HMAS Derwent, named after Tasmania’s Derwent River, served the Royal Australian Navy for three decades and was renowned for her versatility and reliability. She completed 23 deployments to Southeast Asia, participated in the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation, and took part in major fleet exercises. As the first RAN ship fitted with the Seacat guided missile system, Derwent marked a significant advance in air defense capability and was recognized for her excellence with awards such as the Commodore TE Wardle Cup and the Duke of Gloucester’s Cup.
Following a major modernization in the 1980s that upgraded her sensors and improved crew living conditions, Derwent continued to serve until her decommissioning in 1994. Afterward, she supported ship survivability research before being scuttled off the coast of Western Australia. HMAS Derwent is fondly remembered by her crew and remains a proud chapter in the history of the Royal Australian Navy.
