taken Koepang.
On the 19/2/42 Warrego was
at anchor in Darwin Harbour. Some of the crew were painting ship, but the
4" guns crews were closed up at gunnery drill and on hearing the drone of
aircraft the guns were trained onto what was thought to be an expected flight
of 10 American fighter aircraft. When the Action Alarm sounded the guns quickly
changed to live 'ammo' with Warrego being the first ship to fire. As
soon as steam was raised the pins were knocked out of the cable leaving the
anchor on the bottom. The aftermath of raid is well documented and the Warrego
was fortunate to come through unscathed. She resumed patrol duties till the
25th when she was dispatched to Batavia but diverted to Fremantle when it
became apparent that Batavia had been invaded. Defects had been detected in the
main engines and Warrego was eventually sent to Dry Dock at Cockatoo
Island, Sydney where the propeller shafts were removed for straightening.
On the 31/5/42 Warrego
once again put to sea on escort duties. The following months till May 1943 saw Warrego
engaged on escort, A/S, salvage & survey duties between the Queensland
coast and Port Moresby, Milne Bay, Merauke, Darwin & Onslow in WA. After a
refit in Brisbane, Warrego resumed to the same duties with the area of
operation shifting to the North Coast of NG as the Japs were pushed back &
the towns re-taken. The action moved farther north with Manus Island being
taken and then Warrego was actively involved in the invasion and survey
of Morotai and other Halmahera Islands. The Warrego sailed to Sydney in
October 1944 where a major refit was carried out. During May 42 to October 44
the ships company spent many hours closed up at action stations, they depth
charged submarine contacts, bombarded shore positions, repulsed enemy aircraft
& led a very tense, action filled life.