"Reserve" was acquired by the Australian Commonwealth Marine Salvage Board on 10 December 1942. She was commissioned into the RAN on 17 August 1943 and served off eastern Australia and in the South West Pacific. During late 1943 and 1944, she participated in the Allied landings at Cape Gloucester, the Admiralty Islands, Saidor, Hollandia, Wakde, Leyte and Mindoro.