HMAS PERTH arrived back in Australia at Fremantle WA on the 6th Aug 1941. After refuelling she left the next day for Sydney where she arrived on the morning of 12th August.

PERTH entered Cockatoo Dock on the 18th Aug 1941 and underwent a long refit which included the fitting or two more 0.5mgs on the quarter deck and 20mm mgs in tubs on "B" and "X" turret.  Capt. Sir Philip Bowyer-Smyth left the ship on the 1st September and Commander Reid took over temporary command.

     
   On 24th September PERTH left Cockatoo Dock and secured alongside Garden Island and on 24th Oct Capt. H.M.L. Waller came onboard as Captain.    

   PERTH was fitted with a new catapult, an E11A(9), which was first tested on 13th Nov 1941.     
(Nat. Arch. File: MP138/1/0 – 603/269/187 )

PERTH conducted full power trials on the 24th November and camouflage observation tests the next day off Sydney. On the 26th she escorted the liner MARIPOSA from mid Tasman to Sydney.  On 8th December (EST) war was declared on Japan.  PERTH patrolled the Tasman with CANBERRA  and after calling at Brisbane,  both ships sailed for New Caledonia arriving off there on the 18th December.  After escorting a convoy to Brisbane both ships returned to Sydney.

On 28th December, PERTH, AUSTRALIA, and CANBERRA  escorted a convoy to Port Moresby, New Guinea, arriving on 3rd January 1942.  She then left for Noumea where, after staying a few days, escorted a convoy bound for Fiji.  She left Lautoka for exercises and arrived back in Sydney on 19th.   She exercised off Sydney with AUSTRALIA, ADELAIDE, and HMNZS LEANDER before escorting troopships off the NSW coast.

Capt. H.M.L Waller DSO and Bar HMAS Perth 24-10-41 to 1-3-42 Taken 24th Nov 1941

Naval Career

HMAS PERTH left Sydney for the last time on 31st January 1942 and proceeded to Fremantle via Melbourne, arriving on 8th February.   She escorted two convoys to Java but both were turned back due to the worsening situation.  On 21st February she escorted a convoy to within 600 miles of Sunda Strait but was ordered to turn back.    About 700 miles from Fremantle she ordered to leave the convoy and proceed to Java.  After a short diversion towards Christmas Island, she sailed through Sunda Straits at night and arrived at Batavia on the morning of 24th February 1942.

Waller - Harper - Payne on bridge of PERTH 24 Nov 1941

Off Sydney 24th Nov 1941

1942 HMAS PERTH Calendar

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