About This Unit
Pennant K34/M34.
Bathurst-class minesweeper/corvette, in service 1943-1947. The Ararat was built in Brisbane as part of the wartime Australian shipbuilding programme. She was part of a general effort to boost the protection of Australia's coasts against enemy mines and submarines.
The Ararat was 56 metres in length and displaced 590 tons (or around 1000 tons when fully loaded with war equipment). She carried a single 4-inch gun, three Oerlikon 20mm cannons, and machine guns. The official complement was 85 officers and sailors.
After entering active service in August 1943, the Ararat spent until March 1944 engaged in convoy duties along the Australian east coast as far as New Guinea. Between March and May 1944 she served as a patrol boat around New Guinea and New Britain, before returning to Melbourne for refit. In the latter part of 1944 the Ararat was under American operational command. In October she helped recover Australian sailors from the stricken Geelong and return them to Milne Bay.
Following the end of the war, the Ararat engaged in minesweeping work before retiring from service in early 1947.
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