Bracken

[Stephen Whiteside]

At least he got to see his mum again. I think that was very important for him.

[Heather]

Here you go Stephen. Trove is a wonderful thing!

The Argus 10 April 1924

WYRALLAH DISASTER.
SIX LIVES LOST.
STEAMER ALMOST CUT IN TWO.
SURVIVORS LEAP TO DILKERA'S DECK.
TENSE MOMENTS.
Torn almost in halves, the steamer Wyrallah, 302 tons, sank like a stone after a collision in The Rip with the steamer Dilkera, of 2,698 tons, on Tuesday night.
Five members of tho crew of the Wyrallah, all members of the engine room staff, and one passenger are missing.
In a heavy rain squall, the vessels struck with such force that the bows of the Dilkera crashed almost through the Wyrallah. In the few thrilling seconds when the steamers swung together nine persons, including the captain and a passenger, jumped from the doomed Wyrallah to the Dllkera's decks.
Before they had recovered from the first shock, the Wyrallah had drifted astern and disappeared. Vivid descriptions of their experiences were related by survivors.
'Though there was a moderate sea, the visibility in Port Phillip Bay on Tuesday night, when the disaster to the steamer Wyrallah occurred, was extremely bad, and blinding rain squalls swept the entrance at the Heads. The Wyrallah, which was proceeding to the Gippsland Lakes, had a maximum speed of little more, than six knots, and she was not travelling at full speed when, at 20 minutes past 10 o'clock a collision, occurred with the steamer Dil- kera, bound from Newcastle (N.S.W.) to Melbourne. In the darkness the vessels had almost touched before the respective crews were aware that a collision was un- avoidable. The Wyrallah shuddered at the terrific impact, and the space of time before she sank was barely sufficient to permit the nine survivors (including the captain and a passenger) to gain the decks of the Dilkera before the two vessels swung away from each other and the Wyrallah commenced to sink rapidly. Water rushed into a gaping hole amidships, and in a few moments there was not a trace of the ill- fated vessel. An unfortunate feature of the disaster is that considerable time elapsed, owing to the unfavourable weather conditions, before the lookouts at Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff were able to de- termine that the Wyrallah had foundered. Throughout Tuesday night and early yes- terday morning the vicinity was patrolled by the pilot steamer Victoria and by numerous small craft. Though a considerable quantity of cargo was re- covered, there were no traces of survivors, and hope for them has been abandoned,
MISSING.
The following have been reported miss- ing:
Wighton, John Gordon, aged 37 years,
married, 24 Mary street, St. Kilda, Engineer,
Johnston, Henry Robert, aged 35 years,
married, 86 York street, Richmond.
Fireman,
McLaren, John, aged 49 years, married,
28 Draper street, Albert Park. Fire-
man,
Bowrey, Percy Neale, aged 57 years, 11
Colville avenue. Hawthorn. Donkey
man.
Ward, Gordon Richard, aged 30 years,
Nicholson street, Coburg. Steward.
Montgomery, W., passenger, Yarraville.
SURVIVORS.
The following is a complete list of the
survivors:
Bracken, Richard, master, 12 Rowan
street, Elsternwick.
Wise, Alfred E. D., mate, Ventura,
Clarence street, Brunswick.
Jemmeson, Henry A. J., boatswain, 26
Hardiman street, Kensington.
Flanagan, Charles, A.B., 312 Cardigan
street, Carlton.
Macdonald, John, A.B., St. Kilda street.
Elwood.
Slater, Alexander G., A.B., Richardson
street, Middle Park.
Vernall, Thomas, A.B., Sterling street.
Kew.
Denham, Henry, cook, Drummond street,
Carlton.
Roberts, J. M., stationer, 63 Pearson
street, W. Brunswick.
Up till an early hour yesterday morning only meagre details became available by wireless. Officials at the Domain wireless station and the deputy director of naviga- tion (Captain Bolger) were in wireless com- munication with Captain Watson the mas- ter of the Dilkera, who reported that five members of the crew of the Wyrallah and one passenger had been lost. Although requests were made by wireless in the early morning for the names of the sur- vivors-of the Wyrallah who were on board the Dilkera the information was not sup- plied by Captain Watson in time for pub- lication yesterday, so that the anxiety of their relatives could be allayed. It was not until 6 o'clock yesterday morning that Captain Watson provided the Domain wireless station with the names of the survivors.
Though the master of the Wyrallah (Captain Bracken) was the last to jump from the stricken vessel to the deck of the Dilkera, at his request he was transhipped to the pilot steamer Victoria in order that he might be present in the search for survivors. At 4 o'clock yesterday morning Captain Watson sent a wireless message to the effect that the Dilkera was only slightly damaged and did not require assistance. At half-past 7 o'clock the steamer berthed at the Adelaide Steamship Company's berth in the Yarra. As she moved slowly up stream it could be seen that there was a large dent in the plates on the port bow, and that the terrific impact had forced a hole in her side. After many unsuccessful attempts the wreck of the Wyrallah was located in the cause way at the entrance to the Heads, and adequate steps taken for the safety of
passing vessels.

[Stephen Whiteside]

Amazing.

[Heather]

If you are interested in looking up more newspaper articles on Hugh Bracken (or any other topic), google Trove - it's where some newspapers have been digitised by the national library of Aust. It is searchable. The papers are on-line and the text can be copied. the text may need "fixing" and if you read about it you will see what I mean. Over time more papers will be added. It is a great resource and I have found some terrific information on the hotels I am researching.

Heather

[Stephen Whiteside]

Yes, I'm familiar with Trove. Thanks, Heather. Good idea - and thanks also for going to all this trouble.

[warooa]

All very interesting Stephen and Heather . . . beside the factual documentation it's also interesting to read some of the language of days gone by and the use of words. ie In the few thrilling seconds when the steamers swung together.... I doubt today that a news writer would use the word "thrilling" to describe such a horrific scene.

Thanks, Marty

ps I'm going to google goggle

[Stephen Whiteside]

Yes, I was struck by that, too.

[warooa]

The use of "thrilling" or "goggle"?

[Heather]

One of the things I love the most about old newspapers is the language. Events were often reported in gory detail and could be very blunt. In Kilmore we had two old newspapers where the two editors would cross the road to avoid each other. They often had slanging matches in the newspapers and it was hilarious. Today they would sue before it hit the press. Made for very amusing reading though and I bet it sold a lot of papers.

[Stephen Whiteside]

Not many pictures, either, and much smaller headlines.