Alternate post-WW2 RAN amphibious fleet

[BlackBat242]

Admin suggestion: if there is an appropriate existing thread, please combine.


The RAN has had a very spotty track record after 1945 with regards to actually landing forces on any of the islands in its neighborhood outside of existing port facilities.

This first post is to establish what historically entered service, so as to set a firm basis for altering things beyond recognition.

At the end of WW2, outside of ships converted to the role and so on, the RAN had little such capacity, so a fleet of 6 LST-3 type vessels were transferred from the RN in 1946.

HMAS Tarakan (L-3017) was a Mark III Tank Landing Ship, or LST(3), built for the Royal Navy by R. and W. Hawthorne, Leslie and Company at Hebburn-on-Tyne in England and launched on 28 November 1944 as LST 3017.
The ship was loaned to the Royal Australian Navy and commissioned on 4 July 1946. She was named Tarakan on 16 December 1948, and served in Australian and New Guinea waters as a general purpose vessel, but was mainly used for dumping condemned ammunition at sea.
On 25 January 1950 the Tarakan was berthed alongside the HMAS Kattabul naval base at Garden Island in Sydney, making good defects prior to departure for New Guinea, when an explosion occurred aft under the mess decks, resulting in the deaths of seven sailors and one dockyard tradesman. A further 12 sailors and one dockyard tradesman were injured. The ship was extensively damaged and never returned to seagoing service.
She was sold for breaking up on 12 March 1954.
HMAS Tarakan was the first of two Australian naval vessels named after Tarakan in Borneo, site of an attack by the I Australian Corps on May 1, 1945.

HMAS Lae (L-3035) was a Mark III Tank Landing Ship built by Denny Brothers at Dumbarton in Scotland and launched on 24 October 1944.
She was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 15 July 1946, and named HMAS Lae on 16 December 1948.
HMAS Lae paid off to reserve in July 1947 and was sold on 9 November 1955.

HMAS Labuan (L-3501) was a Mark III Tank Landing Ship built by Canadian Vickers, Limited, of Montreal in Canada and launched on 31 August 1944.
She was commissioned in the Royal Australian Navy on 1 July 1946. She was primarily used in support of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE, transporting personnel and equipment to and from Heard Island and Macquarie Island (equipped with a Walrus seaplane).
She was named Labuan on 16 December 1948.
She paid off to reserve on 28 September 1951 and was sold on 9 November 1955.

L-3008 was a Mark III Tank Landing Ship.
She was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 1 July 1946.
She paid off to reserve in 1948, and was sold on 4 June 1950.

L-3014 was a Mark III Tank Landing Ship.
She was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 1 July 1946.
She was used for dumping condemned ammunition at sea, and was sold on 4 June 1950.

L-3022 was a Mark III Tank Landing Ship.
She was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 1 July 1946.
She paid off to reserve in 1946, and was sold on 4 June 1950.

The LST-3 was a UK design variation that was powered by steam-fed reciprocating engines, rather than by diesels as per the US-built vessels.







The disposal of these vessels 1950-55 left the Australian military with no such capability, a state which persisted into 1960.
It was then that the Australian Army took upon themselves the task of geting some kind of capability.
This took the form of ex-USN LSMs - the smallest sea-going landing vessels built by the USN.

Specifications: LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium: http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/14/14idx.htm

LSM-319
· Laid down (date unknown) at Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IL.
· Launched (date unknown)
· Commissioned USS LSM-319, 10 August 1944, LTjg. Oren J. Mollenkopf, USNR in command
· Decommissioned, 14 June 1946, at Astoria, OR.
· Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria
· Transferred (sold) to the Australian Army, 16 July 1959, renamed Harry Chauvel (AV-1353) and assigned to the Australian Army Royal Engineers, 32 Small Ship Squadron
· Final Disposition, sold in 1972, to Pacific Logistics S.A., Philippines, fate unknown

LSM 477
· Laid down (date unknown) at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
· Launched (date unknown)
· Commissioned USS LSM-477, 3 April 1945, LT. Charles R. Miller Jr., USNR in command
· Decommissioned, 15 May 1946, at Astoria, OR.
· Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria
· Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
· Transferred (sold) to the Australian Army, 16 July 1959, renamed Brudenell White (AV-1354) and assigned to the Australian Army Royal Engineers, 32 Small Ship Squadron
· Final Disposition, deactivated by Australian Army and sold in 1972 to Pacific Logistics of Panama
· Reported sunk in 1975 on her maiden voyage to Phnom Penh, Cambodia by rocket fire on the Mekong River.

LSM-315
· Laid down (date unknown) at Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IL.
· Launched (date unknown)
· Commissioned USS LSM-315, 13 July 1944, LT. Alfred W. Holmes, USNR in command
· Decommissioned, 14 June 1946, at Astoria, OR.
· Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria
· Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown)
· Transferred (sold) to the Australian Army, 26 January 1960, renamed Vernon Sturdee (AV-1355) and assigned to the Australian Army Royal Engineers, 32 Small Ship Squadron
· Sold for commercial service in 1972, possibly modified as a timber carrier
· Final Disposition, believed to have sunk in the Solomon Islands, circa 1984

LSM-547
· Laid down (date unknown) at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX.
· Launched (date unknown)
· Commissioned USS LSM-547, 25 January 1946, LTjg. Charles W. Faust, USNR, in command
· Decommissioned, 11 March 1947, at Green Cove Springs, FL.
· Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Florida Group, Green Cove Springs
· Recommissioned, 22 September 1950
· Decommissioned, 5 July 1955, at Astoria, OR.
· Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria, OR.
· Struck from the Naval Register (date unknown)
· Transferred (sold) to the Australian Army, 26 January 1960, renamed Clive Steele (AV-1356) and assigned to the Australian Army Royal Engineers, 32 Small Ship Squadron
· Decommissioned by the Australian Army in 1972 and sold in 1972, to Pacific Logistics S.A., Philippines
· Struck by Communist rockets, 6 July 1973, in the Mekong Delta, beached and abandoned

Harry Chauvel AV-1353 Vietnam:



Clive Steele AV-1356:




The light aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney had been in Special Reserve in Sydney since 30 May 1958, but was recommissioned as a Fast Troop Transport on 7 March 1962, and after refitting entered operational service in July 1963. Sydney would remain in service (with modifications to better suit her role) until decommissioning on 12 November 1973. She was sold for scrap on 28 October 1975.


The RAN commissioned the merchant ships Jeparit and Boonaroo during the 1960s for the transport role during the Vietnam War. This was brought about by the unpopularity of the war and the refusal of a number of maritime unions to man the vessels. Naval crew members were drafted to work alongside some civilian crew members and the ships were employed on logistic runs from Australia to Vietnam supplying the Australian Task Force and also humanitarian aid.


The Australian Army, in 1970, went about replacing their LSMs with oversized landing craft... the Balikpapan class Landing Craft Heavy (LCH).
Balikpapan Class Landing Craft Heavy (LCH)
# name laid down launched commissioned assigned
L126 Balikpapan May ’71 5 Aug.’71 22 Sept. ’74 Darwin Naval Base
L127 Brunei July ’71 5 Oct.’71 5 Jan.’73 HMAS Waterhen
L128 Labuan (II) Oct.’71 29 Dec.’71 9 Mar.’73 HMAS Cairns
L129 Tarakan (II) Dec.’71 16 Mar.’72 15 Jun.’73 HMAS Cairns
L130 Wewak Mar.’71 19 May ’72 10 Aug.’73 HMAS Cairns
L131 Salamaua: commissioned 19 Oct.’73 and transferred to Papua New Guinea 14 Nov.’74
L132 Buna: commissioned 19 Oct.’73 and transferred to Papua New Guinea 14 Nov.’74
L133 Betano Sep.’72 5 Dec.’72 8 Feb.’74 HMAS Waterhen
Displacement (tons): 311 t. Normal; 503 t. Full Load
Dimensions (feet): 146 x 33 x 6.5 (44.5 x 10.1 x 2 metres)
Propulsion: 2 x GM diesels; 1,350 hp; 2 shafts
Max. Speed (knots): 10
Armament: 2 x 0.5” MGs (2 x 1)
Landing Craft: 3 x battle tanks; 20 x small trucks; or 13 x APCs; 180 tons load
Complement: 13
Note: Built by Walkers Ltd, Maryborough, Qld.
These were operated until 2012-2014.


The RAN went about "replacing" HMAS Sydney with an enlarged version of the RN's Round Table class LSL, the Landing Ship, Heavy (LSH) HMAS Tobruk. She was laid down on 7 February 1978, launched on 1 March 1980, and commissioned on 23 April 1981.
She served until decommissioned on 31 July 2015. She was scuttled off the coast between Bundaberg and Hervey Bay on 29 June 2018.


The RAN also purchased an existing commercial Ro/Ro passenger and vehicle ferry in 1977, commissioning her as HMAS Jervis Bay. She served until 18 April 1994.


In 1994 the RAN purchased two Newport class LSTs from the USN and set about modernizing them. Much more work was needed than had been thought, and they finally commissioned in 1999 (HMAS Kanimbla) and 2000 (HMAS Manoora).
They both decommissioned in 2011, and were sold for scrap in 2013.


The two Kanimblas were followed into service by the transfer of a RFA Bay class LSD from the UK, commissioning on 13 December 2011 as HMAS Choules.


The RAN also had built a pair of Landing Helicopter Docks (LHDs) based on the Spanish LHD Juan Carlos I. The commissioned as LHD-02 HMAS Canberra on 28 November 2014 and LHD-01 HMAS Adelaide on 4 December 2015.

 

[BlackBat242]

Here is one alternate RAN amphibious ship plan I have worked up.

I have had the RAN pick up a couple of the USN's mothballed LSDs in the late 1940s and refit them to trade some cargo space for more berthing to increase the troop numbers from 240 (22 officers & 218 enlisted) to about 450 total.

An example is here:
Laid down, 2 January 1945, at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.
Launched, 2 June 1945
Commissioned USS Fort Mandan (LSD-21), 31 October 1945

USS Fort Mandan LSD-21 Genoa Italy 24 August 1965:



On plate #4 of the attached set of deck plans, you can see just how much space was devoted to the well deck - shifting the shipfitters' and Bosun's spaces aft by 15 frames (30-45 instead of 15-30) would give two decks of berthing compartments with an average width of 35' and a length of 60' (each frame is 4').

The RAN could run these instead of the 6 LST-3s they historically disposed of between 1950 and 1956 - one should be in reserve while the other is in service.



They had removable decking for additional storage or for helicopter use. A permanent deck with a hangar could even be fitted as needed.




In the 1960s they could either pick up another and run all three through a deep refit to see them through ~1980 or new ones could be bought - the USN had built new LSDs between 1953 and 1957 (Thomaston class, 325 troops, well deck 392' x 44') and more from 1967 (Anchorage class), and LPDs between 1960 and 1964 (Raleigh class, 900-1,000 troops, well deck 168' x 50') and again from 1963 on (Austin class, 900 troops, well deck 216' x 50').

The RAN could build (or buy) new ones to either the Thomaston or Raleigh class designs (the Austins were over 10% larger than the Raleighs and might be considered "too large") - or a "halfway between" design that would carry ~600 troops with a well deck of ~280' x 44'-50'.


The RN built the pair of Fearless class LPDs between 1962 and 1967, which carried 400 (normal) and 700 (max short-term) troops, and had a well deck, probably around 250' x 44' or so. This could be an alternative as well - most likely Australian-built.


I cannot see more than two being built in the 1960s no matter the design - but two Sir Lancelot-type LSLs could be purchased/built in the late 1960s to early 1970s to supplement the two LPDs (or a 3rd LPD built).


Or, if funds are just too tight in the 1960s the ex-USN LSDs could be replaced by 3 or 4 Sir Lancelots.

 

[Grey Havoc]

You may find this old thread on the Australian Army's proposed Landing Ship Medium Mk. II from the early 1970s of interest, if you haven't seen it already: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/australian-landing-ship-medium-mk-ii.11452/

 

[Rule of cool]

The RAAF and RAN in the Cold War were psychotically single service minded, although to be fair they were tightly integrated into mainly British/SEATO war plans, and focused on the core capabilities of their service, warships for the RAN and fighters and bombers for the RAAF. Army cooperation was way down the list of priorities for both services, the RAN was not keen on operating the HMAS Sydney as a fast troop transport for example as that would mainly benefit the Army. For its part the RAAF was pretty miserly with its Army cooperation role with helicopters and FACs, indeed an Army request for a pair of UH1s to support the Army on operations in Borneo was turned down by CAS Murdoch with the comment that the RAAF was doing enough to support the Army.

On top of this was the main role of amphibious ships in Australia was to support the Army in the undeveloped north of Australia and PNG, rather than land troops into a war zone, even unopposed landings.

RAN disinterest and the limited role is the reason the Army bought and operated the ex-US LSM and later the LCHs before they were transferred to the RAN in the md 70s. The LSMs saw service in Vietnam, perhaps most notably transferring the batch of Centurion tanks from the port where they were delivered to the beach at Vung Tau.

The Services need to grow out of this mindset, perhaps the trouble in our region in the 60s could prompt this to happen far more quickly with the right catalyst.

I like the idea of the RAN operating a modified LSD, perhaps as a replacement for the Sydney in the trooping role but providing far more support upon arrival.

 

[BlackBat242]

You may find this old thread on the Australian Army's proposed Landing Ship Medium Mk. II from the early 1970s of interest, if you haven't seen it already: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/australian-landing-ship-medium-mk-ii.11452/

Yes, I read (and raided) that thread long ago. You may note that my plan provides for a force of either at least 2 LPDs or 3-4 LSLs.
Being built in the late 1960s - early 1970s, the LSLs would be instead of the LSM II concept.

Roc describes the historic Australian military mindset pretty well - but my plan/scheme would be for a RAN that values the full range of capabilities, and started thinking that way just about the time the Korean War kicked off.



Alternately, I have worked on another scenario that starts with a different Australian reaction to the shenanigans surrounding the handover of West Papua to Indonesia 1959-62.

Considering that the US had caved to Indonesian scheming, and the US' attention being distracted by Cuba, Australia decided the US was no longer trustworthy, and decided to build up its military some - picking up the two ex-USN LPDs, carrying through on the long-stalled plan to modernize HMAS Sydney to match HMAS Melbourne, ordering all 4 Perth-class DDGs from the US, building two more FFs (laid down 1963 - this would delay the 7th & 8th - Swan & Torrens - about a year), upgrading Vendetta & Vampire more than historic (replacing B 4.5" mount with either a MK 22 Tartar launcher or a pair of Seacat launchers, replacing the Limbo with Ikara, etc) - ordering Skyhawks & Trackers in ~1963 rather than 1965, buying A-5s instead of F-111s (fewer funds now available, and worried that any purchases from the US needed to be done quickly, in case the US pulls back from the western Pacific), and so on.

The 1970s would see a pair of LSHs built, the DDL project carried through with, a LPH (similar to the Iwo Jima class) built, and so on.

 

[Rule of cool]

my plan/scheme would be for a RAN that values the full range of capabilities, and started thinking that way just about the time the Korean War kicked off.

Fair enough, it seems to be a bit of a theme that good Cold War Navies need to start off on the right foot as soon as demobilisation is finished.

As for Australia, we were pretty heavily invested in creating a 3rd AIF for WW3 until the mid/late 50s, we had conscription into the Reserves to quickly raise a Corps and the RAAF had a wing of Vampires in Malta. I think the RAN got what was left after that, it was always the 'last' service in my mind, maybe because we lacked the industry to create and sustain a powerful navy.

 

[Rule of cool]

Here's some immediate postwar context around Australia's amphibious capabilities, which have been a bit of an obsession lately.

In March 1954 a convoy of 21 vehicles comprising, seven DUKWs, eight LVT(a)4s, five LVT4s and an RAE workboat started a a move of the Regiment by water from Wave Trap Beach to the Mungo Brush. This turned into a disaster with 3 lives lost along with five LVT(a)4s, one LVT4 and two DUKWs sunk when the weather turned bad. However, it indicates what the Army (CMF) could lay on if required.

Some 416 Army Landing Craft (ALC) were built in Australia during WW2, many right here in Geelong at the Ford factory, the numbers denote their cargo capacity. Of particular interest to me are the 55 ALC40s and 5 ALC 120s delivered late in the war, and some 19 ALC 40 and 1 ALC 120 did a 1600km ocean voyage from Cairns to New Britain late in WW2. One of the ALC120s was running beef cattle around Cape York in 1955 and one of the ALC40s was still seaworthy and in Darwin in 1960, which is a testament to their design and construction.



CMF raised several transport squadrons 1948 with ALC40s in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. Presumably an ALC120 might have been retained in one of these transport squadrons.

Additionally, in about 1958 the Army looked at getting a British LCT-8, this appears to have been the publicly available plan as late as March 1959. The first 2 ex-USN LSM-1s were purchased on 16 July 1959 to replace this vessel when the British withdrew the transfer offer. The second 2 ex-USN LSM-1s were purchased on January 1960, and the two ALC50s were built in 1960 so presumably were ordered in 1959.

That means there's about an 8 year gap between the laying up of the last LST3s (and presumably the disposal of the ALCs) and the Regular Army taking concrete steps back into the amphibious game again.

 

[Rule of cool]

As best I can work out the Australian amphibious warfare experience and role in late WW2 with it's small continuation into the 50s and it's resurrection from 1960 was 'Littoral Warfare/Maneuvre'. Water moves in support of existing land campaigns rather than opening up new campaigns from scratch after an open water voyage. In 1948 the CMF stood up water transport squadrons in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth and the Brisbane squadron at least had ALC-40s on strength. This would be a prime opportunity to retain an ALC-120 The CMF was also undertaking Littoral Maneuvre exercises with 21 vehicles as late as 1954 and without the Stockton Bight disaster presumably would have continued until the WW2 vehicles became un-serviceable.

The resurrection of Australia's amphibious capability that was lost by 1950 was due to the requirement to move Centurion tanks around. 60 Centurions were delivered in 1951-52, 51 + 4 ARV in 1955-56 and 6 + 2 ARV in 1956-57, while a May 1951 delivery was diverted after it had reached Fremantle WA to British tank units in Korea. The entire Centurion ordering and delivery process has considerable overlap with the LSTs going into reserve and disposal, although the disposal of the 5 (or 2) ALC120s disposal is a mystery.

Presumably the Army could have expressed an interest in returning an LST to service as early as 1950 or so in order to transport Centurions around from about 1954 or so. Further, if any ACL120s were still in Army possession by 1950, they could also be earmarked to support the Centurions (and British wheeled AFVs purchased in the 50s).

IIUC the 1958 plan to build an amphibious 'Littoral Warfare/Maneuvre' capability from nothing was for 1 ex-RN LCT-8 and 2 ALC50s, the early 1959 plan was 2 ex-US LSM-1s and 2 ALC50s and the late 1959 plan was 4 ex-US LSM-1s and 2 ALC-50s. If there was an LST, an ALC-120 or 2 and in addition to the several ALC-40s in service from 1954 the late 50s picture would be very different, at the very least the LST would represent a great capability that would be difficult to discard.

 

[Plh]

Here's some immediate postwar context around Australia's amphibious capabilities, which have been a bit of an obsession lately.

In March 1954 a convoy of 21 vehicles comprising, seven DUKWs, eight LVT(a)4s, five LVT4s and an RAE workboat started a a move of the Regiment by water from Wave Trap Beach to the Mungo Brush. This turned into a disaster with 3 lives lost along with five LVT(a)4s, one LVT4 and two DUKWs sunk when the weather turned bad. However, it indicates what the Army (CMF) could lay on if required.

Some 416 Army Landing Craft (ALC) were built in Australia during WW2, many right here in Geelong at the Ford factory, the numbers denote their cargo capacity. Of particular interest to me are the 55 ALC40s and 5 ALC 120s delivered late in the war, and some 19 ALC 40 and 1 ALC 120 did a 1600km ocean voyage from Cairns to New Britain late in WW2. One of the ALC120s was running beef cattle around Cape York in 1955 and one of the ALC40s was still seaworthy and in Darwin in 1960, which is a testament to their design and construction.

View attachment 791682

CMF raised several transport squadrons 1948 with ALC40s in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. Presumably an ALC120 might have been retained in one of these transport squadrons.

Additionally, in about 1958 the Army looked at getting a British LCT-8, this appears to have been the publicly available plan as late as March 1959. The first 2 ex-USN LSM-1s were purchased on 16 July 1959 to replace this vessel when the British withdrew the transfer offer. The second 2 ex-USN LSM-1s were purchased on January 1960, and the two ALC50s were built in 1960 so presumably were ordered in 1959.

That means there's about an 8 year gap between the laying up of the last LST3s (and presumably the disposal of the ALCs) and the Regular Army taking concrete steps back into the amphibious game again.

The story of the accident at Stockton by 15th Northern Rivers Lancers can be found here.

https://www.lancers.org.au/site/Stockton_Bight.php