HMAS Duntroon

HMAS Duntroon was a troopship operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1946 to 1949.

Built in 1935 as MV Duntroon for the Melbourne Steamship Company, the ship was offered for conversion into an armed merchant cruiser at the start of World War II, but was not accepted. In 1942, the ship was requesitioned by the Australian Army for use as a troopship, and became HMAT Duntroon. Her army service continued until 1946, when she was chartered by the RAN for transport duties with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. Duntroon was returned to her civilian owners in 1950. In 1961, the ship was sold to Kie Hock Shipping Co. and renamed Tong Hoo. She was sold again in 1966 to Africa Shipping Co. and renamed Lydia. The ship was laid up in Singapore in 1967, and sailed to Taiwan for scrapping in 1973.

During her career, Duntroon collided with and sank two vessels: the auxiliary minesweeper HMAS Goorangai in November 1940, and the destroyer USS Perkins (DD-377) in November 1943.

Construction
The 10,346 ton vessel was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne, in 1935 for the Melbourne Steamship Company of Australia. She was designed for the East–West Australian coastal passenger service.

Melbourne Steamship Company
Duntroon operated as a passenger transport until the start of World War II, when she was offered for conversion into an armed merchant cruiser. This offer was turned down, and she continued to operate as part of the merchant navy.

On the evening of 20 November 1940, Duntroon departed from Melbourne for Sydney, with soldiers aboard. At 20:37, while attempting to exit Port Phillip Bay, Duntroon collided with the blacked-out auxiliary minesweeper HMAS Goorangai, which was sailing to Portsea to anchor for the night. The smaller ship was cut in two, and all 24 aboard were killed: the first RAN losses of World War II. Duntroon attempted to recover survivors, but was only successful in finding six bodies. The ship returned to Melbourne for bow repairs, which were completed on 18 December.

Military service
In February 1942, Duntroon was requisitioned by the Australian Army. She was converted into a troopship and received the prefix HMAT.

Duntroon transported elements of the Second Australian Imperial Force from the Middle East back to Australia before commencing operations in the South West Pacific and Far East.

Duntroon was involved in a second collision in November 1943, this time with United States Navy destroyer USS Perkins (DD-377). The destroyer was sailing from Milne Bay to Buna when she was rammed portside amidships and cut in two by Duntroon just before 02:00 on 29 November, 2 nmi from Ipoteto Island. Four Americans were killed.

Between 24 and 28 December 1944, Duntroon transported the 58th/59th Battalion from Julago, Queensland to Torokina, Bougainville.

After the war's end, Duntroon was used to repatriate prisoners of war to Australia. The ship left army service in April 1946, but was chartered by the RAN three months later. Duntroon was commissioned into the navy, and received the prefix HMAS. While in RAN service, Duntroon was used to transport personnel of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force between Japan and Australia until late 1948.

Return to civilian service
Duntroon was returned to her owners in March 1949, and resumed coastal passenger and cruising services in August 1950. On 23 October 1950, she was damaged by fire while berthed in the Yarra River.

In 1960, Duntroon was sold to the Grosvenor Shipping Co. and was towed to Hong Kong by the tug Ajax. The ship's bell was removed; this was later installed on the parade ground of the Royal Military College Duntroon, in Canberra. She was resold to Kie Hock Shipping Co. in 1961 and was renamed Tong Hoo and used on Hong Kong–Indonesia passenger service.

Tong Hoo was sold in 1966 to the Africa Shipping Co., renamed Lydia and used for the India–Pakistan–East Africa route.

Fate
She was laid up in 1967 at Singapore for her last voyage Yokosuka to Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1973 where she was scrapped.