Tuncurry (1909)

The Tuncurry II was a wooden carvel screw steamer built in 1909 at Tuncurry, Australia.[1]

painting by Alfred Dufty
History
Australia
Name:	Tuncurry II (1909–1950)
Owner:	Allen Taylor and Co (1909–1910) John Wright; Allen Taylor & Co. Ltd; Claude Stewart McLaren (1910–1917) John Wright & Co. Ltd; Allen Taylor & Co. Ltd; Claude Stewart McLaren (1917-1921) Allen Taylor and Co. Ltd and six others (1921-1932) H.R. Pountney (Pountney & McPherson) (1932-1935) Cam and Sons, Ltd 1935 - (1944-1946) Dept. of the Navy (Australian) 1944-1946) S.G. White (1946-1950)
Port of registry:	Sydney (1909–1950)
Builder:	John Wright, Tuncurry, New South Wales, Australia
Completed:	1909
Identification:	Ship official number 15042, ON 125205
Fate:	wrecked 9 April, 1950
General characteristics
Type:	Wood carvel screw steamer
Tonnage:	286.0 GT 151 NT
Length:	147 ft 0 in (44.81 m)
Beam:	28 ft 2 in (8.59 m)
Draught:	7 ft 7 in (2.31 m)
Installed power:	Steam 40nhp 2x C.2Cy.11" &22" Ross & Duncan, Glasgow plus sails
Propulsion:	twin 4 Blade Screw
Sail plan:	ketch
Armament:	Vickers Machine Gun
Notes:	Some reports say burnt in Kerosene Bay in June 1952. Wrecked: off Sydney

The ship was designed to enable navigation of the shallow bars when entering estuaries. Also for general cargo and the accommodation for 21 saloon class passengers.[2] In the 1930s, the ship was used as a collier.[3]

In 1921 at Tuncurry, the ship was lengthened by almost twenty feet by Ernest Wright, son of John Wright.[4]

The Tuncurry II was used by the Royal Australian Navy to transport cargo. A Vickers machine gun was fitted at Garden Island.[5] The ship was purchased by the Commonwealth for the navy in 1944 and sold in 1946.[6][7]

A vessel with a similar name operated at much the same time, and so the Tuncurry (1903) ex Tokelau should not be confused with the Tuncurry (1909).

References

1. "Lloyd's Register - Tuncurry" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship data. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
2. "New Coastal Steamer. Trove - National Library of Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald August 16, 1909. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
3. "Coaster Tuncurry Sold. Trove - National Library of Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald October 6th, 1932. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
4. "Cape Hawke District News. Trove - National Library of Australia". The Manning River Times - Sat 8 Jan 1921. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
5. "SS TUNCURRY - vickers machine gun". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
6. Jan Lettens. "Tuncurry (+1950)". Retrieved 4 April 2018.
7. Black Diamond Images. "'Tuncurry II' (1909 - 1950) - Cargo vessel during WWII - 1941". Flickr. Retrieved 4 April 2018.

External Link

• "Image of Ernest Wright and the Tuncurry II". 'Tuncurry II' (1909 - 1950) OR 'Nambucca I' (1922 - 1934). Ernest Wright Shipyard Tuncurry -1921/22. Flickr.