Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/264/1 - 1914 - 1938 - Part 19

Conflict:

First World War, 1914–18

Subject:

Documents and letters

Status:

Open for review

Accession number:

RCDIG1066700

Difficulty:

John Francis Robins. Com RN (retd) called up Aug 2 /14
had volunteered ~~for~~ Ran. 6 weeks before & was accepted

& appd as Comr Ran on Aug 2. 14 -

At once appd as Transport Officer Sydney by. Captain
in Charge. Capt. [[?]]
Made officer at Lane Cove [[?]].

purchased Grantala & fitted her as Hospital Ship .

" Aorangi " " " Store Ship.

[[/] by N. officer. to examine [[?]] 6am

Monday - exd & found correct. Supervisor fitting up

at Cockatoo - sailed all troops onto and for Rabaul

in 7 days from arriving in harbor.

Then took on [[Condl.?]] Ross. RNR as assistant

fitted up as transports - Capt Dunn Ran

appointed as principal asst to Capt Robins.

remained in charge until just before main

convoy sailing. - Took command of Tingira

Recd thanks of Prime Minister (See book

you have.)

JRobins
[[?]] all [[?]] for sailing and stationing

only with obsolete Admin Transport Regulations

so had to build ships up to date as [[?]]

[*SM Herald 17/4/31*]
BILOELA RENAMED.
H.M.A.S. Biloela, fleet collier for the Royal
Australian Navy, which was recently sold to
Norwegian interests, has now been re-registered
under the Norwegian flag, and renamed
Wintor. Under Captain Berntsen, she is
expected to sail early next week for Shanghai,
via Newcastle. Her new owners will use her
as a cargo vessel, refitting her for the purpose.

[*SM Herald
Saturday 13/6/31*]
SINKING OF H.M.A.S. YARRA.
The hulk of the destroyer H.M.A.S. Yarra
was sunk off Sydney Heads on Thursday morning.
The vessel was a unit of the first Australian
squadron, and conducted patrol work
during the war. She had long been out
of commission, and was recently stripped of all
valuable parts at Cockatoo dock. The tug
Mermaid towed her three miles to sea, where
she was scuttled.

[*Sydney Sun
25/6/31*]
"ECONOMY"

WARREGO MONUMENT

IT'S EXPENSIVE
A monument to "economy," the
stern of the sunken destroyer Warrego
juts forlornly from the water
near the store jetty at Cockatoo
Island.
Retrenchment is the order in the
Navy to-day, and when the hulk
sank a few months ago, it was probably
due to the fact that the watchman
had been removed.
As the wreck was blocking the
fairway, it had to be shifted. That
job necessitated the services of the
giant crane and a big gang of men.
It occupied three weeks, and cost
more than £500.
The hulk is now shackled to a
stake by two stout chains. It is out
of the way, but, is a potential
menace.
Further heavy expense must be
incurred before the Warrego is finally
pulled up on the beach and
broken up.
Originally it was proposed to use
explosives but that would have cost
about £2000. Even the alternative
will be expensive.
The Warrego, the first warship to
be assembled at Cockatoo, is dying
hard.

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1931
THE CARMANIA AT GIBRALTAR AFTER HER FIGHT WITH THE CAP TRAFALGAR.
Photograph - see original document
Between the Carmania (left) and H.M.A.S. Sydney (right) lies the submarine depot ship Proserpine. When the Carmania entered port,
permission was given for her to be greeted by cheers from the Sydney, which is contrary to the usual practice in the navy.

[*SM Herald 12/9/31*]

ARMED LINERS.

A Memorable Sea Fight.

(BY CAPTAIN J. HENDERSON.)

Soon after Britain declared war many of

her best merchant liners were armed and detailed
as auxiliary cruisers. One of such

merchant cruisers was the Cunard Liner

Carmania, 22,000 tons, at one time holder

of the Atlantic speed record, capable of

doing her 22 knots per hour. She was commanded

by Captain Noel Grant, R.N., and was

ordered on patrol work off North America,

eventually, on September 14, 1914, Joining

Admiral Craddock's Ill-fated squadron. From

this squadron she was sent to look for a German
collier which was believed to be off

Buenos Aires, but, falling to find the collier,

she proceeded to the Abrolis Rocks, off the

South American coast.

Here, about 10.30 a.m. on September 24, she

observed three ships at anchor. These turned

out to be two colliers coaling a vessel that

appeared to be about the same size as the

Carmania, painted like a Union Castle liner,

and flying British flags. Captain Grant suspected

that this vesel was an armed German

merchant cruiser, so sent his crew to dinner

at 11 a.m., cleared for action, and bore down

on her. On sighting the Carmania the other

vessel slipped the colliers and steamed towards

the Carmania, the colliers standing away in

the opposite direction. By this time Captain

Grant's suspicions had become practically a

certainty, although the other ship still flew

British flags. The Carmania'. wireless had

Intercepted messages, evidently from the suspected

ship, Indicating that she was the

German armed cruiser Cap Trafalgar, and

that she was Informing the German cruiser

Dresden, within wireless call, that she had

sighted a British armed merchant cruiser, and

asking should she give action. The reply was:

"Yes, give action; we will come up to assist

you now."

The Cap Trafalgar was a brand-new ship, of

22,000 tons, and very similar to the Carmnnia

in speed (a knot or two faster if anything)

and other qualities, except that she was some-

what better armed—she carried eight 4in

semi-automatic guns, with an effective range

of 10,000 yards, and a number of 2in pom

poms; the Carmania's armament consisted

of eight 4.7in guns only, with an effective

range of 7000 yards. There is a spice of

historical interest also In the fact that the

Carmania's guns were the actual 4.7in naval

guns used at the relief of Ladysmith, in the

Boer war.

A CLEAR STAGE FOR ACTION.

Here was a situation which must have

greatly pleased the commander and crew of

each vessel—clear and sunny weather, a dead

calm sea, and the chance of a single-handed

sea fight on even terms, with the odds in

favour of the German ship because of her

better gun range, and the fact of the Dresden

coming up to assist. The Carmania came on.

and at between 6000 and 7000 yards fired

her foremost gun across the bows of the other,

and hoisted the signal for her to stop. The

Cap Trafalgar's reply was prompt and decisive.
She fired her full starboard broadside,

at the same time hauling down the British

flags and running up the German ensigns.

She fired high, and did considerable damage to

the top work of the Carmania, hitting the gun-fire

controls on the top bridge. This was a

serious first hit. From then on it meant that

each officer of the Carmania in charge of guns

had to do his own "spotting," and give the

range to the gun-layers. The Carmania fired

her port guns, turned and brought her starboard
guns into action, and then steamed into

closer range-concentrating her fire on the

waterline of the Cap Trafalgar.

The fight had begun at 12.10 p.m., and the

two colliers stood by and watched it. The two

fighting vesels manoeuvred and smashed away

at each other until the range at one period

had narrowed down to about 1000 yards—

point-blank range. This gave the Carmania

Photograph - see original document

Marks of enemy fire on the Carmania.

the chance to bring five guns to bear, instead

of the four only, port and starboard. It also

allowed the Cap Trafalgar to bring her 2in

pom-poms into action. The fire of these

latter she concentrated on the Carmania
amidships, but did little damage worth mention,

because no guns or crew were located amidships.

The range lengthened to about 5000

yards At 1.20 p.m. the Carmania caught fire

on the bridge forward, and in the officers'

quarters. Damage elsewhere prevented water

being got to the fire, so she had to burn and

fight for the remainder of the action. Her

wireless had been shot away, and generally her

position was becoming desperate.

THE CRISIS OF THE FIGHT.

This was the crisis of the fight, but the

Carmania's cool gunnery and efficient handling
told. The Cap Trafalgar by this time was

also well on fire forward and had a decided list

to starboard, her forward guns were out of

action, and she was firing her aft guns with

a high elevation Captain Grant decided to

finish the fight with the utmost speed he

could -- his ship was damaged and badly on

fire, and he knew the Dresden was racing to

the assistance of Cap Trafalgar. He therefore

pounded his guns on to the port side of the

Cap Trafalgar with deadly effect, holing her

on that side badly near the water-line. This

finished her—she righted herself as the water

swept In, and on an even keel at 1.50 p.m.

sank, with colours flying.

Not too soon, by any means. Smoke on the

horizon probably meant the Dresden's arrival

and the Carmania, on fire, hit 79 times and

holed In 309 places, decided to leave the two

colliers and the Dresden to pick up the survivors
of the Cap Trafalgar. Captain Grant

put his ship before the wind, to prevent as far

as possible the spread of the fire, and made

all speed south. He effected wireless repairs,

and got in touch with H.M.S. Bristol and

H.M.S. Cornwall, which cruisers came up and

escorted the Carmania to port.

It took over four hours' hard fighting after

the termination of the action before the
Carmania's fire was got under control. She was

refitted and repaired at Gibraltar, and seven

months after the fight when again on duty,

she captured several members of the Cap

Trafalgar's crew, who were endeavouring to

get back to Germany on a Portuguese steamer.

By her fight with the Cap Trafalgar the

Carmania added her name to the list of
brilliant single-handed sea fights with which

Britain's naval history is so richly starred,

and she well deserved the message which

Captain Grant received from the First Lord

of the Admiralty: "Well done, Carmania, you

have fought a brilliant action to a successful

finish!"

[*SM Herald

11/9/31*]

FOUNDERED.

TRAWLER KORAAGA

After Drifting All Day.

After drifting helplessly since early

morning, and slowly filling with water,

the trawler Koraaga sank five miles east

of Black Head, Gerringong, yesterday

afternoon.

The vessel struck a reef off Bass Point, Shellharbour,

late on Wednesday night, and was

badly holed. As she appeared likely to founder

quickly, she was abandoned, and the crew of

11 rowed to Kiama, five miles away. Returning
to the scene early yesterday morning, they

were astonished to find that the incoming tide

had refloated the vessel, which was rapidly

drifting out to sea.

The crew, in the ship's dinghy, reached

Kiama at 2 o'clock yesterday morning, and

Captain James Reid, the master, reported the

matter to the police. The men rested until

shortly before daybreak, and then set out in a

launch owned by Mr. C. Stead to retrieve their

personal belongings. As they drew near the

spot where the Koraaga had gone ashore they

found she had disappeared, and it was feared

that she had already foundered. Within a few

minutes, however, the vessel was seen about a

mile and a half offshore, drifting southward

under the influence of a strong current and a

stiff north-easterly breeze. Her trawling flags

were still flying, and she gave the appearance

of being under control. So much so that,

several hours later, two interstate steamers

passed without noticing anything amiss. By

noon the trawler, now low in the water, was

several miles out to sea.

Members of the crew overtook the Koraaga

early in the morning and went on board. They

found that the engineroom was flooded, and

the vessel was being kept afloat by watertight

compartments. There were then two possibilities,
either that she would founder when the

weight of water broke down the bulkheads, or

that she would go ashore on Gerringong Beach.

Word was sent to Sydney, and Cam and Sons,

the owners, dispatched the trawler Charlie

Cam, equipped with towing gear, to the scene.

It was hoped to reach her before she went

ashore or sank, and that she would have

sufficient buoyancy to enable her to be towed

to Sydney. She disappeared, however, before

the Charlie Cam had reached the scene, and

the salvage trawler was recalled.

THE FOUNDERING.

KIAMA, Thursday.

Worn out by his all day vigil beside the sinking
vessel, Captain Reid returned to Kiama at

4 o'clock. He reported that the trawler had

heeled over and foundered an hour before,

about five miles east of Black Head, Gerringong,
9½ miles from Kiama. Captain Reid was

on board until just before the foundering. He

said that the Koraaga sank in two minutes.

The trawling flags and signals were still flying

when she disappeared.

LAST OF GOVERNMENT FLEET.

The Koraaga was a vessel of 221 tons gross,

and was built at Middlesbrough, England,

in 1915, She had been fishing near Jervis

Bay, for some time and was returning to

Sydney with her trawl when the grounding

occurred. The owners stated last night that

the vessel was insured, but not fully covered.

With the loss of the Koraaga, New South

Wales has seen the last of the three trawlers

with which the New South Wales Government
established the State Fisheries in 1915.

By a curious coincidence, all three were lost

on the same coast. The Brolga became a

total wreck on Cape Everard, Victoria, on

August 14, 1926; and the Gunandaal on Cape

Howe, practically in line with the border

post, on November 4, 1929.

The Koraaga had an interesting war history.

In company with the Gunandaal, and

with a crew from the '"mine-sweeping section"
formed shortly before in Sydney, she

set out on October 8, 1917, to sweep a reported

mine field from Twofold Bay to a point south

of Gabo Island. The sweep had been decided
upon following the blowing up of the

steamer Cumberland off Gabo Island in July

of that year, and the rise of an apprehension

that the raider Wolf had laid mines on that

coast, an apprehension which was later amply

justified. In all, 15 mines were found. After

the cessation of Government fishing activities,
the Koraaga was sold to Red Funnel

Fisheries, Ltd. In 1929 she again changed

hands, passing into the possession of Cam

and Sons. On October 24 of that year she

hauled up a mine which had apparently been

missed in the sweep in which she had taken

part 12 years before.

[*Jan 1935*]

Page Eight POSTAL NOTES

The Capture of Count Von Luckner

By J. E. Woodhouse

(Copyright)

On the 20th September 1916, news was
brought to the police and District Commissioner
stationed at Levuka, on the island of
Ovalau, a distance of about 60 miles from
Suva, that six foreigners had arrived at Wakaya,
an island in front of Levuka, about 10
miles away, that morning. The island is privately
owned, and the unexpected arrival of
foreigners caused some talk amongst the natives
and half-castes employed thereon. One
half-caste—a Mr Macpherson—was very
impressed that the foreigners were Germans,
although he did not understand the language
they spoke. Eventually he slipped away
quietly, and unnoticed by anyone, and set sail
for Levuka in his cutter, which was moored
in a small bay behind the hills. Upon his
arrival at Levuka he informed the authorities of
the unexpected visitors, giving a description of
en and craft and voicing his suspicions.

THE "AMRA" SETS SAIL

After a lot of telephoning to headquarters
at Suva, the authorities eventually decided
that investigations should be made and in
consequence the R.M.S. "Amra", under the
command of Captain Day, was ordered to the
scene, together wth Sub-Inspector Hills of
the Fiji Constabulary, and half a dozen native
police.

The "Amra" and party left Levuka at daylight
on the morning of 21st Sept. and proceeded
around the reefs to where these foreigners
had landed on Wakaya. As the
"Amra" was approaching, the party on board
noticed half a dozen men hurrying down
to a small boat (about 14 feet), on the beach.
They soon had it into deep water and were
preparing to start up the engine.

In the meantime, the "Amra" had lowered
a boat with the police party on it, and made
haste through the passage of the reef towards
the boat, which was beginning to get under
way and heading for the other opening in the
reef about half a mile away. The "Amra"
immediately steamed towards this other
passage to cut off the boat's escape. When those
in the boat saw that escape was hopeless, they
immediately stopped and waited the arrival of
the police boat, which did not take long to get
near enough for Sub-Inspector Hills to call
upon the party in the name of the King to surrender.

(Continued on page 14)
Photograph - see original document

The German Raiders
Count Von Luckner is
seen third from the left.
His chief officer is on his
~~right~~ left.

POSTAL NOTES Page Seven

SAVING THE AIR MAIL

DUTCH AIR-LINER AT ALBURY

It is not generally known that the safe landing
of the Dutch air liner at Albury on the
morning of 24th October, 1934, was to
a great extent due to the ready response and
prompt actions of several postal officials at
Albury. As will be recalled, the weather on
that particular morning was, at Albury,
if not elsewhere, particularly stormy. In fact,
it was one of the worst electrical storms ever
experienced in the district. The lightning and
thunder was terrific. The Dutch plane
was caught in the storm before it reached Albury,
and in trying to fly out of it the pilot lost his
bearings.

The plane was heard flying over a small
settlement near Henty about 11.15 p.m. on
the night of 23rd October. A resident of that
settlement telephoned to that effect, to Telephonist

Lovelock, the night attendant at the
Albury Exchange. Lovelock, after passing the
information on to the Telephonist at Central
Exchange, Melbourne, informed Telegraphist
Tancred, who in turn telegraphed the news to
the Supervisor at the C.T.O., Melbourne.
This information was then passed on to the
Air Race officials, who were on the look out
for the Dutch plane, and who through 3AR,
Melbourne, tried to get in touch with the airmen,
to give directions and bearings.

Unfortunately, the plane's wireless equipment
was out of order, owing to the storm,
and the crew were unable to receive any
broadcast messages. At 11.30 p.m., the plane
was seen and heard flying over the town of
Albury, heading in the direction of Melbourne.
About 10 minutes later the plane was
again sighted over the town and by its sudden
changes of course, it was realised that the
pilot was in difficulties and had lost his way.
Something quick had to be done for the men
in that plane to help them to find a safe landing.

Here the ready brain and practical knowledge
of postal officials played its part.

Morse with Lights

It was suggested that someone signal to the
plane in Morse with some bright light. The
idea of using the town's lighting system
(street and other lights) was then conceived
by Mr. R. F. Turner, Clerk at the Postal
Inspector's Office, who began signalling in
Morse code from the main sub-station (using
the big main switch for a "key"), the name
of the town over which the plane was flying.

(Continued on page 11)

Page Fourteen POSTAL NOTES

COURT VON LUCKNER -- (Continued
from page 8.)

This they quickly did and the officer
in charge of the motor boat (for that was what
it turned out to be) surrendered and handed
over his revolver. They were immediately
ordered into the police boat and their boat
was towed back to the "Amra."

COUNT VON LUCKNER

On gaining the deck of the "Amra," the
leader of the foreign party was met by the
Commander, Captain Day. He quickly
announced himself as Count Felix Von Luckner,
Commander of the raider "Sea Adler." After
formalities were over, the "Amra" headed for
Levuka to pick up her passengers and mails
and then to Suva, at which point she arrived
at 7.30 p.m.

THE INTERNMENT

Between the departure of the "Amra" from
Levuka and her arrival at Suva, things moved
rather quickly. I had been seconded from
duty at the General Post Office for military
duty, which meant that I was to meet the
"Amra" upon her arrival with a guard which
I had to pick, and receive the Germans from
the Captain and mount guard over them
at Draiba, a native rest house, two storeys
high, which had hurriedly been turned into
an internment camp.

Suva was all agog when news leaked out
about Germans being actually at our doors. A
big crowd was near the head of the wharf, as
the wharf had been closed until I had got the
Count and his men away.

During the time I had these gallant men
under me they gave me no trouble whatsoever. In
course of conversation, the Count related to
me that he considered his capture the result
of the biggest "bluff" of the war, and I think
readers of "Postal Notes" will agree that such
was the case, for all the guns etc., that could
be mustered on board the "Amra" was the
revolver used by Sub-Inspector Hills.

A FLOATING ARSENAL

The "Cecille", for that was the name of
the patrol boat used by the Count, contained a
machine gun of the latest make and thousands
of rounds of ammunition, besides bombs
and high explosives used for sinking ships.
The Count was under the impression that the
"Amra" was an armed merchantman and that
was the reason of his surrender so easily. Readers
can imagine what would have happened
had a bomb been thrown at the police boat,
and the machine gun turned on the "Amra".
I am afraid I would not be writing this today.

Photograph - see original document

Ex-Lieutenant J. E. Woodhouse

By information gleaned from various
sources, it was found out that the Count's
boat, "Sea Adler" had been wrecked at Morpelia
Island, a small island in the Cook
Group. They had beached their boat on the
sandy shore to clean her hull, for they had
been out at sea some time. Unfortunately for
them, and good luck for the Australia and New
Zealand especially, a tidal wave struck them,
and landed the boat high and dry with no
hope of ever refloating her. She was also very
severely damaged.

Last edited by:

Helen Martin

Last edited on:

15 March 2025, 3:10 pm

Last updated: 15 March 2025