MV Duntroon
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MV Duntroon
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| History | |
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| Name: | Duntroon |
| Owner: | Melbourne Steamship Company |
| Builder: | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne |
| In service: | 1935 |
| Out of service: | 1942 |
| Fate: | Requisitioned by Army |
| History | |
 Australia
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| In service: | 1942 |
| Out of service: | 1949 |
| Fate: | Returned to civilian service |
| Notes: |
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| History | |
| Name: |
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| In service: |
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| Fate: | Broken up for scrap in 1973 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 10,346 tons |
MV Duntroon was a passenger ship built for the Melbourne Steamship Company, that saw military service as a troopship between 1942 and 1949. She was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne, and entered service in 1939.
At the start of World War II, Duntroon was requisitioned for conversion into an armed merchant cruiser, but was returned as unsuitable. In November 1940, Duntroon collided with and sank the auxiliary minesweeper HMAS Goorangai; the RAN's first loss of the war. In February 1942, Duntroon was requisitioned by the Australian Army for use as a troopship. The ship was involved in a second fatal collision in November 1943, sinking the destroyer USS Perkins. Her army service continued until 1946, when she was chartered by the RAN for transport duties with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.
Duntroon was returned to her civilian owners in 1950. In 1961, the ship was sold to Kie Hock Shipping Co. and renamed Tong Hoo. She was sold again in 1966 to Africa Shipping Co. and renamed Lydia. The ship was laid up in Singapore in 1967, and sailed to Taiwan for scrapping in 1973.
The 10,346 ton vessel was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne, in 1935 for the Melbourne Steamship Company of Australia. She was designed for the East–West Australian coastal passenger service, from Melbourne to Adelaide and Fremantle.
Duntroon operated as a passenger transport until the start of World War II, when she was requisitioned for conversion into an armed merchant cruiser on 12 October 1939. The ship was found to be unsuitable for the role, and was returned to her owners on 3 November.
On the evening of 20 November 1940, Duntroon departed from Melbourne to begin a voyage to Port Adelaide and Fremantle. At 20:37, while attempting to exit Port Phillip Bay, Duntroon collided with the blacked-out auxiliary minesweeper HMAS Goorangai, which was sailing to Portsea to anchor for the night. The smaller ship was cut in two, and all 24 aboard were killed: the first RAN losses of World War II.Duntroon attempted to recover survivors, but was only successful in finding six bodies. The ship returned to Melbourne for bow repairs, which were completed on 18 December. Duntroon's captain was later exonerated of any blame for the accident.
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