HMAS Arunta
Two ships of the
Royal Australian Navy have borne the name Arunta, derived from the Arrernte aboriginal people from central
Australia.
The first
HMAS Arunta (D-130) was a Battle class
destroyer laid down by the Cockatoo Docks and Engineering Company Limited at
Sydney in
New South Wales on
15 November 1939, launched on
30 November 1940, and commissioned on
30 March 1942.
Arunta attacked and sank the enemy Japanese
submarine RO-33 off
New Guinea on
24 August 1942, and participated in the landings at
Lingayen Gulf in January
1945 where she was damaged by enemy Japanese
kamikaze aircraft and at Balikpapan in
Borneo in July
1945.
HMAS Arunta paid off to reserve on
21 December 1956, was sold for scrap to the China Steel Corporation of
Taipei in
Formosa on
1 November 1968, and sank under tow 65 miles off the New South Wales coast on
13 February 1969.
The second
HMAS Arunta (151) is an Anzac class
frigate laid down by Tenix Defence Systems Propriety Limited at
Williamstown in
Victoria on
22 July 1995, launched on
28 June 1996 by Mrs Dulce Morrow, wife of the late Commodore J.C. Morrow RAN CBE DSO DSC, Commanding Officer of the first HMAS Arunta when she was commissioned in
1942, and commissioned on
12 December 1998.
HMAS Arunta is an active unit of the Royal Australian Navy.