RN Collier 'Atlas' aground on Bougainville Reef, Coral Sea

The Royal Navy collier 'Atlas' aground on Bougainville Reef in the Coral Sea in May 1945. The artist has written the following on the verso of the drawing: 'I came on board HMAS Bungaree, minelayer, to take over command from Lieutenant Commander Brown who decided to change over on arrival at Cairns. We were about to enter the Reef Passage when we received a signal to turn back and render assistance to the Fleet Collier "Atlas" which had stranded on Bougainville Reef. On arriving there we found her high and dry on the reef with heavy seas breaking over [her]. We also got a signal from the Naval Guns Crew asking that an officer be sent over as there was [none] on board. I suggested that I go over and take [the] whaler to the lee side of the reef and from there enter and go alongside "Atlas". I did that, but had to manhandle the whaler [on the] way. The reef was mostly dead coral. When we reached the ship there was barely enough water to float the whaler and we had to get out and push. On board we found there was trouble everywhere, the Mate accusing the Captain of countermand[ing] his alteration of course when the light[house] was sighted. As a result the ship struck and grounded; also drink was being indulged in a rather heavy way so we couldent [sic] get much sense out of them. She was right on top of the flat coral reef and all her double bottom tanks were holed. I decided to take all those who wished to leave, and that included the whole crew, some engineers, work operators and the Guns Crew. Two life boats were lowered and I guide[ed] them through the reef channels and thence to Bungaree where [we] hoisted the boats on board and sailed for Cairns. The morning after the Captain and the remainder of the crew were taken off by a destroyer.'