Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Friday 12 April 1912, page 8


THE STEAMER

KOOMBANA.

GOOD AND BAD foRTUNE.

The loss of the Koombana brings to light; many instances where trifling incidents and a chance change of plans have proved matters of life or death. There is a ship's steward now living at Fremantle (says the 'Age") who was given employment on the ill-fated Waratah just before that vessel sailed from Melbourne on her last voyage. At the last moment something occurred to

prevent him joining the ship. Rather more than twelve months ago he was in search of work in Queensland, and obtained a place on the Yongala. Owing to a domestic event he did not make the fateful voyage. A few months ago he reached Fremantle, and was negotiating for employment on the Koombana, when a more lucrative position was offered to him in a Fremantle hotel, and fortunately for himself he accepted it.

Mr Norman Jamieson, chief officer of the Koombana, who was a Williamstown, resident, was formerly chief officer of the Yongala. He changed to the Grantala immediately before the Yongala sailed on her ill-fated voyage. From the Grantala he transferred to the Koombana, and twelve months to the day on exactly the opposite coast of Australia to where the Yongala foundered, he apparently lost his life.

Mr. Gunn, until recently second engineer of the Koombana, may congratulate himself on a luck escape. Desiring a temporary change, he arranged a transfer with Mr. A. Wassel!/ of the Echunga, a cargo steamer trading between Fremantle and the eastern States;. The transfer was made before the Koombana's last voyage, and Mr. WasscD's name is in the list of missing.

Fate also was kind to a fireman. Mr. M. Barrett, who may thank his own indulgence in strong drink for saving him from his watery grave. He appeared before the Fremantle court on March 12 on a charge of drunkenness. He was discharged with a caution. To use his own words, the com-pany sacked" him, and he consequent!"! missed the trip on the Koombana. Some; of his belongings, he has stated, were on

the vessel.

Five of the deck hands on the Koombana

were until recently members of the FreMantle Lumpers' Union. A sixth signed on just before the vessel sailed on her last voyage. He, however, had a disagreement with the second officer, and left the boat just as she was casting off her moorings. He is thankful for that disagreement now. '

Two inspectors of the Agricultural Department of Western Australia were lucky enough to just miss the voyage. They had arranged to leave for the north-west by the Koombana, when the department decided to make an enquiry into the necessity 'for, their proposed visit, and the cost of it. A? a result the trip was cancelled.

It is stated that one of the passengers! for Broome carried with him £2,500 in cash. It was, his intention to make extensive cash- purchases in the north-west.

THE WRECKAGE IDENTIFIED.

The "West Australian"' of April 3 writes!. -"For 15 months Captain Clark was chief officer of-the Koombana, and left in June, 1916 to take up his present position with the Harbor Trust. On being acquainted with the report by Captain Townley of the Gorgon of the finding of a panelled door 25 miles west by north of Bedout Island, he said he could positively identify the wreckage as having belonged to the Koombana. In his opinion this would be either the door leading from the chief steward's room or from one of the pantries, or from

an entrance to the scullery leading to the ' cattle deck from the main saloon entrance-. Then: particular doors were dark on the outside and painted white on the inside The study referred to in the telegram were used throughout the ship to prevent door-, from slamming (being covered with rubber for that purpose). From the description he had no hesitation in saving that the wreckage belonged to the ill-fated steamer.

Regarding the position in which the wreckage was found. Captain Clark stated that it was evident the vessel had come

to grief some considerable distance to the westward, and that the wreckage had been borne landwards by the sea and of the tide, which al cars follows on a severe blow in the Nor'-West. Although he had never experienced a cyclone in the Koombana, he had gone through some very severe blows, and undoubtedly she was the finest little sea-boat he had ever sailed in."