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HMAS Protector (1884)
Encyclopedia
HMCS/HMAS Protector was a large flat-iron gunboat
Flat-iron gunboat
Flat-iron gunboats were a number of classes of coastal gunboats generally characterised by small size, low freeboard and the absence of masts.Some Rendel-type gunboats were fitted with masts ; they are included in the article for...
commissioned and purchased by the South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n government in 1884, for the purpose of defending the local coastline against possible attacks in the aftermath of the ‘Russian scare', of 1870s. She arrived in Adelaide in September 1884 and subsequently served in the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
, World War I and World War II.
During July 1943, Protector was requisitioned for war service by the US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. On the way to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
and off Gladstone
Gladstone, Queensland
- Education :Gladstone has several primary schools, three high schools, and one university campus, Central Queensland University. It is also home to CQIT Gladstone Campus.- Recreation :...
, she was damaged in a collision with a tug and abandoned. The hull was subsequently taken to Heron Island off the Queensland coast and later sunk for use as a breakwater
Breakwater (structure)
Breakwaters are structures constructed on coasts as part of coastal defence or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.-Purposes of breakwaters:...
. Her rusting remains are still visible to this day.
Description and armament
Built at William Armstrong & Co, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, Protector was built to a standard type F1 flat-iron gunboatFlat-iron gunboat
Flat-iron gunboats were a number of classes of coastal gunboats generally characterised by small size, low freeboard and the absence of masts.Some Rendel-type gunboats were fitted with masts ; they are included in the article for...
design, but was one of the largest of its type, and was classified as a light cruiser, with a displacement of 920 tons. Her length was 180 in 6 in (55.02 m), with two compound surface-condensing engines that produced 1500 hp. Her top speed was 14 knots (7.6 m/s). To conserve fuel (coal) she was also originally rigged as a topsail schooner.
Other armaments included five 6 inches (152.4 mm) Woolwich-Armstrong Rifled Breech-Load guns; four 3-pounder 1.85 calibre Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss gun
The Hotchkiss gun can refer to different products of the Hotchkiss arms company starting in the late 19th century. It usually refers to the 1.65-inch light mountain gun; there was also a 3-inch Hotchkiss gun...
QF guns and five 10 barrels (1.6 m³) Gatling machines guns
Gatling gun
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...
. Her small arms consisted of: 200 0.45 Martini-Henry
Martini-Henry
The Martini-Henry was a breech-loading single-shot lever-actuated rifle adopted by the British, combining an action worked on by Friedrich von Martini , with the rifled barrel designed by Scotsman Alexander Henry...
rifles Mk IV; 100 Breech-Load revolvers; 100 cutlasses and 30 boarding pikes.
At the outbreak of World War I, her armament was increased to include two 4 inches (101.6 mm) guns, two 12-pounder guns and four 3-pounder guns.
Operational history
In July 1882, motions were brought forward in both houses of the Parliament of South AustraliaParliament of South Australia
The Parliament of South Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of South Australia. It consists of the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. It follows a Westminster system of parliamentary government....
to establish a naval force with the creation of a cruiser-type warship, capable of defending the local coastline and harbours. At the suggestion of Sir William Jervois, William Armstrong & Co. of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
were chosen to build the vessel, named Protector, for approximately £40,000 to £50,000 pounds sterling. The builder’s estimate was £63,600 pounds. The contract authorising construction was signed on 16 November 1882 and the time allotted was fourteen months. The final cost was £65,000 pounds sterling.
A number of alterations were incorporated during the vessel’s time on the builder’s slip, delaying completion until May 1884. On 19 June, the Protector was ready for sea. She was officially commissioned and during the day undertook her initial speed trial run over a four hour period with the average speed attained being 14 knots (27.4 km/h). The guns were then tested in the open sea.
Protector sailed from Newcastle upon Tyne on 27 June 1884, en route to Australia and arrived in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
on 5 July. Sailing via Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
and Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
, the Protector anchored at Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
on 25 July. Rigged as a topsail schooner the gunboat sailed on to Colombo (Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
), leaving there on 25 August. During her voyage to Adelaide Protector flew the blue ensign. She left King George’s Sound in late September and on 30 September, arrived at Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
.
Protector’s first commanding officer was Commander J.C.P. Walcott RN, who brought her out from England and served as Commander in Charge of the South Australian Naval Forces until August 1893, when he was succeeded by Captain Creswell
William Rooke Creswell
Vice Admiral Sir William Rooke Creswell KCMG, KBE was an Australian naval officer, commonly considered to be the 'father' of the Royal Australian Navy.-Early life:...
. Protector remained in South Australian waters for the next 15 uneventful years. Her only activities comprised regular deployments on station at Largs Bay
Largs Bay, South Australia
Largs Bay is a north-western suburb of Adelaide 16km from the CBD, on the LeFevre Peninsula, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Largs North and Semaphore, Exeter and Peterhead. The post code for Largs Bay is 5016...
.
Boxer Rebellion
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Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, when a call from Britain came to help containing and defend a dangerous threat to all foreigners in China, by the fanatical Chinese secret society known as the Boxers. South Australia responded by offering Protector and her crew, which varied in number between 85 and 96.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
on 11 September 1900. A week later, she departed for Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
.
In Chinese waters, the expected use of shallow draught vessels such as Protector was not called for, but she performed useful work as a survey vessel and in carrying despatches in the Gulf of Pechili. By the beginning of November, the Admiralty had decided it could dispense with her services, and she was released to return to Adelaide on 2 November 1900. During her return voyage, Protector participated in the ceremonies inaugurating the Australian Commonwealth
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
in Sydney on 1 January 1901.
Australian Commonwealth
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
and became a Commonwealth naval vessel primarily based in Sydney, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. In the years leading up to the establishment of an Australian Naval Fleet, Protector was active around the southern and eastern seaboards. Her main role was to train the Naval Militia Forces of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, a duty which she continued on following the foudation of the Royal Australian Navy. From September 1913, she served as a tender to the naval base HMAS Cerberus in Williamstown
Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....
, Victoria.
World War I
When World War I broke out in 1914, Protector was sent to Sydney and she began service as a parent/depot ship to two Australian submarines, AE1HMAS AE1
HMAS AE1 was an E-class submarine of the Royal Australian Navy . She was the first submarine to serve in the RAN, and was lost at sea with all hands near East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, on 14 September 1914, after less than seven months in service...
and AE2
HMAS AE2
HMAS AE2 was an E class submarine of the Royal Australian Navy . She was commissioned into the RAN at Portsmouth on 28 February 1914 and was scuttled little more than a year later in the Sea of Marmara after being hit by enemy shellfire during the Battle of Gallipoli.-Construction and...
. On 28 August 1914, she sailed from Sydney as escort to the submarines headed for German New Guinea
German New Guinea
German New Guinea was the first part of the German colonial empire. It was a protectorate from 1884 until 1914 when it fell to Australia following the outbreak of the First World War. It consisted of the northeastern part of New Guinea and several nearby island groups...
colonies. After the surrender of these colonies on 17 September, Protector remained based at Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
as a port guard ship until early October 1914, when she sailed for Sydney in the company of HMAS Fantome.
Protector remained in Australian waters, mainly at Melbourne, until October 1915, when she sailed for the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
to report on the wreck of the German cruiser Emden. Emden had been driven ashore on North Keeling Island by on 9 November 1914.
Protector returned to Australia in December 1915 and thereafter, for the remainder of the war period, was employed again as a tender to HMAS Cerberus and sea-going duty for a period as a minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
in Victorian coastal waters.
Between the wars
In the post war period, she continued to serve as a tender to HMAS Cerberus at Williamstown. In May 1920, she carried the advance party to Flinders Naval depot on Westernport Bay in preparation for the official opening which took place on 1 September 1920.On 1 April 1921, the thirty-seven year old Protector lost her identity when she was renamed HMAS Cerberus. In turn, the old Cerberus was renamed Platypus II.
Disposal
In June 1924, Protectors 40-year naval career came to a close when she was paid off for disposal and was sold to Mr J. Hill of Melbourne for £677 and 10 shillings. Protector was dismantled and her armament, engines and all movable parts were sold at auction. Conversion work to a lighter then took place and was completed in November 1929. Her old ammunition magazines served as a tank for approximately 300 tons of oil fuel.In 1931, she was re-sold to the Victorian Lighterage Co and was renamed Sidney. For several years she served as a wool lighter
Lighter (barge)
A lighter is a type of flat-bottomed barge used to transfer goods and passengers to and from moored ships. Lighters were traditionally unpowered and were moved and steered using long oars called "sweeps," with their motive power provided by water currents...
.
World War II
During July 1943, Protector was requisitioned for war service by the US ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. En-route to New Guinea and off Gladstone
Gladstone, Queensland
- Education :Gladstone has several primary schools, three high schools, and one university campus, Central Queensland University. It is also home to CQIT Gladstone Campus.- Recreation :...
, she was damaged in a collision with a tug and abandoned. The hull was subsequently taken to Heron Island off the Queensland coast and later sunk for use as a breakwater
Breakwater (structure)
Breakwaters are structures constructed on coasts as part of coastal defence or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.-Purposes of breakwaters:...
.
Present day
Protectors stern 6 inches (152.4 mm) breech-loading gun mounting was located at Semaphore's
Semaphore, South Australia
Semaphore is a north-western seaside suburb of Adelaide of the LeFevre Peninsula 14km from the CBD, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Semaphore South, Glanville, Exeter and Largs Bay. The postcode for Semaphore is 5019...
foreshore, a historic seaside suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, for many years. It is now located a short distance away outside TS Adelaide
Australian Navy Cadets
The Australian Navy Cadets is a voluntary youth organisation sponsored by the Royal Australian Navy. Together with the Australian Air Force Cadets and Australian Army Cadets, it forms the Australian Defence Force Cadets. It hosts over 91 units.-History:...
at the Birkenhead Naval Depot in Birkenhead, South Australia
Birkenhead, South Australia
Birkenhead is a north-western suburb of Adelaide 14 km from the CBD, on the Lefevre Peninsula, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Peterhead, Exeter and Glanville...
. A 4 inches (101.6 mm) QF gun from Protector is on display outside the Elizabeth and Salisbury Navy Club in Elizabeth, South Australia
Elizabeth, South Australia
Elizabeth is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:Elizabeth was established in 1955 as part of a planned satellite town by the South Australian Housing Trust on rural land between the older towns of Salisbury and...
. The ship's wheel is on display at the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre
The Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre is the maritime museum of the Royal Australian Navy. The centre opened on 4 October 2005 and is located within the Public Access Area on the northern end of Garden Island Naval base....
in Sydney.
Following an overhaul of the RAN battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
s system, completed in March 2010, Protector was retroactively awarded the honours "China 1900" and "Rabaul 1914".