HMS Encounter, 2nd class protected cruiser, Challenger class

Royal Navy - HMS Encounter, a 2nd-class protected cruiser of the Challenger class, operated by the Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN), as HMAS Encounter. Encounter was built by HM Dockyard Devonport, completed at the end of 1905 and spent the first six years of her career operating with the RN's Australia Squadron, before being transferred to the newly formed RAN. During World War I, the cruiser became the first ship of the RAN to fire in anger when she bombarded Toma Ridge. Encounter operated in the New Guinea, Fiji-Samoa, and Malaya areas until 1916, when she returned to Australian waters. The ship spent the rest of the war patrolling and escorting convoys around Australia and into the Indian Ocean. In 1919, Encounter was sent to evacuate the Administrator of the Northern Territory and his family following the Darwin Rebellion. Encounter was paid off into reserve in 1920, but saw further use as a depot ship until being completely decommissioned in 1929. In 1932, the cruiser was scuttled off Sydney

Administrator Bombarded Challenger Completely Convoys Darwin Decommissioned Depot Devonport Dockyard Encounter Escorting Evacuate Formed Further Guinea Hmas Malaya Operated Operating Paid Patrolling Protected Returned Ridge Scuttled Spent Toma Transferred

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