HMAS

Kangaroo

HMAS Kangaroo commissioned at Sydney on 27 September 1940 under the command of Lieutenant Leslie C Parnell, RANR(S). The vessel arrived at Darwin on 13 January 1941 and served there on boom defence duty until 14 March 1942. On 19 February 1942 she suffered damage and one fatal casualty when Admiral Nagumo's carrier borne aircraft made the first enemy attack on the Australian mainland in Darwin. She was in dockyard hands at Brisbane for damage repair from 1 April to 20 May 1942, returning to Darwin to resume boom defence duty on 5 June 1942. With the exception of a voyage to Timor for the surrender ceremony in September 1945 she remained in service in the Darwin area until the end of 1945.

Launched in 1940, HMAS Kangaroo spent most of World War II laying anti-submarine net in Darwin.

In January 1946, she briefly visited Dreger Harbour and Port Morseby and then returned to Darwin. In September 1946, Kangaroo proceeded to Sydney where, following a refit, she began a further period of sea-going service including operations with the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla in New Guinea and the Solomons in 1948. She continued to serve in Australian and New Guinea waters performing various duties until 15 December 1955 when she paid off at Sydney. Kangaroo was later classified as a Net Laying Ship in reserve at Sydney and also served as an accommodation ship for Base staff.

On 28 August 1967 Kangaroo was sold to Hurley and Dewhurst Pty Ltd, Sydney. The ship was broken up for scrap in 1968.

HMAS Kangaroo in company with her sister ships HMAS Koala and HMAS Karangi.