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. AVIEMORE (Liverpool)
WW2
WW2
She was a 4,060 GRT steam cargo ship that was sunk on 16 September 1939 by a torpedo fired by German submarine U-31 at position 49° 11' N 13° 38' W.
Mirror (Perth, W.A. ) 28-10-1939
Fremantle Boy Is First Westralian To Die In The War
U-BOAT VICTIM
'He Died Doing His Duty'
A Fremantle boy was the first Western Australian to die at the hands of Germans in the present war while serving as the member of the crew of a commandeered British supply vessel. Well known in the Port and Bunbury districts he was Max Rochfort, son of Mrs. Rochfort, a widow, of Canning-road, Palmyra.
Tragic news was conveyed to her in the following letter received on Thursday from the Liverpool agents, managers of the steamer on which he was serving:
"It Is with deep regret that we have to Inform you that the vessel on which Mr. M. Rochfort was serving has been lost through enemy action on the I6th inst. 'A number of the survivors have been reported here and from their information it would appear that unless the other members of the crew have been picked up by another vessel and reported through another source, it is greatly to be feared no more have been saved.'
Lord Essendon, the chairman of the steamship line on being informed, said; 'We are deeply distressed by your telephone message. Please convey to officers and men also relatives of others lost the very sincere sympathy of the chairman and directors and hope they may find some consolation that all men were carrying out duties needing great courage.
Max Rochfort was just within a week of his 21st birthday- His father, who died some three years ago, was well known in Fremantle and conducted the First and Last Store on the wharf. Later, he was Inspector of Fisheries at Bunbury. He served in the. Great War and received serious injuries, the effect of which told on his health. Max was closely associated with the sea and ships all his life. After leaving school he worked in Bunbury and Fremantle but always had an inclination for a sea-faring life. He was a member of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve (Fremantle Division) an was a very smart, capable lad rising in rank to a yeoman of signallers. About three years ago he decided to go to sea and joined a steamer in Fremantle. He was last in Fremantle early this year and spent his holiday with his mother, two sisters and little
brother at Palmyra. In March he left Fremantle on a wheat ship, Canadian Challenger. On arrival in England the vessel was sold and he joined the British Council, an oil tanker, and went on a voyage to the Persian Gulf as A.B. There a cargo of oil was loaded and the young sailor's troubles began for shortly after getting out of the Persian Gulf into the Indian Ocean there was a breakdown in the engine-room and the
steamer was drifting for 10 days when repairs were effected and a slow, tortuous voyage made up the Red Sea in its worst season to Suez where further repairs were made. After a slow trip to England they
arrived just 10 days before the war. Here the crew were paid off and Max Rochfort had to look for another ship.
Writing to his mother he said he was going to Swansea on the Bristol Channel to join another ship of the same line but did not mention the name. And this was the last letter Mrs. Rochfort received.
It Is Very Hard
A 'Mirror' man called on Mrs. Rochfort at her home today and found her deeply grieved at the loss of her eldest son, a boy who was devoted to her and never missed writing from every port. In Buenos Aires last year be had hispicture painted by a noted artist for her 'It is hard! Very hard!' said Mrs. Rochfort, especially as his father is dead, but he died doing his duty. His father was a soldier and were he here he could
wish no better. They tell me he is the first Australian certainly the first West Australian and member of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve to die. I have really no hope at all that he could be saved or we would
have heard before this. I am the first mother to suffer but it is sad ts think of all the mothers, thousands and thousands of them who will suffer, too. But we most keep a brave heart and help others.
'We will miss him, but it was God's will'
Fremantle Boy Is First Westralian To Die In The War
U-BOAT VICTIM
'He Died Doing His Duty'
A Fremantle boy was the first Western Australian to die at the hands of Germans in the present war while serving as the member of the crew of a commandeered British supply vessel. Well known in the Port and Bunbury districts he was Max Rochfort, son of Mrs. Rochfort, a widow, of Canning-road, Palmyra.
Tragic news was conveyed to her in the following letter received on Thursday from the Liverpool agents, managers of the steamer on which he was serving:
"It Is with deep regret that we have to Inform you that the vessel on which Mr. M. Rochfort was serving has been lost through enemy action on the I6th inst. 'A number of the survivors have been reported here and from their information it would appear that unless the other members of the crew have been picked up by another vessel and reported through another source, it is greatly to be feared no more have been saved.'
Lord Essendon, the chairman of the steamship line on being informed, said; 'We are deeply distressed by your telephone message. Please convey to officers and men also relatives of others lost the very sincere sympathy of the chairman and directors and hope they may find some consolation that all men were carrying out duties needing great courage.
Max Rochfort was just within a week of his 21st birthday- His father, who died some three years ago, was well known in Fremantle and conducted the First and Last Store on the wharf. Later, he was Inspector of Fisheries at Bunbury. He served in the. Great War and received serious injuries, the effect of which told on his health. Max was closely associated with the sea and ships all his life. After leaving school he worked in Bunbury and Fremantle but always had an inclination for a sea-faring life. He was a member of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve (Fremantle Division) an was a very smart, capable lad rising in rank to a yeoman of signallers. About three years ago he decided to go to sea and joined a steamer in Fremantle. He was last in Fremantle early this year and spent his holiday with his mother, two sisters and little
brother at Palmyra. In March he left Fremantle on a wheat ship, Canadian Challenger. On arrival in England the vessel was sold and he joined the British Council, an oil tanker, and went on a voyage to the Persian Gulf as A.B. There a cargo of oil was loaded and the young sailor's troubles began for shortly after getting out of the Persian Gulf into the Indian Ocean there was a breakdown in the engine-room and the
steamer was drifting for 10 days when repairs were effected and a slow, tortuous voyage made up the Red Sea in its worst season to Suez where further repairs were made. After a slow trip to England they
arrived just 10 days before the war. Here the crew were paid off and Max Rochfort had to look for another ship.
Writing to his mother he said he was going to Swansea on the Bristol Channel to join another ship of the same line but did not mention the name. And this was the last letter Mrs. Rochfort received.
It Is Very Hard
A 'Mirror' man called on Mrs. Rochfort at her home today and found her deeply grieved at the loss of her eldest son, a boy who was devoted to her and never missed writing from every port. In Buenos Aires last year be had hispicture painted by a noted artist for her 'It is hard! Very hard!' said Mrs. Rochfort, especially as his father is dead, but he died doing his duty. His father was a soldier and were he here he could
wish no better. They tell me he is the first Australian certainly the first West Australian and member of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve to die. I have really no hope at all that he could be saved or we would
have heard before this. I am the first mother to suffer but it is sad ts think of all the mothers, thousands and thousands of them who will suffer, too. But we most keep a brave heart and help others.
'We will miss him, but it was God's will'