HMAS Kuru HMAS " Kuru " was an auxiliary patrol boat operated by the Royal Australian Navy ( RAN ) during World War II . Constructed in 1938 for the Northern Territory Patrol Service , " Kuru " was requesitioned by the RAN following the Japanese declaration of war in December 1941 . The ship operated from Darwin , and was one of the vessels used to keep Allied troops in Timor resupplied following the Japanese invasion . " Kuru " operated until 1943 , when she was damaged beyond repair in an accident . Design and construction . " Kuru " was built at Balmain , New South Wales in 1938 for the Northern Territory Patrol Service and was used to counter poaching by Japanese fishermen . She was long , had a maximum speed of , and was armed with a single three - pounder gun . In RAN service , her armament was increased to an Oerlikon 20 mm cannon , a 0 . 50 calibre M2 Browning machine gun , and several lighter machine guns . Operational history . Following the outbreak of the Pacific War , " Kuru " was commissioned into the RAN in December 1941 as an auxiliary patrol boat . HMAS " Kuru " played an important role in the Battle of Timor from May 1942 and completed numerous supply trips to the island . In late November 1942 , the RAN was called on to evacuate the commandos of the 2 / 2nd Independent Company after ten months of guerilla warfare against the Japanese in Timor ( an evacuation attempt in September had failed when the destroyer grounded , then was destroyed by Japanese aircraft ) , a contingent of Dutch troops , and over 100 Portuguese civilians , while delivering a relief contingent of Royal Netherlands East Indies Army and Australian soldiers . " Kuru " and the " Bathurst " class corvettes and were assigned to the operation : on 30 November " Kuru " was to reach Betano Bay two hours before the other ships , offload her cargo , and take on the civilians , then meet the corvettes as they arrived and shuttle the fresh troops ashore , with personnel evacuated on return trips . " Kuru " sailed early on 29 November , and arrived without incident . After offloading the supplies and taking on 70 women and children , the vessel waited for " Armidale " and " Castlemaine " to arrive , but after they failed to appear by 02 : 00 the next morning , sailed for Darwin . The corvettes , which had been delayed by air attacks , found " Kuru " after dawn , and the civilians were transferred to " Castlemaine " , with " Armidale " and " Kuru " ordered to return by separate routes and attempt the operation again that night . During the day , " Kuru " was attacked by Japanese aircraft ; despite the dropping of over 260 bombs , the vessel suffered only minor damage . At 20 : 00 , the operation was called off as Japanese cruisers had been sighted in the area , and " Kuru " returned to Darwin on 3 December . " Armidale " was not so lucky ; she was attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft on 1 December . Following the evacuation of Timor , " Kuru " operated in Northern Australia n waters and rescued the survivors of in January 1943 . " Kuru " was damaged beyond repair by an accident in October 1943 . " Kuru " was awarded the battle honour s " Darwin 1942 - 43 " and " Pacific 1942 " for her wartime service .