HMAS Warrego (D70)

HMAS Warrego (D70)

HMAS Warrego, named for the Warrego River, was a River-class destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Ordered in 1909, construction of the destroyer started in England, but she was then broken down and reassembled at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in order for the Australian shipbuilding industry to gain experience in warship construction. Warrego was commissioned into the RAN in 1912, and spent her early career operating in Australian waters.

At the start of World War I, Warrego was assigned to the Australian force tasked with neutralising German colonies in the region, along with finding and destroying the German East Asia Squadron. She was involved in the capture of Rabaul and the Battle of Bita Paka during 1914. After patrol work in Australian, New Guinea, and South-east Asian waters, Warrego and her sister ship were assigned to the Mediterranean in 1917, and served as an anti-submarine patrol force. The ship participated in the Second Battle of Durazzo in 1918. After the war's end, Warrego returned to Australia, and was placed in reserve.

The destroyer was reactivated for short periods in 1920 and 1928, but was paid off in 1928 and marked for disposal. The destroyer was partially disassembled, then used as an accommodation hulk at Cockatoo Island. Warrego sank at her berth in 1931, and was demolished with underwater charges.