HMAS Uki

HMAS Uki (FY.80) was an auxiliary minesweeper operated by the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. Laid down at Lithgows, Port Glasgow, Scotland in 1923, Uki was owned and operated by the Sydney-based North Coast Steam Navigation Company. On 3 November 1939, Uki was requisitioned by the RAN for use as an auxiliary.

During the war, Uki, Narani, and Bermagui made up Group 77 Minesweeper, based at HMAS Maitland, in Newcastle, New South Wales. In March 1943, Uki was requisitioned into the United States Navy.

After being returned to her owners, she was sold to M. Bern & Co in 1954. She was hulked in Brisbane in 1960. She was later stripped and scuttled off Tangalooma, Queensland in June 1976.

Citations

References

Her Majesty's Australian Ship

Her or His Majesty's Australian Ship (HMAS) is a ship prefix used for commissioned units of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). This prefix is derived from HMS (Her/His Majesty's Ship), the prefix used by the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, and can be equally applied to warships and shore bases (as Australia follows the British tradition of referring to naval establishments as ships or stone frigates).

On 10 July 1911, King George V granted the title of Royal Australian Navy to the naval forces of Australia. At the same time, the prefix and acronym were approved for use in identifying units commissioned into the RAN. The prefix had been used prior to formal approval, with the torpedo-boat destroyer Parramatta commissioned with the HMAS prefix on 1 March 1911.

The prefix refers to the King or Queen of Australia, who is also equally and separately the British monarch. The first word of the prefix changes depending on the gender of the reigning Australian monarch.