HMAS Caledonian Salvor (BARS-1) Class

Quick Links Menu.

HMAS Caledonian Salvor (BARS-1) on 26 May 1943
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class:        BARS-1 (HMAS CALEDONIAN SALVOR)
Design        Navy ARS-5
Displacement (tons):        1,334 light, 1,940 lim.
Dimensions (feet):        213.5' oa, 207.0' wl x 39.0' e x 14.1' lim
Original Armament:        2-20mm
Later armaments:        --
Complement        93 (1944)
Speed (kts.):        14.8
Propulsion (HP):        3,000
Machinery:        2 screws, diesel-electric

Construction:

BARS	Name	Ord.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
1	BARS-1 (HMAS CALEDONIAN SALVOR)	2 Dec 41	Basalt Rock	19 Feb 42	22 Aug 42	--
2	BARS-2 (HMAS CAMBRIAN SALVOR)	2 Dec 41	Basalt Rock	21 Feb 42	7 Sep 42	--

Disposition:

BARS	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
1	BARS-1 (HMAS CALEDONIAN SALVOR)	--	23 Mar 49	20 May 43	Trf.	--
2	BARS-2 (HMAS CAMBRIAN SALVOR)	--	23 Mar 49	1 Jul 43	Trf.	--

Class Notes:
FY 1941. Built under British Lend Lease requisition UK 750 of 6 Jun 41 for five salvage ships, which eventually covered four steel hulled vessels, BARS 1-4, and the wooden-hulled BARS-5. The construction of salvage vessels for the U.S. Navy began on 9 Dec 40 with a CinCUS recommendation that five such vessels be procured for use with the fleet and eight more be acquired for shore-based salvage in the Naval Districts. In February 1941 the General Board was tasked to produce characteristics for a "fleet tug (ATS) to be used primarily for salvage purposes." On 28 Mar 41 BuShips submitted a design that used the hull and propelling machinery of the new NAVAJO (AT-64) class fleet tugs modified by adding a forecastle and lowering the main deck in order to reduce the freeboard aft, and the General Board promulgated its final characteristics for the type on 5 Apr 41. On 5 Aug 41 CNO approved some changes in these characteristics, changes that BuShips had recommended on 31 Jul 41 based on recent war experiences of the British. The first change was the adoption of twin screws instead of a single screw to improve capabilities in scouring sand, silt, etc., from around ships grounded on loose bottom, to improve maneuverability, and to reduce maximum draft aft. The second change was the specialization of the design on salvage and the removal of the towing engine, leaving the ocean towing function to fleet tugs. This permitted the adoption of a flat-bottomed hull form having fairly full ends to permit the salvage ship to take the bottom without listing or burying where it was desirable to continue work around a wreck in shoal water regardless of the stage of the tide. It also allowed increasing storage capacity in holds without increasing the length of the ship. The change in hull form required accepting a slightly reduced top speed -- 16.0 knots instead of 16.25 -- to retain the original machinery plant. The final change was to modify the boom arrangements from one 15-ton boom forward and one aft to two 15-ton booms forward and one 6-ton boom aft (later two 6-ton booms re-rated to 10 tons on a pair of kingposts), in order to facilitate handling heavy stores from the forward holds and the laying-out of beach gear. Reflecting these changes, CNO in the same letter directed that the designation of the ships be changed from Fleet Tugs (ATS) to Salvage Vessels (ARS). This design was used to build the U.S. Navy's ARS-5 class and was also used to build the four steel hulled salvage ships (BARS 1-4) that the British had requisitioned back in June 1941. Of these four ships, BARS 3-4 (to have been named ATLANTIC SALVOR and PACIFIC SALVOR) were allocated to the U.S. and became ARS 33-34, the first units of the ARS-5 class to be completed. BARS 1-2 were allocated to the British for operation in Australian waters, and after the war they were transferred directly to the Australians.

Ship Notes:

BARS	Name	Notes
1	BARS-1 (HMAS CALEDONIAN SALVOR)	Completed and to UK under Lend Lease 20 May 43. Returned 2 Sep 45 and to Australia under Lend Lease same day. Returned 2 Aug 48, sold to Australia 5 Aug 48 by FLC and transferred 12 Oct 48. Merc. SUDBURY II 1958, LADY PACIFIC 1981, burned and sank off Prince Rupert, B.C., 31 Oct 82.
2	BARS-2 (HMAS CAMBRIAN SALVOR)	Completed 1 Jul 43 and to UK under Lend Lease 20 May 43. Returned 2 Sep 45 and to Australia under Lend Lease same day. Returned 2 Aug 48, sold to Australia 5 Aug 48 by FLC and transferred 12 Oct 48. Merc. CARIBISCHE ZEE 1962, COLLINSEA 1963, FRANCOIS C 1971, RAS DEIRA 1981, scrapped 1981.