HMAS Voyager (D04)

HMAS Voyager alongside HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Vendetta in 1959
History
Australia
BuilderCockatoo Docks and Engineering Company
Laid down10 October 1949
Launched1 May 1952
Commissioned12 February 1957
Motto"Quo Fata Vocant" (Where Fate Calls)
Honours and
awards
Seven inherited battle honours
FateSank following collision on 10 February 1964
General characteristics
Class and typeDaring-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 2,800 tons standard
  • 3,600 tons (full load)
Length390 ft (120 m)
Beam43 ft (13 m)
Draught12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Propulsion2 × Foster Wheeler boilers, 2 × English Electric geared steam turbines, two shafts, 54,000 hp
Speed33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Range3,700 nmi (6,900 km; 4,300 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement20 officers, 300 sailors
Armament
NotesTaken from:[1]

HMAS Voyager was a Daring-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), that was lost in a collision in 1964.

Constructed between 1949 and 1957, Voyager was the first ship of her class to enter Australian service, and the first all-welded ship to be built in Australia. During her career, Voyager was deployed to the Far East Strategic Reserve on six occasions, but never fired a shot in anger.

During the night of 10 February 1964, Voyager and the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne collided off Jervis Bay, when the destroyer passed in front of the carrier during post-refit sea trials. Voyager was cut in two by the collision, sinking with the loss of 82 of the 314 people aboard. This was the largest loss of Australian military personnel in peacetime, and the subsequent investigations resulted in the holding of two Royal Commissions—the only time in Australian history this has occurred.

  1. ^ HMAS Voyager (II), Royal Australian Navy