Honouring the Men who gave their lives whilst serving in the Merchant Navy
and whose names are on the Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
and whose names are on the Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
S.S. ALLARA
WW2
WW2
The Western Australia (Perth) 5-9-1942
FREIGHTER TORPEDOED
ATTACK OFF NSW COAST
FIVE MEN KILLED.
SHIP REACHES PORT.
It is stated that 5 of the crew were killed and 9 injured when an Australian freighter was attacked by a Japanese submarine off the coast of NSW a couple of months ago.
The bodies of the dead seamen were still buried under the wreckage on the ship's deck when she berthed, 24 hours after the attack, with the stern shattered. Two badly injured men were on the deck, lying on improvised bunks and sheltered by rough tarpaulin tents. The vessel was attacked soon after 5 pm in darkness and a heavy mist.
Two torpedoes were fired. The first struck the stern, blasting away the rudder. Parts of the propeller were blown through the ship on to the aft deck near the crew's quarters,
where 22 men were asleep. The second torpedo missed. The crew's quarters were wrecked by the explosion and by heavy iron spars which were dislodged by the torpedo. Two of the 5 men killed are believed to have died from the effect of the blast from the explosion. One was enveloped in a sheet of steel which had been wrapped round him by the force of the blast. An oxy-acetylene torch had to be used to extricate his body.
The victims were:
Killed.
BROMILOW, John R., AB of Douglas-street, Newport (Vic).
NOBLE, Ernest, AB, of Soundwell-street, Largs Bay (SA).
SUNDELL, Arthur, fireman, of Crown-street, Sydney.
SMITH, Alfred, of Millers Point, Sydney.
TALBOT. Henry G. of Quebec-street,Port Adelaide.
Immediately after the explosion the crew saw the submarine surface and fire another torpedo, which passed under the stern of the ship. The submarine then approached the
freighter and a Japanese officer ordered the crew to abandon ship. The submarine fired a shell over the freighter. "It went well over us and I think it was meant to hurry us up," a member of the crew said. "The freighter was at the mercy of the attacker and the master, after conferring with his officers, ordered us into the ship's boats. The injured
men who could be reached were helped into the boats. When the boats had moved clear of the freighter, which the crew expected would be shelled, the submarine dis-
appeared."
Drifting Helplesly.
The ship showed no signs of sinking and Capt McLellan called for volunteers to go aboard with him. The chief officer, the wireless operator, the boatswain and the carpenter were selected. They repaired the wireless aerial which had been wrecked and sent out distress signals. Soon after 2 vessels arrived and
the rest of the ship's crew returned to the freighter, which drifted helplessly for hours with the pumps working until the tugs arrived and took her in tow. She was loaded
heavily and was becoming dangerously low in the stern. The freighter, in tow of the tugs, reached a port next day.
While the ship stood off shore vessels took a doctor and ambulance men out to attend the injured. Working by the light of torches they gave first-aid to the injured. In the early morning the stricken vessel was brought into port by tugs. Each member of the crew praised the cool seamanship of the captain. The crew described Frank Grant (16), deck boy, as a "blooming little hero." Grant was one of those blown out of his bunk when the torpedo struck. One seaman said that he behaved bravely all through and dragged one wounded man from the shattered bunkhouse.
FREIGHTER TORPEDOED
ATTACK OFF NSW COAST
FIVE MEN KILLED.
SHIP REACHES PORT.
It is stated that 5 of the crew were killed and 9 injured when an Australian freighter was attacked by a Japanese submarine off the coast of NSW a couple of months ago.
The bodies of the dead seamen were still buried under the wreckage on the ship's deck when she berthed, 24 hours after the attack, with the stern shattered. Two badly injured men were on the deck, lying on improvised bunks and sheltered by rough tarpaulin tents. The vessel was attacked soon after 5 pm in darkness and a heavy mist.
Two torpedoes were fired. The first struck the stern, blasting away the rudder. Parts of the propeller were blown through the ship on to the aft deck near the crew's quarters,
where 22 men were asleep. The second torpedo missed. The crew's quarters were wrecked by the explosion and by heavy iron spars which were dislodged by the torpedo. Two of the 5 men killed are believed to have died from the effect of the blast from the explosion. One was enveloped in a sheet of steel which had been wrapped round him by the force of the blast. An oxy-acetylene torch had to be used to extricate his body.
The victims were:
Killed.
BROMILOW, John R., AB of Douglas-street, Newport (Vic).
NOBLE, Ernest, AB, of Soundwell-street, Largs Bay (SA).
SUNDELL, Arthur, fireman, of Crown-street, Sydney.
SMITH, Alfred, of Millers Point, Sydney.
TALBOT. Henry G. of Quebec-street,Port Adelaide.
Immediately after the explosion the crew saw the submarine surface and fire another torpedo, which passed under the stern of the ship. The submarine then approached the
freighter and a Japanese officer ordered the crew to abandon ship. The submarine fired a shell over the freighter. "It went well over us and I think it was meant to hurry us up," a member of the crew said. "The freighter was at the mercy of the attacker and the master, after conferring with his officers, ordered us into the ship's boats. The injured
men who could be reached were helped into the boats. When the boats had moved clear of the freighter, which the crew expected would be shelled, the submarine dis-
appeared."
Drifting Helplesly.
The ship showed no signs of sinking and Capt McLellan called for volunteers to go aboard with him. The chief officer, the wireless operator, the boatswain and the carpenter were selected. They repaired the wireless aerial which had been wrecked and sent out distress signals. Soon after 2 vessels arrived and
the rest of the ship's crew returned to the freighter, which drifted helplessly for hours with the pumps working until the tugs arrived and took her in tow. She was loaded
heavily and was becoming dangerously low in the stern. The freighter, in tow of the tugs, reached a port next day.
While the ship stood off shore vessels took a doctor and ambulance men out to attend the injured. Working by the light of torches they gave first-aid to the injured. In the early morning the stricken vessel was brought into port by tugs. Each member of the crew praised the cool seamanship of the captain. The crew described Frank Grant (16), deck boy, as a "blooming little hero." Grant was one of those blown out of his bunk when the torpedo struck. One seaman said that he behaved bravely all through and dragged one wounded man from the shattered bunkhouse.
Able Seaman John David Alexander BROMILOW
Born: Williamstown Occupation: Tug Mate Australian Merchant Navy Died 23-7-1942 at Sea, aged 26years Son of John David Alexander and Hannah Murray Bromilow, of Newport, Victoria. Resting: Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll |
Able Seaman Frank NOBLE
Born: Rotterdam, Holland
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 23-7-1942 at Sea, aged 25years
Son of Eli & Maria Noble
Resting: Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
Born: Rotterdam, Holland
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 23-7-1942 at Sea, aged 25years
Son of Eli & Maria Noble
Resting: Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
Fireman Albert SMITH
Born: South Melbourne, Victoria
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 26-7-1942, aged 39years
Son of James and Annie Smith, of South Melbourne, Victoria.
Resting: Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
Born: South Melbourne, Victoria
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 26-7-1942, aged 39years
Son of James and Annie Smith, of South Melbourne, Victoria.
Resting: Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
Fireman Arthur Theodore SUNDELL
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 23-7-1942 at Sea, aged 40years
Son of Arthur Roay Sundell and Alice Yonson Sundell.
Husband of Cecilia Sundell, of Cairns, Queensland.
Resting: Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 23-7-1942 at Sea, aged 40years
Son of Arthur Roay Sundell and Alice Yonson Sundell.
Husband of Cecilia Sundell, of Cairns, Queensland.
Resting: Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
Trimmer Henry TALBOT
Born: Queenstown, South Australia
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 23-7-1942 at Sea aged 20years
Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Talbot
Husband of Peggy Olive Talbot, of Port Adelaide, South Australia.
Resting: Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll
Born: Queenstown, South Australia
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 23-7-1942 at Sea aged 20years
Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Talbot
Husband of Peggy Olive Talbot, of Port Adelaide, South Australia.
Resting: Sandgate War Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll