HMAS Wagga Second World War Memorial

This war memorial is a mounted anchor with chain, accompanied by two memorial plaques. The memorial is located in the Victory Memorial Gardens close to Morrow Street in Wagga Wagga.

The Wagga Daily Advertiser, 24 April 1995 reported that former crew members of the Royal Australian Naval Corvette HMAS Wagga attended the special remembrance ceremony at the gardens the day before. The Chairman of the Year of Remembrance, Jack Mullins, spoke to the 200 people who attended. The ship's anchor was donated by the Port of Melbourne Authority and was transported from Melbourne by the Finemore's transport company. It was restored by naval trainees and staff at the RAAF Base, Wagga Wagga.

A history of the Corvette was published on the Royal Australian Navy's website. HMAS Wagga was one of 60 Australian minesweepers, known as Corvettes as part of the Commonwealth Government's wartime ship building programme. It was laid down on 8 March 1942 at Morts' Dock and Engineering Co. Ltd. at Sydney. She was launched on 25 July 1942 by Mrs H.E. Gissing, Mayoress of Wagga.

During the Second World War she escorted convoys of the Australian coast in 1943 and took part in the battle at Milne Bay. In 1944 and 1945 she served mostly in New Guinea waters and was based at Hong Kong until October 1945. In the 1950s, she was recommissioned and served as a training ship providing instruction for Naval Reservists and National Service Trainees on the Australian east coast.

HMAS Wagga was paid off for the last time on 28 October 1960 and was sold out of service in March 1962. She was then purchased by the South Australian Carrying Company.