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In Remembrance

Australian-owned ships and their crews - deck, engine-room, catering and pursering departments - helped win the Second World War, particularly, but not only or exclusively, in the Asia-Pacific theatre of operations.

This website details the ships involved and the corporations that owned them. It will provide for some recollections and diary records of experiences of the people who crewed them and it acknowledges the allies alongside whom they served.

It is dedicated to mercantile mariners who, across the ages, have carried the world's goods from producer to user, but in particular it is intended as a tribute to all the Merchant Seamen who served in the 1939-1945 conflict, and indeed universally and especially to those who did not return, those who have no known grave but the depths of the oceans.

"They that go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their business in great waters"

Duntroon (Melbourne Steam)

Requisitioned for the first time in October 1939 for intended (though not proceeded with) conversion to an Armed Merchant Cruiser, Duntroon was eventually taken over in February 1942, commencing duty as a troopship operating to the Far East and the South West Pacific areas. She was fortunate in suffering no damage from the enemy although was involved in collisions in November 1940 and November 1943.

Concluding her wartime activity by transporting released prisoners-of-war back to Australia in late 1945, Duntroon was returned to owners in April 1946, but was again taken on charter, by the Royal Australian Navy in July. Following a voyage returning internees and evacuees to Hong Kong, she then periodically served on the Australia-Japan run supporting the Australian Component of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force until late in 1948. Post-war refit and return to owners were completed by August 1950.

THE FLEETS

In Remembrance

Duntroon (Melbourne Steam)