Sunday History Photo WA
Submitted: Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 09:10
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Member - Doug T (NT)
I have added some text to this story, click on the link to read the rest,
The Koolama Story
The Koolama sailed out of
Fremantle on 10 February, 1942 with 90 crew and 100 passengers on board, including a compliment of 14 Army personnel. On her voyage north, the ship called at
Geraldton,
Carnarvon,
Onslow,
Cossack,
Port Hedland,
Broome and
Derby, with
Wyndham being the final scheduled port of call before
Darwin. On 19 February, the Koolama departed
Derby for
Wyndham, and while sailing north up King Sound, she passed her sister ship the Koolinda on a south-bound course heading for
Derby.
Image Could Not Be Found
At about 11.30am on 20 February, while rounding Cape Londonderry and approximately 20 nautical
miles north of the Cape, the Koolama was overflown by a Japanese flying boat which dropped 5 bombs. All bombs missed the ship. Two hours later, when in position 13o 37’ S, 127o 26’ E, three flying boats in "V" formation approached from the north and dropped a total of 18 bombs. Four or five bombs struck the ship in the stern area, at least one penetrating into the engine room before exploding. The bombers left immediately afterwards and headed back to their base in Ambon.
Read on.......................
The Koolama
.
Reply By: Rick (S.A.) - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 09:49
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 09:49
Thanks Doug,
another good post.
Are you still at
Adelaide River CP??
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 10:11
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 10:11
Can't send you an MM so I'll answer here........YES
.
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Reply By: Member - Redbakk (WA) - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 10:19
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 10:19
Doug ...where do you find this stuff ?....... : )
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338640
Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:12
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:12
He just pulls it off other webs sites like this. no harm done,,
The Koolama Incident
Cheers
Richard
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:13
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:13
Hello! Our names are Dennis and Annette Ford and we are currently living in
Darwin, NT. We sailed here from
Perth in 1982 for a 3 week visit and we are still here.
Our roots are in North Queensland. Dennis was born in
Bowen, then lived in Mackay before studying and lecturing at James
Cook University (JCU) in
Townsville. Annette was born in
Brisbane, but moved to Abergowrie near
Ingham in the 1950's then down to
Townsville to also study and tutor at JCU. After marrying and having two children in
Townsville, we relocated to
Melbourne in 1974.
In wet and cold
Melbourne we undertook the challenging task of building our first yacht, a Roberts 29 named Spindrift III.
In 1978, a rather unexpected career change involved a move to
Perth, where Spindrift III was completed at Maylands Slipyard and launched on the Swan River in January 1979. For the first year we moored near South of
Perth Yacht Club. However,
Rottnest Island then became or second home, so we joined
Fremantle Sailing Club and relocated Spindrift III to Pen C25 at FSC Marina.
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Reply By: Member - Footloose - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 11:16
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 11:16
Doug, another great read. Thanks.
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Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 15:27
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 15:27
Another fantastic read Doug, thanks for your time and effort in getting all this info together.
Cheers
D
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Reply By: Motherhen - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 15:45
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 15:45
Thanks Doug. You can see by the number of hits on your Sunday History posts how much your reports are appreciated.
We read about the Koolama when travelling in the
Kimberley this year, the mention of the Koolinda sparked my interest. Around 1950, with my family we took a cruise to
Wyndham and return on the Koolinda. As a toddler, i was fascinated by all we saw, in particular the tides at
Broome and
Derby. This trip i was looking for what i could remember at the
places we had stopped all those years ago. A search on the Internet for Koolinda brought up very little. These "K--" State Ships were an important part of the development of our state, and supplies to those in our north west only came by ship.
Motherhen
Reminiscing
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Reply By: Member -Dodger - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 17:40
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 17:40
Doug thanks for the great read.
One can only say........"More"
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Reply By: Member - Poppy (QLD) - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 19:50
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 19:50
Doug
As all above have said "Great read" and keep'em coming
Cheers Ray
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338708
Reply By: Richard Kovac - Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:54
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008 at 21:54
the same site has the answer to the dunny story you where running last month.
Truscott Airbase
These people have a very interresting Web Site
Richard
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338727
Reply By: Kroozer - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 00:44
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 00:44
Excellent mate, spent many good times looking out over where she lays now off the
Wyndham wharf. Played a very important part in alot of ways to establishing and maintaining life in the Kimberleys, particularly
Wyndham,
my home town. Very important piece of history the old Koolama, she is still remembered around town, i can remember as a
young child looking out on a very low tide and seeing the very tip of one of the masts sticking out of the
water. Now all that is there to remind you is the constant whirlpools and flat
water that is created from her beneath the mud. Many of the street names in
Wyndham are named after the ships and captains of the days gone by.
Thanks for putting up some history that reminds me of home and something that i have always found interesting.
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Follow Up By: Kroozer - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 00:51
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 00:51
May i just add that she does still pose a threat to shipping in
Wyndham and the shipping is not non existent since the meatworks closed down. Its very rare for a captain to venture anywhere near the wreck even on a high tide. Worked many ships on
the wharf and it was always the biggest problem (getting out around the wreck fighting against the tide) for berthing and unberthing of ships.
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Follow Up By: Rob Mac - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 21:29
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 21:29
Hi Kroozer, I too remember the low tides at
Wyndham wharf, I grew up at the corner of Baker Street and Great Northern Hwy, 1955 to 1975.
I have My dad's slides and have shots of the pontoon that I believe was used in a salvage attempt on the Koolama, not sure what year the slides are from . I seem to recall there was a second attempt in the 50's to lift her of the toe of the Bastion, so his slides may be of that one as he went to
Wyndham in 49 as a junior clerk at the meatworks office before doing an fitter and turner apprenticeship.
I will be seeing him at Christmas so will be sitting down and naming what he remembers as his slides go back to the 50's
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Kroozer - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 23:03
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 23:03
Excellent, just by chance your old mans name isnt Bob is it?
If it is, I remember listening to many stories from the old days from a man by the name of Bob Mac. Absolute legend of a man to us
young fellas, a true blue Aussie, sure do miss going to the Port takeaway and having a yarn with him.
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Follow Up By: Rob Mac - Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 23:20
Monday, Dec 08, 2008 at 23:20
Yes, thats him.
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Follow Up By: Kroozer - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2008 at 00:14
Tuesday, Dec 09, 2008 at 00:14
Good stuff, probably learnt more about the old days listening to your old man every now and then what you could by studying it full time. His stories and recollections were fascinating and almost beyond belief. Will always remember him as the best mechanic that i've ever known. Hope he is
well and i hope you both have a very Merry Christmas together.
PS; My old man was good mates with your brother Stu and i hope he and family are doing
well also. If he asks tell him its Jeds son.
Hopefully he remembers me.
Cheers
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