HMAS Labuan (L3501)

In RAN service, the landing ship was primarily used in support of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE).

[1] The LCTs had a ship's company of 104, and a maximum load of 168 troops, 18 40-ton tanks, 27 trucks, and 7 Landing Craft Mechanized.

[1] In RAN service, LST 3501 was armed with ten 20 mm Oerlikons: four twin and two single mounts.

[1][2] The vessel was repainted yellow to assist with visual identification in Antarctic waters, and modified slightly to carry a Supermarine Walrus seaplane, which was launched by derrick.

[1] The ship returned to Melbourne, where more stores and a second group of 13 ANARE personnel were loaded before LST 3501 sailed to Macquarie Island on 28 February 1948, arriving seven days later.

[2] After unloading for the second time, the landing ship waited for the arrival of the research vessel HMAS Wyatt Earp in late March before returning to Australia.

HMAS LST 3501 in 1947