Starboard side view of the corvette HMAS Wallaroo. She is armed with a 4 inch BL Mark IX gun on a ...

Starboard side view of the corvette HMAS Wallaroo. She is armed with a 4 inch BL Mark IX gun on a CP I mounting forward and three single 20mm Oerlikon AA (anti aircraft) guns in the bridge wings and aft. Note the minesweeping kite/otters at the stern. She is painted in a camouflage scheme of two shades of grey, possibly 507a, the darker, and 507c. On the night of 10 June 1943 whilst escorting a two ship US convoy, sixty miles west of Fremantle, WA, Wallaroo was rammed on the starboard side by the US liberty ship, Henry Gilbert Costin killing two of the corvette's crewmen and wounding her captain. A third crewman, PM2278 Able Seaman (AB) J J Clarke, was lost overboard and presumed dead. Those killed in the collision were H1875 AB D L B Cowen and 2551 Motor Mechanic G W Garratty. At about 7 am on 11 June 1943 Wallaroo capsized and sank. The survivors were picked up by the Australian corvette HMAS Dubbo. (Naval Historical Collection)