LOG OF NUMBER 4 PORT LIFE BOAT JUNE 29TH 1944 TORPEDOED 11.45 PM NOON DAY POSITION 8°S 74°E.
This is a summary from the memory of the log of Number 4 Port Life Boat which I kept on route day to day from the time of the wreck to the landing at Sambavi, Madagascar, and was lost in the surf on the capsizing and smashing up of our good friend, No.4 Port Life Boat, which stood us in good stead for about 2,500 miles under sail, the last 18 days being all on the Port Tack with winds S.E. to S.S.E.fresh to gale force seas from 20 to 30 feet high. JUNE 29thWe were hit Port side forward with some loss of life and I’m afraid – it sounded like a double explosion tho’ I was asleep and thrown out of my bunk onto my feet. The alarms were sounding as Imade for the deck. The next cabin was a shambles and A. LITSTER has done his arm in, as everything has collapsed there. I meet A. LITSTER and M. McCULLOCK on the deck, and we try to get the rafts away but they jam with the Shenhouse slips, ship is on an even keel but going down, slowly by the head. The bulkheads must be holding forward – it is a good thing as the native crew are having trouble with the boats. Orders come to hold fast and belay – abandon ship. JUNE 30thAbout this time, I see the Chief Officer. He is doing his best and putting in some good work. He says our position is 8°S, 74°E and we are 200 miles E.S.E. off Diego Garcia. This is good news for we have a known course if we get away. He also gives orders to carry on abandon ship. I see him no more, but hope he was saved as he is working hard and going about his duties in a calm and efficient manner. We now shout to the people at the to get her into the water. Instead of stopping at the ships rail to take aboard the women and children we sent the woman and her husband down the Jacobs Ladder – some of the Javanese passengers and myself keep the natives back, for some are in near panic, the ship still sinking by the head. A. LITSTER and M. McCULLOCK now take a baby each in their arms and are going down the ships side. This is no mean trick at 12.30am under trying circumstances. Everyone aboard the boat. We clear the ship going under the counter and joke with the gun crew who are still at their stations. 2nd Mate In Charge – I do not kow if he got away. They did not fire for the subs are not in sight yet. The propellers are now well clear of the water as we clear the ship. A sub breaks the water near us, but submerges again – rather weird. Shortly after, the subs open up with shellfire from forward making a sitting shot of the now crippled ship. They are getting the range and two shells whistle overhead of us. The subs fire about 20 rounds into her and she is well afire mid ships, and the magazines exploding. Rockets and fireworks going off etc. It is an altogether imposing but sad sight. She finally sinks about 2am. The Second Steward transfers to No $ Life Boat which consists of mainly passengers. W. CHURCHILL asks me to take the boat over, which I do. There are two subs off our bows with all lights on, turn the boat and see another sub lights on and making for us. All hands now have the wind up, the sub getting near and we smell her oil and engines. Everyone crouches in the boat, giving her a dangerous list to starboard. We know not what yet and the boat is half full of water not having tightened up yet. A rainsquall comes on and blacks us out and the sub, so what luck. What sighs of relief. The squall lasts about five minutes. Previous to this we hear cries of “Don’t” “Don’t” and “Help” “Help” which seem to us to come from the sub. Think they are Japs but am not sure. Everything is now quiet, calm sea and light airs, we lay off the wreck waiting for the day light. Dawn breaks on a crowd of sad and wondering but thankful people. See no signs of the wreckage, but No 3 Port, No 4 Starboard and I think one other boat in the distance. We must have drifted in the night, as we see no wreckage. Step the mast and hoist sail – calm sea and fair S.E. wind. Steering for Diego Garcia – W.N.W. under way and take stock of ourselves, the boat and stores. The boat is tightening up some, but still using the pump. The boat is sound but old – 27ft x 6ft 6 inches and is in good condition. Sorry to say the running gear is not. Mainsail being very weak and old. Sea anchor unusable. Can find no matches. Have four breakers of water and should say enough biscuits to last about 30 days on half rations, but expect to make Diego Garcia in about four days if we do not get becalmed. Also have several tins of chocolate but someone has been at them on the ship or in Dock. I only wish the thief was there with me now. Have no malted milk tablets, which is bad as the woman is feeding the 8 month old baby. She is a very brave woman, but I wish she was not here as it is not only a responsibility, but a worry too. The little baby boy of 18 months is crying out for water, and it is heart rendering out here, but he must wait until noon for we have set the issue of rations day break noon and sundown. Take the name of all hands and give them to understand and keep the boat trimmed, that we will be picked up in a couple of days or make land in four days. It is very hot and all the Indians want to get on the leeside under the shade of the sail giving the boat a list and making it bad sailing. We are now a little ship and there is not much room in it as we consist of 47 souls all told – 7 Australians, 7 Javanese including a woman, two children and her husband, and 33 Indians. Amongst the Australians, we have the3rd Engineer W. CHURCHILL, who is the only one belonging to the late ship. The rest of us being passengers. Also I’m pleased to say two good seamen who more than proved themselves throughout our voyage across the Indian Ocean, not only in their willingness but also with a sense of humour and above all a will to live when we where at our darkest moments (and we had not minutes). Also one of the Javanese (he is an engineer passenger on the ship) is a good man, and helps all he can, mostly with the issuing of rations and keeping the pumps in oreder until they were finished altogether, after about sixteen days. Poor fellow, he was lost in the surf. Perhaps it was as well as he had been stark mad for about 4 days before making landfall. We now have our first meal – full rations all hands in good sprits. One man HUBBLE is in bad shape. He is one of the ships gunners and several of the others are feeling the after effects of the shock. Have ideal weather, calm sea and plain sailing. Wind about S.E. and doing about 2 to 3 knots. After night rations set watches as I am a little weary myself. A. LITSTER, M. McCULLOCK and myself to take the helm for the trip, as we are the only three seamen. The other Aussie and Javanese for lookouts nearing land, and the rest to keep the boat bailed out. Sail all night under ideal conditions.
Dawn breaks and we are all glad to be alive but having plenty to think about and wonder how many lost their lives in the wreck. There are plenty of birds about. Myself at the helm, W. CHURCHILL and A. LITSTER whacking out rations. McCULLOCK serving out and the Javanese calling the roll which we made out yesterday. These will be the stations for the trip. We have lost sight of the other boats. Going to be a trying day. The sun is very hot, some feel the thirst today. Douche ourselves with salt water, warn everybody not to drink it. On full rations, 6 ozs of water a day, double for the woman and children. The woman who is bearing up can still smile. Today rig the canvas forward and send the family forward as not much room aft to work the boat and the little boy is awake to see where the water comes from. Gave him a little but it cannot go on, as we may be becalmed and going into the water breakers, 47 pairs of eyes pop out and we’re only two days out., but the sun is scorching. Plain sailing, calm sea S.E. wind, speed 2 to 3 knots. JULY 2nd Sunday good weather and thinking of other Sundays. Some of our people want to know when we’ll be picked up, and a few are a little hysterical but fix up with sing-song and a little talking. Must sing no more get too DRY. Bribes are being sent to heaven this night and one man offers us 50 pounds if we get him landed safe in Sydney Town. JULY 3rd Monday we have lookouts on. About an hour before dawn, J. MILLER sights an object off the Port Bow – do not show a light. It may be a sub but what’s the odds, will be seen at daylight and we can take it. Flash the torch, it is No. 3 Life Boat, 3rd Mate in Charge, also Dutch Sea Captain (a passenger in the ship), Hove to’til daylight. The wind has now dropped to cats paws. We make fast his boat as he has a sea anchor down. 3rd Mate thinks we are off Diego Garcia. I think we have a little more to go, but he has a sextant so it will not be long now we think. Check our compass with 3rd Mates as we could not our compass being under the water all the first night in the bottom of the boat and thought we would have to steer with a watch by day, and the Southern Cross by night. We steer by the stars as much as possible at night for our oil in the lamps will not burn and we save the torch as much as possible. Also use the spotlights from off the life belts but wish to save them too as much as we can. Our compass has had a rough spin but she is O.K. with the 3rd Mates. One man knocked it over and spent a half an hour looking for the lubbers point in the bottom of the boat. It is good some of us can still joke. Serve out double rations. We ship the oars for the first and last time, having caste off No 3 they are rowing so we follow. The men will not last long at this boat pulling work. 20 minutes spells can drift more than we make headway. Have a line out for drift and to guess our speed while sailing. In the 3rd Mates boat, they also have a wireless and an operator. I do not think they got a message from the ship before she sank, the ariels coming down with the explosion of the torpedo. Just before dawn we sight aircraft, fire smoke signals and rockets and use our heliograph. The heliograph we have been using for a looking glass. Man thy name is vanity, but we are no oil paintings believe me. Why do they not put salt water soap in these boats. Do not think aircraft saw us, not much said. JULY 4th Just before dawn had the shock of our lives for life is getting sweet to us as we expect to make land fall anytime now and have plenty of lookouts on. In the other boat, should say there is about 40 men and we are 47 all told. Just before dawn we sight with great joy and excitement what we think is an Island. We ask the other boat what she thinks of it and they are of the same opinion so both boats make for it and appears to be a few hundred yards off. We see lovely sandy beach hills and above all plenty of cocnuts and what our Javanese friends are not going to do with those coconuts for they give us to understand they kow all there is to know about them and we believe them so 87 people are going to have a wonderful time. It was clouds. Dawn another hot day. Becalmed – have not much to say. A. LITSTER sits dangling his feet in the water when up comes the sharks, and a 16 ft grey nurse misses him by inches as he goes over backwards into the boat amidst great applause. No more swimming for us. Will do mine in a bucket. Noon a light breeze. Both boats hoist sail. We follow 3rd Mates. About 11pm sights aircraft great excitement. Have to keep order. Our fingers are all thumbs. As we get Port Light and rockets away she sights us. Cheers and hand shakes. We knew we would be picked up said us, but we counted our chicken too soon because most of the poor devils who at the sight of the Catalina making for us and letting us know we were not forgotten, have now I hope, wings of their own. Serve out a double issue of milk and water. Mixed a good drink to celebrate ourselves and the crew of the Catalina. Everyone happy and talkative all night. The R.A.A.F. boys ears should be burning. JULY 5th Plane sights us again in the early forenoon. We hold up babies and make signs for water. They come in again and can they handle that plane. They dive and drop us their emergency rations, also attach message. They drop it within two feet of the boat. Good bombing this and if the plane sights a sub – well goodnight sub. Message reads “Help coming steer 225° for Diego Garcia – 50 miles – good luck. We give half the planes stores to the other boat. Also get six tins of Condensed Milk as they have no milk and we have no tablets. Now serve the cigarettes out to all hands and give all the store and tablets to the woman as she is having to feed the baby with milk and water with a piece of cotton wool. The tablets may do her good for a day or two. The sea is calm, with just enough wind to make our new course before getting under way, throw some cardboard boxes overboard. The sharks are nibbling at them for all the world like a pack of dogs – with their gills half out of the water. Shortly after this a 60ft Sperm Whale breaks the surface no 50ft from the boat. Dead silence in the boat as everyone looks in amazement. Expect we are all thinking the same should that whale want to play. We get under way doing about 1 knotkeeping a good lookout for that whale but we see him no more. We sing in the boat thinking it won’t be long now. Just before sundown Kitty the Cat in sight again making for us.. she drops a message within 2ft of the boat again. It read “Course to land 220° 57 miles away wind direction 205°. Ship coming do not enter shallow water. Wave a shirt if you receive this message – Keep with other boat”. Are wondering which we will do first – make land or be picked up and what time the ship will get to us as we have given her all known speeds from 5 to 30 knots. The plane is keeping with us, giving all hands great heart. The wind has increased a little and are doing about 3 to 4 knots in good plain sailing. About 9pm plane drops flares. In the distance we see them and all hands think it is the lights of the rescue ship. We now go on the other tack. I take the helm. Everybody very excited and have to keep order. A. LITSTER and M. McCULLOCH stand by to take tow or what it may be. Sail around the flares. They are to keep us out of the shoals. Back on course, keeping in touch with the other boat by torch. Several of the mens nerves have gone. A few have broken down. One man has souenired all the drinking cups fish hooks and sinkers etc. We fix all that up and give them a good talking to but this has been an exciting day and we are not built the same way I suppose. __________________ Kind regards, Longjohn Researching:- Jonathon WRIGHT lost with SS CLANDON; M. McCULLOCH survivor SS NELLORE; Edward ROONEY survivor SS FERNDENE.
JULY 6th Thursday 1944 Still in the company of 3rd Mates boat doing about 4 knots will out sail the other boat so do a little fancy sailing, also take in a reef to keep behind but must not get too cocky as our sail is pretty crook. The sea is rising and wind increasing hoave in a reef. We tack from Port To Starboard to keep with the other boat. This is going to be a dirty night. I think the other boat is taking in a reef and if it gets any fresher they will drop their sea anchor before it’s too late. Well good-bye to the other boat. We have no sea anchor. Have lost other boat but hope to pick her up in the morning. Everyone is cold. We have three blankets one to the family and the other two on the rest. We are schooner rigged, but have one oil skin and whoever it is at the helm wears it. All wet in the boat. Dawn breaks, the weather eased a little. Doing about 5 knots but too fresh to go about yet with 47 in the boat. Take the jib off her. The Catalina picks us up about sundown and speaks to us by morse. We cannot read it. She drops flares and pne man jams the main sheet. It is too late now to put out a sea anchor if we had one or go about. Nearing gale force now. Kitty still speaking to us as we run with the sea. Too late we are in the shoals and well we know it. Plenty of water in the boat as we ship half a sea and sprays. The crew bailing out. Everyone feeling the strain. Wet & cold. JULY 8th, Saturday 1944 Rained to day filled about three quarters of a breaker of water and all hands had a good drink. All hands in as good health and humour as can be expectedCut up our sail cover to keep a little warm. I am now running under the jib whilst A. LITSTER and M. McCULLOCK patch our sail. Am sailing about one point off the course. Cut up life belts for patching for there is not any canvas in the boat. They make a good job of it and we hoist the main sail again. The sheet carries away, but have plenty of rope. Will have to renew the sheets from time to time also re-rope the jib first chance. Moaning and groaning this night and the babies crying. It is heart rendering as the poor woman is getting washed out forward from time to time as we dip into these choppy and dangerous seas. The Indians are mostly Christians and some Moslems. They are praying all night but I have found out one thing whilst I this boat that the Lord will help those who help themselves and try to help others. But not like the old maid who prays at Church for a man and expects her prayers to be answered. I think we want deeds and faith in ourselves and the power that is. __________________
JULY 10th Monday 1944 Another hopeless dawn. Flying fish but none in the boat. Later we come in with a large school of young porpoises and they swim and play around us. They are happierthan we are, for am now getting a lot of arkward questionsfrom some of the people, such as when are we going to make land, and wher is the ship that is going to pick us up, so we have got together a meeting, and by vote decide to make for Madagascar, pointing out to all hands that if we get becalmed and if we do not get rain many of us will not survive at all, but with Gods help we will do it. We have a sound boat but running gear not so good, excellent boat charts, a good compass. Madagascar has a coastline of about 800 miles but is 1800 miles away. We also have the wind with us and a tide of ten to forty miles a day until we are nearing land and it sweeps North. Also we have two banks of shoals to miss. Set the course for St. Mary’s as there is a town there also a big bay for landing without surf. I hope making for St. Mary’s allowing for drift etc we should pass between the two hands of shoals. Course S.W. Rations are now on half rations. 3oz of water a day until we get rain. Full rations for the women and children. Now feel we are making for a place, and have lost that lost feeling, which to say the least was very nasty. Strong breeze rough seas going from 4 to 6 knots.
Am out of the shoals, wind still strong shake out the reef, sea rough, but now more regular. A dirty big Molly Hawk flying around us, wants to settle on the boat. After a time he settles on the rudder head and tries to stare us out. Quite concerned. Everybody cold thirsty and skins getting tender. Spray still coming aboard. All hands wet, salt water boils are coming out on some, and we get the first aid kit to work. Hubble the ships gunner, is in a bad way, and we nurse him best we can. JULY 12th Wednesday 1944 Shake out the reef with daylight. We reef in every night now if not already reefed. The worst times are sundown, weather about the same, and some are beginning to suffer with exhaustion and exposure. We are wondering how the Second Front is going. Hope the boys are doing alright and we wish them luck. Just heard one of LITSTERS wise cracks. He says he would rather be in a Cala Boose for would know when he was getting out. These life boats are very easy to get in, but am beginning to think are very hard to get out of, that is and still be alive. Sundown and another night of misery, tho’ we still have our little jokes and can see the humorous station and sad one too. The boat is making no water much now, and have only to bail out the spray, and water we ship. Have cut the lookouts until nearing land. The helmsmen will see a ship if any and the crowd can settle down. JULY13th Thursday 1944
Longjohn Researching:- Jonathon WRIGHT lost with SS CLANDON; M. McCULLOCH survivor SS NELLORE; Edward ROONEY survivor SS FERNDENE.
Everyone is now feeling the strain. Some a little delirious and do not know what theyare saying. A couple of Indians are asking for curry and rice or they will die if they do not get it. Well I’m afraid if life is to be held together with curry and rice I am afraid they have had it. The weather is about the same but seas higher and am making a good course. S.W. Boat standing up well to her battering, and we have renewed where necessary and possible, doubled up the gear such as the sheets stay halyards etc; but the sail is our worry, have the sail reefed all the time now until the weather breaks. Sight Catalina just before sundown. She is a very long way off and not heading this way. She cannot see us as the seas are rough. We fire rockets and smoke signals and light a cigarette for all hands and continue on our course for Madagascar. Moaning and prayers in the boat this night. Many men are sick and we all suffer from the cold. JULY 15th Saturday 1944 We have our second death this day. Exposure, which we are all suffering from, many from exhaustion. Having to keep all hands off salt water with difficulty so far. We give the poor fellow the tests and half an hour wait. We lower him amongst prayers into the sea. After thisif any more die, will strip bodies before burial for all hands are schooner rigged. The weather is increasing and it is near gale force – doing about 6 knots shipping water. It is now dangerous sailing and have to put out a drag, off the bows. Some are drinking salt water. It is a great temptation, but it must stop. Have get together talks now every night. Nobody goes crook when the seas or stinging sprays hit them, but hear their moans sometimes, I do not knowif all hands have resigned to it as I have, or if they cannot be bothered. Hubble is still out to it and will be a miracle if he gets out of this lot. JULY 16th Sunday 1944 Gale still holds. Two men short, at troll call. Must have gone over in the night – can only guess now. The poor old Doc is dead in the bottom of the boat – drowned in the bilge water. What a death. We shall miss him for I was going to make him the family priest.. One man is dying. We wet his lips with fresh water. He is drying from the effects of salt water. He looks ghastly, eyes nearly out of his head, and cheeks sunk right in. Two days of salt water drinking and all go the same way. Take all tins aft and warn all hands – any man seen drinking salt water his ration of fresh will be cut out. We must get rain soon as rain clouds are banking all around. We strip the dead and after burial hand the clothes around, some to the women and children. She is very cold and suffering misery. She has her children to look after. The poor kids – they do not even cry now. Her husband is a sick man, but hope she does not know it.She still gives us a wan smile, never complaining. Well she has given the men a lot of points. The rest of the clothes we give to the men who are most sick. Their trinkets etc; including the Doc Crucifix is put in the First Aid Kit box which is about empty. The tiller breaks as we ship half a sea. The boat in grave danger but our drag off the quarter saves her as we ship the steering sweep. The gale is rising as we prepare for the night – doing a good 6 knots or more. S.W. course, 17 days out six dead. We must get rain soon. The boat is making a little more water. One man wants overtime for bailing out after dark. I wonder how many are half dead. Must grip ourselves for this is the time when a man has to stand on his own feet and if he falls, only his ownpower and determination to see it through, will help him. There are three of us who are determined to carry on until we pass out or the boat falls to pieces. JULY 17th Monday 1944
Fighting on the boat. One man has four or five rings on his finger. Also fighting over strips of blankets. We stop this and discipline upheld. Last night someone broke into and drank about half a breaker of water under the after thwart. We hold Court and think we find the culprit. He has a rubber life belt with two tubes and by putting one tube in the breaker and sucking with the other. Well we cut up the belt asnd throw the tubes over the side, in case I or someone else gets tempted to do the same thing. Stop his water ration for one issue I think. It will be the end of him. Take the boat off her courseand run on a slant with cross seas. There are only two M. McCULLOCH and A. LITSTER know the trick and risk I am trying against their judgement and mine too. Get the boat into difficulties. Near capsize. We only wet our tongues as we get into the edge of the squall. Get the boat back on her course, none too soon for we now have a full gale. The seas are 20 to 3o feet and we get the thrill of our lives as we rush down the waves at a rate of knots. The poor old boat is taking an awful strain under her keel. I take my hat off to the men who built her. We dar not change the helm yet. Now I feel the joy of living, but when looking back feel the fear of death, for if we poop, one will not be drowned but killed. On the crest of the waves cannot hear one shouting for the roar of the sea as it breaks. Thousands of tons of water one second above us, the next behind us, as we rush on our mad career. We are all wet and cold, in pain with salt water boils and tender swollen feet and skins. As some of the men take their water ration, they hold out their hands for more not knowing they have drunk it. We put condensed milk on the biscuits to help. I think I have chewed up a dozen rubber buttons. Teeth getting loose. Are in good spirits as can be expected, and still see both side of life. The seas have eased, but still high and dangerous as we wait for the dawn. __________________ Kind regards, Longjohn Researching:- Jonathon WRIGHT lost with SS CLANDON; M. McCULLOCH survivor SS NELLORE; Edward ROONEY survivor SS FERNDENE.
More dead in the boat this morning and two do not answer the roll – went over in the night. The fellow with the rings is amongst the missing. Open our last case of milk. The other milk was brown but this is very dark brown. Some of the tins are rusted very bad. Can punch holes in the tins with our fingers (milk should be changed every month). Most tins have hard lumps and green lumps in them but every man has his turn at licking out the tins as we use them and we all go it – lumps, green rust and alllike it, next to the chocolate, which finished ages ago. Milk is the best. We see no birds, the last few days flying fish have come on board from time to time about the size of ones thumb nail but no large ones. Have seen plenty tho’. The fish are snapped up by the finders. Wish that Molly hawk was sitting on the rudder head now. Bet he would not get away with it or be so cocky. But wonderful thinking and dreaming we do plenty and it’s all strawberry ice and sodas, jugs of sparkling water, rock melons and ice cream or some other fancy soft drinks. We all owe a lot of drinks to one another. I wonder if they will all get paid when we get ashore. Weather still very bad. Sea high. On our course S.W. doing a good 6 knots. Have the pump out as a drag off the weather quarter and oil bags off the bow. Get a few spots of rain – just enough to dampen our hearts. Everyone is very cold.
JULY 19th Wednesday 1944 One man died at dawn, salt water. Also two of our Mahammedans have the gripe and think they will pass out before noon, which they do. The Mohammedans bury their own dead and it takes some time. They have a nice way and are rather particular but we do not want to see anymore. To think of our first burial, so long ago it seems. We also lose a Javanese, he passed away peacefully. Rain is all around us. We must get it soon. Douche ourselves with salt water, it looks so clear and temptingThe weather has eased a lot. Have taken in the drag and oil bag. . Cannot miss the rain now as the sea is down a lot. Can also smell it. Serve out a full issue of water. At sundown the wind is high as we go to stations for rain. Myself at the helm, M. McCULLOCK to catch rain off the sail and W. CHURCHILL to assist him. A. LITSTER to fill the breakers and hand out drinks as he thinks advisable on the amount that is going into the breakers. Shake out the reef and lower the throat halyards to put a small belly in the foot of the sail. It is now pitch dark and it’s going to be a dirty night. Rain comes with the squalls. M. McCULLOCK and the others are working like Trojans on the rain water as I keep her full. Have all the idlers well to the weather side, to keep the sail from the sea. The rain has beaten down the sea, doing about 6 knots – am steering by the wind. A. LITSTER hands me the pannikin. This is water of all the things the Poets talk of, all the ecstasy that lovers know. I bless the man that handed it to me. The man who caught it off the sail, the sail, the boat, and the hand that sent it. Never before have I thought so goog. Never before have I been so sure of myself. I think I can conquer this ocean, the world as I drink this gift of the Gods – this pannikin of water. We sail into the dark of the night – raining heavily. Well we have prayed for it for days, and all hands now have a belly full. Squalls getting more dangerous as we take in the reef. Have three breakers full, are all wet with rain, and this is going to knock some of us out, as we cannot hold ourselves, with teeth chattering and limbs aching. The sea is down, wind strong S.S.E, doing 5 to 6 knots and are back on our course just making S.W. Moaning and prayers all this night in the body of the boat. JULY 20th Thursday 1944 The dawn is always the worst but this is our darkest dawn. This is not a boat this is not our boat. It’s a morgue – nine dead – the living and the dead altogether. Rigor Mortis has set it with all. Will have trouble to get some of the dead over the side, as some are in awful positions. Mass burial. R.I.P. Mixed meat extract with the water to try to warm ourselves. Full rations. See plenty of Stormy Petrels by and terns. We now run into the northern bank of shoalsand well we know it, by the sharp choppy and dangerous seas. We are too far north as we hoped to pass south of this bank, so alter course due west to get over the bank a soon as possible. Plenty of fish about, but catch none. See three small whales.. JULY 21st Friday 1944 The wind and sea increasing with the dawn. We go this day in danger in these shoals but by sundown think as the seas are more regular, we are about out of them and we give sighs of relief as we alter course to S.W. by S. Still hoping tp make St. Mary’s Bay. The boat has taken a bad hammeringand is well strained and making water. This night one man wants to cut his throat, but is politely told to wait till the morning as we cannot find the knife, and it wants sharpening anyway for a job like that. JULY 22nd Saturday 1944 Bailing all night those that can. Another Javanese died this forenoon. There is no need for roll call now to serve out the rations. Our boat was so crowded with not an inch of room to spare, now as we look at one another, we seem deserted. Everybody’s feet are swollen. All have salt water boils and our nails have turned black. All hands look weary and haggard, but we are not beaten yet if we can keep faith in ourselves. Course S.W. by s. speed about 5 knots. Birds about. Sea, rough S.E. fresh. __________________ Kind regards, Longjohn Researching:- Jonathon WRIGHT lost with SS CLANDON; M. McCULLOCH survivor SS NELLORE; Edward ROONEY survivor SS FERNDENE.
JULY 23rd Sunday1944 Boat badly strained. Hope she holds together for by our reckoning have a long way to go yet. Do the best we can to the sail. Dare not take out reef now, in case the ssail blows to pieces, or we split a seam in it. All hands now are on watch, bailing in hour spells, and feeling the agony as they stand sometimes, knee deep in water. The water must be kept down or she is sluggish to sail. The helmsman not at the helm – also bailing. Alter course to S.W. do not want to get too far south, as do not want to make Tamatave, and may get too far in if we make the coast at night there. JULY 24th Monday 1944 Still on S.W. course doing 4 – 5 knots – with sea increasing, still bailing. Keep bilges in check. We now have to come from helm and take a turn at bailing, as some of the crowd do not know if it’s Christmas or Easter and want to lie down. The Indians, the three that are still with us, are bailing well and call to Allah as we sail into the dark of the night. About midnight – Boat washed on beam ends half full of water – Will not answer helm but for the presence of mind of A. LITSTER and M. McCULLOCK rushing over the weather gunwale would have capsized altogether. Two men washed overboard. Hear their cries for help. One man has hold of the life line, and he is pulled aboard. We can not go about for the other poor fellow, tho’ we hear his cries, and to think he would have got in, for can now tell why they go, if theyloose faith, exhaustion, exposure or drinking salt water. One man wants to jump overboard but he wants the weight of eight tins of milk to do it. Well we havw about eight tins left, so he gets none, and does not jump. JULY 26th Tuesday 1944 Rain filled about a breaker of water. Cold and wet. We now have a moderate sea and wind – S.W. course. When the boast went on her beam she must have got strained in every plank, for she is making water fast. Our Lord Howe Island bird is with us again today, so should be getting near land soon. Hope it is soon for we have two very sick men. HUBBLE the ships gunner who has been laid up about the whole of the trip, and the woman’s husband, and she is nursing him as well as the two children. We also have one madman, the Javanese Engineer, and some of the others about the end of their endurance. So into the night.
Weather still holds, moderate seas and wind, S.W. course. Speed 4 to 5 knots and by the boats charts and estimating roughly our speed and allowing for drift we have about 200 miles yet to do. We are in the northerly drift of the tide now as we can tell and see by the drift of the wake and the line that we have out from the stern. Looking over the side of the boat she has barnacles from a quarter to half an inch long on her. This morn the womans husband died. We are all very sorry. She breaks down for the first time. She has been so brave never complaining never asking for a thing unlesds it was for her children or a little water for her husband, before hedied. We try to console her the best we can, but she just sobs and cuddles her children. Burial for the husband R.I.P. Good thing the children do not know what it is all about. Now take stock of ourselves. We are seven Australians in bad order and conditions, thwe woman and the two children one Javanese man, mad, one Indian, Mohammedan. After dark we get a couple of puffs of hot air and the rain clouds are banking to the south west. JULY 28th Thursday 1944 At 12.45am A. LITSTER at the helm, hears something like the sound of a motor ship. We have not long to wait. It is the roar of the surf, and we are running right into it as we about ship. Waking all hands and making for the open sea on a N.E. course. Some see the outline of the mountains and it is a pitch black night. Serve out an issue of water. Everybody excited – but we still have to bail. Five full measures of water or a tin of milk for the first man that sights the land at day break. Dawn is breaking as we about to S.W. We have not long to wait as M.McCULLOCK gives the cry of land ahead. He takes the reward and shares it with us, putting a full tin of milk in a double issue of water to all hands. Now our troubles start as we near land. Very mountainous with a bay about eight miles wide with a head land to the south, somewhat like the “NUT” at Stanley, Tasmania only longer and the north a high iron bound Buff. We sail around into this bay looking for a landing. There is surf but not too basd about the same as Bondi on a fair day and we think we could make a landing. Fire Port Lights and rockets and our first smoke sincethe last rocket on July 14th. Can see no habitation. We think of landing but everyone weak and do not know if there is wild animals. Also think of land and put the sick ashore then sail along the coast for help. Anyway we have not made St. Mary’s and do not know if it is to the north or south. __________________ Kind regards, Longjohn Researching:- Jonathon WRIGHT lost with SS CLANDON; M. McCULLOCH survivor SS NELLORE; Edward ROONEY survivor SS FERNDENE. Edit/Delete Message
We sail out and make north, looking for a safer landing or somewhere to shelterfor the night. By sailing north we must make Diego Suarez if we cannot land before along the coast. About 3pm we clear another foreland. Here is a bay but a big surf, smoke in the hills and see cultivation. Fire rockets, Port Lights and smoke signalsas we get nearer in. See the houses of the village about three miles to the north of us, but to make the village we would have to go about and come in on another course. By that time it would be too late and too dark to make a landing. Am frightened now of this land, we have been looking for, for so long and the surf is very bad, and breking savagely on the short beach of a few yards. Decide to go in. If we have another night at sea, there will be another two or three dead by tomorrow night. Everyone to don life belts. We have only two men who can use the oarsso am sailing right into the surf, dropping sail at first breakers. Two oars out and put a drag over the stern. Am doing well in the surf but it is terrific and gives us and the boat a bad hammering. We poop a full sea on about the second last breaker. All hands now have their own problems. I am in the bottom of theboat under the green seas and feel fear as I hear the wood breaking and the boat cracking up. Am now thrown out of the boat with the next breaker – I think, into the sea, under the sand, onto the beach. HUBBLE has hold of my foot as A.LITSTER and M. McCULLOCK give me the end of a broken oar and pulls us to safety. Everybody washed to shore except one man – the Javanese who was mad. Soon after the good people of Sambari – black and white, rescued us from the bank above the beach and took us into their homes and hearts. All I can say for them is, from the Christian dead and alive, God bless them, and from our Mohammedan friends, dead or alive, is, May the blessings of Allah always be with them. J. SHEATHER BOSUN Ex “S.S. WAIRUNA” P.S. Am sorry to say the little baby girl died the second day we were ashore. P.P.S. Next day our good friend the boat was collected from the beach being about 2oo pieces, and taken by the Chief Of Police to the place where it now lies. R.I.P. --0-- I wish to thank the Mercantile Marine community for giving me the opportunity to post this story. __________________ Kind regards, Longjohn Researching:- Jonathon WRIGHT lost with SS CLANDON; M. McCULLOCH survivor SS NELLORE; Edward ROONEY survivor SS FERNDENE. Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote Longjohn View Public Profile Send a private message to Longjohn Find all posts by Longjohn Add Longjohn to Your Buddy List Reply |
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