GOOD AND BAD FORTUNE.

The Advertiser, Adelaide, Friday 12 April, 1912.

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 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. Wassel'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 a 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 company "sacked" him, and 

he consequently 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. As 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.

SS Koombana (courtesy State Library Western Australia)

courtesy Trove