HMAS Burdekin

HMAS Burdekin after the end of the war

HMAS Burdekin (K-376), named for the Burdekin River in Queensland, was a River class frigate laid down by Walkers Limited at Maryborough in Queensland, launched on 30 June 1943 by Miss K Collings, daughter of the Minister for the Interior and Leader of the Government in the Senate and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 27 June 1944.

After completing training, HMAS Burdekin arrived in New Guinean waters in October 1944. From November 1944 to May 1945 she escorted convoys travelling between New Guinea and the Philippines. In May 1945 she supported the Australian landing at Tarakan and carried out surveillance operations in the Borneo and Celebes areas.

After a refit in Sydney, Burdekin operated in the Netherlands East Indies following the end of the war. The Japanese surrender of Dutch Borneo was accepted on board the ship by Major General Milford of the 7th Australian Division, on 8 September 1945 and the ship later participated in occupation duties off Borneo and Macassar. HMAS Burdekin returned to Australia in January 1946, paid off into reserve on 18 April 1946, was declared for disposal on 9 November 1960 and sold for scrap to the Tolo Mining and Smelting Company Limited of Hong Kong on 21 September 1961.

References

• Seapower Centre - Australia HMAS Burdekin ship history