Group portrait of the ship's company of the stores carrier HMAS Matafele, a British ship which ...

Places
Accession Number P00917.001
Collection type Photograph
Object type Print
Maker Unknown
Place made Australia: Queensland, Brisbane
Date made January 1944
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Group portrait of the ship's company of the stores carrier HMAS Matafele, a British ship which was taken over and commissioned by the RAN at sea on 1 January 1943. The ship's motto was 'Wok dasol maski lim limbur' which is pidgin and translates to ' All work and no play'. On 18 June 1944, she left Sydney after a refit and was bound for Milne Bay carrying mail and stores; her expected arrival was 22 June 1944. On 23 June 1944 the Naval Depot at Milne Bay sent a radio message which was not answered, and the next day a RAAF aircraft claimed to have seen the small vessel making its way to the Papuan Coast, however subsequent searches found nothing. In late October 1944, a Naval Board of Enquiry concluded that the ship may have been overloaded, had put to sea beyond its permitted 'deadweight' and that it must have foundered. Four officers, 20 other ranks and 13 islanders were lost. Identified, left to right, back row: B3608 Ordinary Seaman (OS) Donald William Kluver, of Wynnam, Qld, died 24 June 1944, aged 21; F3896 Stoker (Sto) William Francis Hickling of Swan District, WA, died 24 June 1944, aged 23; S4987 Sto R Ellery; Sto M Vincent. Fourth row: B2337 Leading Seaman (Smn) George Wallace Arnold, of Brisbane, Qld, died 24 June 1944, aged 27; PA2016 Cook Jack Prideaux, of Port Adelaide, SA, died 24 June 1944, aged 23; S4409 Able Seaman (AB) Gordon Clinton Beecraft, of Maddington, WA, died 24 June 1944, aged 23; PA3244 AB Keith McNicol Morrison, of Mount Gambier, SA, died 24 June 1944, aged 20; B3075 Sto Allan John Kaus, of Brisbane, Qld; B2786 AB Leonard Squires, of Sydney, NSW, died 24 June 1944, aged 24; 17428 Telegraphist Ronald Upton, of Footscray, Vic, died 24 June 1944, aged 37; S7494 AB Brian Douglas Tamplin, of Guildford, NSW, died 24 June 1944, aged 20; F4916 OS Jack Coleman, of Blackwood, WA, died 24 June 1944, aged 19; S7083 Seaman Assistant William Frederick Corbett McLaren, of Sydney, NSW. Third row: Jaoul; Lambousi; Landumbi; Dicky; Tupin; Taraco; Cardap; Huss; Bena; Arabilo; Arkon (all believed to have died on 24 June 1944). Second row: Mechanic H Scholes; S4117 Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class (ERA3) William Hogg Halyburton, of Sydney, NSW, died 24 June 1944, aged 39; S2712 ERA3 John Arnand Mayall, of Granville, NSW; ERA C Smith. Front row: Taima (believed to have died 24 June 1944); 19144 Petty Officer (PO) William Mortimer Kuhlmann, of Perth, WA, died 24 June 1944, aged 34; Lieutenant (Lt) Cyril Frank Raymond Gilbert, of Port Melbourne, Vic, died 24 June 1944, aged 40; Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cdr) Charles Frederick Symonds, died 24 June 1944, aged 47; S4036 Sub Lieutenant (Sub Lt) John Joseph McNally, of Leichhardt, NSW, died 24 June 1944, aged 23; Sub Lt N Johnston; Tarahan (believed to have died 24 June 1944).