iron ore transport Iron Knight was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-21 on 8 February 1943. In May 1944, Townsville began a five-month tour of escort and patrol duties in New Guinea, returned briefly to Australian waters for minesweeping work in November 1944, was reassigned to New Guinea at the end of the month, and remained in the area of Morotai and Biak until June 1945. Townsville was then sent to Melbourne for refitting, and was in dock when World War II ended. The corvette received three battle honours for her wartime service: "Darwin 1942", "Pacific 1942–45", and "New Guinea 1944". Following the war, Townsville was engaged in minesweeping and patrol duties in Australian and New Britain waters, before being decommissioned into reserve in Fremantle on 5 August 1946. Fate Townsville was sold for scrap to the Hong Kong Delta Shipping Company on 8 August 1956. Citations References Books Journal and news articles External links Bathurst-class corvettes of the Royal Australian Navy Ships built in Queensland 1941 ships World War II corvettes of Australia