Photo Byron Shire News
Located approximately 150 metres in front of the War Memorial Swimming Pool at the town’s Main Beach, S-77 Tassie III foundered in Byron Bay during June 1945 – 80 years ago.
Formerly known as the Tassie II until correctly identified by the Byron Bay Historical Society in 2008 as Tassie III, the vessel was one of many Australian- built lighters used for transporting cargo around Tasmania. It was requisitioned for war service in 1942 along with sister ship S-78 Tassie VI.
Conflicting stories about the sinking of Tassie III have long circulated. Carrying tons of condemned munitions, common belief is that after dropping anchor during a storm, the ship’s crew went ashore for ‘refreshment.’ The next morning they fled after discovering the ship had drifted into the jetty and foundered.
Tassie III was later boarded and property stolen, including the captain’s pistol; a weapon allegedly fired weeks later by a local youth during a domestic dispute. Recent research has shown this narrative to be significantly distorted. What follows is an account of how stories of three US Army small ships coalesced into that of Tassie III.
Photo US Army Small Ships Association, Small Ships News March 2018
WWII veteran Raymond Young lived for some time at Brunswick Heads. Ray served on several of the more well-known small ships, all of which anchored, or were offshore, at Byron Bay. He enlisted and completed training at the Apprentice Seaman’s School in Sydney in April 1943 when he was 16. Many of the volunteers were teenagers, alongside men too old or too infirm to be accepted by the Services.
Around 3,000 Australians enlisted. According to Ray, two other small ships sank between Byron Bay and Brunswick Heads. Being wooden vessels, they are likely to have rotted away or been covered with sand. Their names are similarly lost to us. Divers have not encountered them. Ray’s daughter remains a resident at Brunswick Heads. The billed cap worn by many small ships volunteers as shown in the photograph was not issued by the US Army. They could, however, be purchased from stores. With white feather treatment it is no surprise that civilian volunteers did so.
Byron’s busy bay
During the war the Bay was an extremely busy harbour with Merchant Navy vessels heading north to supply troops and cargo in New Guinea.
More than 60 vessels controlled by the US Army small ships section entered Byron Bay. This was an improvised and inclusive Allied unit operating requisitioned and newly built Australian and New Zealand ships. It employed civilians from Australia and New Zealand, especially in the early years when fear of Japanese invasion was at its height. They were all volunteers.
One of these small ships made its way to the Bay in mid-December 1942. The crew decided to enjoy ‘a little respite’ in town, ‘seeing the lights of Byron Bay’ before sailing on to the war. Uncrewed, the vessel broke its moorings, running ashore on a spit. Upon discovering this when the engineer returned, he struggled to get the other seafarers back. Three locals working at the wharf were then employed by the government to salvage the ship. Later, these men were accused of stealing supplies destined for troops in the Solomons. They were sentenced to three months imprisonment which they appealed.
One of these three was a young man who had kept watch on the boat while the others, at night, ‘swam through shark-infested waters’ attaching lines to the vessel. The accused had possessed a stolen pistol the previous year, reported to the police by his deep sea fisherman stepfather, and was on a good behaviour bond for theft.
Punished more harshly in May 1943 for this reoffending, his father helped him appeal his jail sentence by giving evidence. Another US Army small ship had since ‘got into trouble’ when some of the crew ‘deserted.’ His son had swum ‘50 yards’ to get a rope to this ship, prior to the two of them towing it to Brisbane. The name of this abandoned ship is unknown owing to censorship of ships’ names and movements. It was probably deserted at Byron Bay sometime between January and early April 1943.
Shuttling cargo in the war zone, Tassie III returned to Australia towards the end of the war. She carried 80 tons of ballast, munitions to be dumped at sea. A storm forced the ship to seek shelter in Byron Bay.
Tassie III came aground after breaking anchor about 3am, witnessed by the Fields, three brothers fishing on the beach. The crew of nine then abandoned ship and found accommodation at the Pier Hotel. The fishermen were almost immediately employed by the ship’s Master, Captain Woods, to help move personal effects and endeavour to moor the vessel. Due to rough weather, the ship sank the following morning after winds battered her into the decommissioned jetty.
Exploding munitions
Whilst breakfasting, Woods and the Fields planned the retrieval of valuable equipment from the wreck. The captain and ship’s cook David Jones were then honourably discharged, and returned with most of the crew by road to Brisbane. An American guard remained to supervise salvage efforts.
Unfortunately, the Fields were arrested on the charge of possession of stolen goods. After attending court and offering explanations concerning the storage and acquisition of allegedly stolen goods, the magistrate was satisfied, and charges dismissed.
Some time on Sunday, the foundered Tassie III was boarded by local youths and some of the ordinance souvenired. Tragically, one stolen flare bomb later killed 16-year-old Bruce Graham after he ignited the canister for a fireworks display while entertaining children in a backyard. Eleven were injured, two seriously.
Munitions drifted in the surf and became buried in the sand raising multiple complaints to authorities in Sydney. It was several years later that Byron Shire Council engaged a contractor from Melbourne to explode the remaining munitions.
Whilst true of the crew on a ship back in December 1942, the drunkenness of those on the Tassie III is not supported by evidence. Neither is the story of them deserting the ship, although this happened with another early in 1943.
A pistol was stolen, but not from this vessel in 1945. Tassie III’s story was marked by tragedy, but distortions concerning the ship’s crew and their activities require revision. S-77 Tassie III is worthy of remembrance on account of her service during WWII and the tragic impact on the local community.
Byron Bay has a proud and significant maritime history.
♦ If you believe your ancestor served on Australian or American-controlled merchant vessels in the Southwest Pacific Area during WWII, please contact BBHS or USASSA at: [email protected] or [email protected].
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