HMAS Lithgow (J206)

HMAS Lithgow (J206/M206), named for the city of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

Construction
Lithgow was laid down by Morts Dock & Engineering Co at Mort's Dock in Balmain, New South Wales on 19 August 1940. She was launched on 21 December 1940, and commissioned into the RAN on 14 June 1941.

Operational history
Lithgow, in company with USS Edsall (DD-219), HMAS Katoomba, and HMAS Deloraine, sank the enemy Japanese submarine I-124 off Darwin, the first enemy submarine sunk in Australian waters, on 20 January 1942.

In May 1943, Lithgow was one of several ships to search for survivors following the torpedoing of AHS Centaur, with no success.

The corvette received three battle honours for her wartime service: "Darwin 1942", "Pacific 1941-45", and "New Guinea 1942-44".

Fate
HMAS Lithgow paid off to reserve on 8 June 1948 and was sold for scrap to the Hong Kong Delta Shipping Company on 8 August 1956.