In episode 51, our team didn’t quite get the full story of HMAS Protector quite right (understatement) so our valued listener and lover of history, Ben Pike, sent through the following notes to help us correct the record in episode 52.
This we did with the admirable help of Keith Conlon aka Nigel 8.
Click to hear the segment.
Ben begins
Protector (see image via navy.gov.au) was built at a cost of £65,000 for the South Australian Government when the state decided in 1883 to establish a naval force for the protection of its coasts and harbours from Russian attack. (That is about the same cost as the Mortlock Library, built around the same time.)
For her size she was an exceptionally heavily armed vessel with 8-inch cannon. . To conserve fuel (coal) she was originally rigged as a topsail schooner.
In 1900 she was offered to and accepted by the Imperial Government for China service as part of the Colonial Naval Forces that subdued the Boxer Rebellion.
She returned to Australia in time to take part in the ceremonies inaugurating the Australian Commonwealth on 1 January 1901.
As a Commonwealth naval vessel Protector was used to train the Naval Militia Forces of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Her role as a training ship continued following the foundation of the Royal Australian Navy in 1911.
World War One
During world war 1 she was part of the Australian Navy force that captured the German New Guinea colonies, the Germans had a powerful feet in the Pacific, most of which was driven out of the Pacific ocean by the Huge warship HMAS Australia for which they were no match, that German fleet was then sunk in the battle of the Falkland islands by the British as they fled back to German.
The only German warship to escape was the cruiser Emden, which went to sink over 30 Merchant and Warships still she was defeated by the Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney.
Protector served in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and finished the first world war as a minesweeper in Victorian waters, many German sea mines were laid off the Australian coast in this war.
Post war period
In the post war period she continued to serve as a tender to HMAS Cerberus at Williamstown Victoria.
In June 1924 she paid off for disposal and was sold to Mr J. Hill of Melbourne for £677.
She was re-sold in 1931 to the Victorian Lighterage Co who renamed her SIDNEY and who used her as a wool lighter for many years.
World War Two
In July 1943 she was requisitioned for war service with the United States Army Forces in Australia (USAFIA). Subsequently she was damaged in a collision with a tug off Gladstone, while under tow en route to New Guinea, and abandoned.
What remains of the old gunboat is now still serving a useful purpose as a breakwater on Heron Island, Queensland.
Parts of Protector including its ships bell are at the Port Adelaide Maritime Museum, and there is a beautiful model of her in the Canberra War Memorial.
No Modern Australian warships last 60 years in service!