History
HMAS GOORANGAI -LOST WITH ALL HANDS
By Peter McCullough
H
MAS Goorangai was the first Royal Australian Navy ship lost in World War II, the first RAN surface ship lost in wartime, and the first RAN surface ship lost with all hands. What makes this tragedy of special interest is that it occurred inside Port Phillip. Origin
THE Goorangai was built in Newcastle in 1919 for the New South Wales government, then sold in 1926 to Cam and Sons where it was refitted as a fishing trawler. At the outbreak of war the Goorangai
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was one of 35 privately-owned vessels requisitioned by the RAN as auxiliary minesweepers. Eight of these vessels had belonged to Cam and Sons and some of the fishermen had stayed with their vessels; in the case of the Goorangai, the RAN persuaded 16 of the fishermen crew to sign up including the skipper David McGregor, who was given the rank of commissioned warrant officer. HMAS Goorangai was 223 tons in displacement, had a single boiler, and a maritime fit of a 12 pounder gun, four depth charges, small arms, and Oropesa sweep gear.