Snake-class junk of Royal Australian Navy
HMAS River Snake in May 1945
History Australia Name HMAS River Snake Builder Millars Bunnings Shipbuilding, Fremantle Launched 1945 In service 19 February 1945 Out of service 2 November 1945 Fate Handed over to the British Civil Administration Unit in Borneo General characteristics Class and type Snake-class junk Tonnage 80 tons (gross) Length 66 ft (20 m) Beam 17 ft (5.2 m) Depth 7.6 ft (2.3 m) Installed power Gray Marine 64 YTL diesel, single screw, 300 hp (220 kW) Speed 9 knots (17 km/h) Range 500 nautical miles (930 km) Capacity 20 tons of cargo Complement 9 Armament Two Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, three or four M2 Browning machine guns or Bren Guns
HMAS River Snake was a Snake-class junk built for the Royal Australian Navy during the Second World War . She was launched in 1945 and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 19 February 1945. She was used by the Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD) and was paid off on 2 November 1945, before being handed over to the British Civil Administration in Borneo.
Operation Suncharlie [ edit ] During Operation Suncharlie SRD operatives were deployed from HMAS River Snake , an Australian built Country Craft, in Portuguese Timor on 23 April 1945. This operation, partly using folboats (collapsible kayaks ), was to be for long term intelligence work, but after a short reconnaissance they returned to River Snake on 26 April 1945.
Commander John Gowing.
Corvettes. Australia's Naval Patrol Forces. Photo file No. 10 . Marrickille: Topmill. 2001. ISBN 1-876860-21-9 .
Australian special operations of the Second World War
Timor, Sundas and Java Operation Mackerel (1942) Operation Tiger (Java) (1942) Operation Lion (1942) Operation Flounder (1942) Operation Ambon (1942, abandoned) Operation Walnut (1942-43) Operation Lancer (1942) Operation Lizard (1942–43) Operation Lagarto (1943) Operation Cobra (1943) Operation Adder (1944) Operation Mugger (1944, incomplete) Operation Hornet (1944) Operation Bat & Apache (1944) Operation Wasp (1944) Operation Gnat (1944) Operation Flea (1944, abandoned) Operation Louse (1944, abandoned) Operation Sounder (1944, abandoned) Operation Sunfish (1945) Operation Sunable (1945) Operation Sunbaker (1945) Operation Suncharlie (April 1945) Operation Sundog (1945) Operation Blackfish (1945, abandoned) Operation Blackbird (1945, abandoned) Operation Sunlag (1945) Operation Lagartout (1945) Operation Brim (1945) Operation Pigeon (1945, abandoned) Operation Suncob (1945) Operation Salmon (1945) Operation Carp (1945, abandoned) Operation Cod (1945, abandoned) Operation Starfish (1945) Operation Binatang (1945) Operation Anchovy (1945, abandoned) Operation Groper (1945) Operation Demo (1945) New Guinea Salamaua Raid (1942) Heath's Farm Raid (1942) Mubo Raid (1942) Operation Cockroach (1942, abandoned) Operation Beetle (1942) Operation Ladybird (1942) Operation Spider (1942, abandoned) Operation Wasp (1942, abandoned) Operation Tick (1942) Operation Bug (1942) Operation Locust (1943) Operation Oaktree (1942–44) Operation Whiting (1943) Operation Scorpion (1943) Operation Mosstroops (1943) Operation Menzies (1944) Operation Perch (1944) Operation Reaper (1944) Operation Silver (1944) Operation Gold (1944) Operation Copper (1944) Operation Vokeo (1944) Operation Crayfish (1944) Operation Falcon (1944) Operation Phoenix (1944) Operation Rose Operation Dodo Operation Moa Operation Lennon Operation Socrates Operation Flathead Borneo Celebes and Moluccas Operation Giraffe Operation Crane Operation Shril Operation Magpie Operation Raven Operation Garnish Operation Opossum (1945) Operation Swallow Operation Swift Operation Finch (1945) Malaya and China Seas Operation Jaywick (1943) Operation Rimau (1944–45) Operation Politician-Optican Operation Gunard Operation Crocodile Operation Carpenter Operation Period Operation Oblivion other Operation Sabre (1945) Operation Apple (1945) Operation Turnip Operation Potato Operation Goldfish Operation Pine Needle Operation Trout Operation Shark Operation Carrot Operation Radish Operation Asparagus Operation Bream Operation Robin Operation Stallion Mission 204 (or 'Tulip Force') (1942–43) Operation Source (1943) Operation Guidance (1944) proposed other Netherlands East Indies