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| RAN Cargo 3,533 Tons 320' 3" x 51' 2" x 21' 6" 4" LA deck gun 20mm cannons Vickers machine guns  Brown April 14, 1943  AWM September 3, 1945 |
Sinking History Built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Limited in Dundee, Scotland. Laid down with yard number 344 for the Holt Blue Funnel Line. Launched August 22, 1933 as MV Gorgon named after the Gorgon creature from Greek mythology. Completed October 1933 and purchased by Ocean S. S. Company Limited and registered in Liverpool, United Kingdom and managed by A. Holt & Company. Prewar, operated by West Australian Steam Navigation Company and used as a commercial cargo vessel operating between ports in Western Australia, Java and Singapore. Wartime History On September 3, 1939 Gorgon was at Broome and was ordered to proceed to the nearest port to join the Allied war effort and proceeded to Singapore and armed with 4" low angle deck gun. During January 1942, Gorgon was part of Convoy MS1 from Melbourne to Singapore arriving February 1, 1942. Gorgon was one of 46 ships that departed Singapore before the Allied surrender to the Japanese and was one of only six to reach Australia safely. Later, additional defenses were added including anti-aircraft guns including 20mm cannons and Vickers machine guns. During 1942, degaussing equipment was added and additional anti-aircraft defenses including parachute and cable rockets (PAC) and barrage balloon kites plus a signal yard to the foremast. Used as a cargo vessel to transport military cargo between Australia and New Guinea. On April 14, 1943 while at Milne Bay targeted during Operation I-Go second sortie by D3A Val dive bombers escorted by A6M Zeros. A dive bomber scored a bomb hit to the engine room. Aboard, four Australian Merchant Navy sailors were killed. The damaged ship sank in shallow water but was later refloated. On May 7, 1943 the bomb damage was photographed by Norman Brown. On May 16, 1944 departs Townsville transporting soldiers to Lae arriving six days later. On August 14, 1944 departs Townsville transporting cargo and soldiers to Lae arriving four days later. On October 4, 1944 departs Brisbane transporting cargo and soldiers to Aitape arriving six days later. On August 20, 1945 departs Wewak transporting Australian Army soldiers back to Australia. On September 3, 1945 arrives in Darling Harbor at Sydney and disembarks the soldiers for demobilization. Fate On August 10, 1964 arrives Hong Kong and broken up for scrap by Leung Yau Company. Memorials The four who died as a result of the April 14, 1943 bombing were later buried at Lae War Cemetery. References Some sources refer to this vessel as simply Gorgon or MS Gorgon or SS Gorgon. Lloyd's Register of Ships - Gorgon (1933) Lloyd's Register of Ships 1933-34 - Gorgon [PDF] Lloyd's Register of Ships 1941-42 - Gorgon [PDF] BirtwistleWiki - MS Gorgon COFEPOW - The M.V. Gorgon - Arriving in Fremantle, Western Australia on M.V. Gorgon on 20 February 1942 SAGE journals "Merchant ship deployment in the Second World War: Motor vessels Centaur, Gorgon and Charon in Australian and East Indies waters" Alston Kennerley, March 4, 2020 Contribute
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