HMAS Torrens (D67) - Design and Construction

Design and Construction

Torrens was one of six River-class torpedo boat destroyers built for the RAN. The destroyer had a displacement of 750 tons, was 250 feet 9 inches (76.43 m) long overall and 245 feet (75 m) long between perpendiculars, and had a beam of 24 feet 3.625 inches (7.40728 m). Propulsion machinery consisted of three Yarrow boilers feeding Parsons turbines, which suppled 10,000 shaft horsepower (7,500 kW) to the ship's three propeller shafts. Maximum speed was 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph), and maximum range was 2,690 nautical miles (4,980 km; 3,100 mi) at 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph). The ship's company consisted of 5 officers and 68 sailors.

The destroyer's main armament consisted of a BL 4-inch Mark VIII gun, and three QF 12 pounder 12 cwt guns. This was supplemented by three single 18-inch torpedo tubes and three .303-inch machine guns. Later in the ship's career, two depth charge throwers and four depth charge chutes were installed.

Torrens was laid down by the Cockatoo Docks and Engineering Company at Cockatoo Island, New South Wales on 25 January 1913. She was launched on launched on 28 August 1915 by the wife of Lord Munro Ferguson, the Governor-General of Australia. The destroyer was commissioned into the RAN on 3 July 1916, twelve days before construction completed. The ship's name comes from the River Torrens in South Australia.