Jun, Jul, Aug 1962 - Navy League of Australia

COCKATOO ISLANDDOCKYARDIn tin* building of many warshipsfin the Royal AustralianNavy, Cockatoo Docks amiKnginccring Co. Pty. Limited,has made a notable contrihutiontn tin' Sea Service of Aus-Italia which celebrated its ."tOtliAnniversary last year.Thr Dockyard is proud of itslong associations with the N'avywhich go hai-k over KM years.The first dry dock at t'nckatouwas completed in IR'iH ami thefirst ship II M.S. IIKRAI.I)was docked in December thatyear. I'ntil 1911 thr yard wasoperated by tin- New SmithWales Government when it wasai'ipiiri'il by tin- Commonwealthfor the R.A.N. It was operatedby thr Navy until shortlyafter tin- first World Warwhen it was transferred tn theAustralian Commonwealth ShippingBoard which operated theC o in in ii n w i' a I t h line ofsteamers. In 1933 it was leasedIn tin- Cockatoo Docks amiKugiiiceriiig Company whichwas taken over by the Viikirs({roup in I!I47. Shipbuildingami the docking ami repairs ofships have always been theprincipal activities of theDockyard sim-i* its inception, ofwhich naval work has been alarge proportion. In all. :!:!War-.ships have been constructedat Cockatoo, rangingfrom tin- River Clam DestroversWARREGO. Ill (IN anilSWAN prii.r tn the 1914-18War down tn the I luring Classships VOYAGER ami VAM­PIRE in recent years. Majorunits constructed were theCruisers BRISBANE ami ADE-LAIDE at the end of WorldWar I as well as the sea planecarrier ALBATROSS ill 1930.In addition four sloops werebuilt at Cockatoo at the beginningof World War II andt'uur boom defence vessels, twoRiver Class Frigates and sixCorvettes were handed overprior tn cesaation of hostilities.Tin* tribal Class tlestrnversAKl.NTA. WARRA.MI'NGA,ami ItATAAN were also builtilllling Wnil,I War II anilthese ships hail distinguishedrecords of service in the War.Tin- destroyer TOBRUK wascompleted in 1948, ami thelatest addition In the FleetII M A. S. I'ARRAMATTA,Type 12 Ant i • s u b m a r i Ii eFrigate, was completed anilhanded over tn the Navy lastyear.It is nl' interest that in theFleet Review held on l.'ith•lime. 1961, of lie- II shipswhich made such an impressiveentry into Sydney Harbour.Cockatoo Dockyard hail builtsix. viz.. VOYAGER. VAM­PIRE. UARCOO, WARREGO.SWAN ami I'ARRAMATTA.tin- latter Hying the Red F.nsignas it was still under controlnl' the builders. The Ql'l-HERON in this assembly alsohad I a partly reconstructedat Cockatoo in I95B.I'ntil the opening nl' theCaptain Cook Dock in I94.*i thedockings ^i' the AustralianFleet were always carried nutat Cockatoo, as well as manymajor repairs ami refits. Theseincluded extensive repairsalter action damage tn theCruisers ACSTRALIA amiIIOHART. Considerable repairswere carried nut also to manyAllied ships, including severalAmerican Cruisers. Cockatuuu\^-v the yiars has built up aproud record for the expertmanufacture of turbines amiboilers ami has supplied theseitems tn Williamstowti NavalI kyanl for il