Australian gunboat HMCS/HMAS Protector 1882-1943

Armstrong type F1 flat-iron gunboat. Laid down by William Armstrong&Co., Newcastle, England on 15 November 1882, launched in May 1884, commissioned on 19 June 1884, served in the First World War as port guard ship, tender, minesweeper en depot ship for submarines,d disposed and sold to Mr. J. Hill, Melbourne, Australia in June 1924, dismantles, disarmed and engines and other movable parts removed and conversion into lighter completed by November 1929, resold to the Victorian Lighterage Co. and served as the wool lighter Sidney, in July 1943 requisitioned by the U.S.Army, damaged in a collision off Gladstone, underway to New Guinea, taken to Heron Island off the coast of Queensland, decommissioned in July 1943 and scuttled as a breakwater. Displacement 920 tons and as dimensions 54.9 x 17.1 x 3.7 metres or 180 x 56 x 12 feet. The 2 compound surface condensing steam engines allowed a speed of 14 knots. Her crew varied between 85-96 men. Original armament 1-20,32cm/8” breech loading Mk VII gun, 5-15.24cm/6” breech loading 80 pd guns, 4-3pound quick firing guns and 5 Gatlings. Since 1914 3-10.16cm/4” quickfiring Mk III guns, 2-12pd quick firing guns and 4-3pd quick firing guns.