HMAS Huon (D50) - Operational History

Operational History

Huon first served with the British Far East Patrol, based at Sandakan, then later Singapore, from June 1916 to May 1917. On 7 July 1917, Huon met her five sister ships off the Cocos Islands, with the six vessels sailing to the Mediterranean via Diego Garcia. Huon joined the escort of a convoy from Port Said to Malta, and arrived on 20 August, after which the destroyer was docked for a month-long refit.

From October 1917 until April 1918, Huon was based at Brisindi to patrol for Austrian submarines. From 17 April to 16 May, the ship underwent another refit in Malta, then returned to Brisindi. On 9 August 1918, while operating in the Straits of Otranto, Huon collided with sister ship HMAS Yarra. Huon was sent to Genoa for repairs. While in drydock, the ship was hit by the 1918 flu pandemic: four stokers and a lieutenant died from influenza between late October and early November. Huon left dockyard hands a day before World War I ended. The six River class ships made for Portsmouth, with Huon docking for refit on 14 January 1919. Released on 28 February, Huon joined her sister ships and the cruiser HMAS Melbourne for the voyage to Australia. The ships reached Sydney on 21 May. Although not recognised at the time, an overhaul of the RAN battle honours system in 2010 saw Huon's wartime service recognised with the honour "Adiriatic 1917–18".

Huon operated in local waters over the course of the next year, including a stint escorting the battlecruiser HMS Renown during the visit of Edward, Prince of Wales in early 1920. The destroyer was placed in reserve in August. Huon was reactivated on 22 April 1929. On 9 February 1922, the destroyer was holed below the waterline in a collision with the submarine HMAS J4. Repairs were successful, but Huon returned to reserve on 31 May. The destroyer was recommissioned on 29 August 1925, and served as a reservist training ship at Hobart until 26 May 1928, when she returned to Sydney.