The paddle steamer PS Weeroona was built by A. & J. Inglis, Pointhouse, Glasgow, Scotland and launched in 1910. It was initially owned by Huddart Parker Ltd, Melbourne.[2] During World War II, the ship was requisitioned for wartime service and used by the United States Army as a barracks and quarters ship through the war.
Weeroona was one of several Port Phillip Bay excursion steamers operating out of Melbourne for day trips, excursions and picnicking to destinations such as Portarlington, Queenscliff and Sorrento.[3] The excursion vessel was equipped as a luxury excursion ship capable of carrying 1,900 passengers.[4]
During the 1925 visit of the American fleet, the ship was involved in an incident described as "a gratuitous insult to the Prime Minister" when the ship's firemen went on strike with Commonwealth Ministers and a thousand guests, including foreign consuls and military officers, aboard. The strike was in protest at comments made by the Prime Minister and demanded he depart the ship, although he was actually not aboard. The firemen demanded a bond of £100 that he was not aboard, which was rejected, and the trip was cancelled.[5]
By 1932, the newer Weeroona was the only one of the line remaining in service due to increased land transport. Weeroona was purchased for war service on 17 March 1942.[6][7]
An article of 1 November 1943, noting the steamer might not resume excursion service after the war, mentioned that the company, Bay Steamers, was in liquidation and that the ship operated thirty-three years without a collision, that four of her captains had retired and died and that she had made 2,774 voyages, travelled 206,990 miles (333,120 km) and carried 3,030,508 passengers in that service.[8]
U.S. Army World War II serviceedit
Weeroona (S-195), Small Ships Section, United States Army Services of Supply, Southwest Pacific Area, 1943.
Weeroona became part of the United States Army permanent local fleet under the Southwest Pacific Area command's supply organisation, United States Army Services of Supply, Southwest Pacific Area (USASOS SWPA), and was used extensively serving as a quarters ship for American maritime personnel.[9][10] As part of the Small Ships Section the vessel was given the local fleet number S-195 and perhaps also as CSQ-1.[11][note 1]Weeroona was used as a quarters ship by Australian personnel under contract to the U.S. Army's Small Ships Section in Sydney and New Guinea.[12] The ship was also used by U.S. Army Signal Corps personnel, some of whom were setting up small ships as communications ships, as barracks and dubbed CSQ for communications ship quarters.[13]Weeroona was towed from New Guinea to the Philippines to support Allied forces there at Leyte Gulf and eventually serving as a barracks and convalescent ship in Manila until towed back to Sydney, where she lingered in the harbour until broken up in 1951.[4]
Footnoteedit
^"CSQ-1" was probably unofficial as the official reference (Thompson & Harris) notes "A fifth vessel, which they had converted into barracks to accommodate operating personnel, they dubbed CSQ (communications ship quarters)" while S numbers were used administratively for Small Ships vessels.
The Argus (1946). "Vol Liquidation Of Bay Steamers Ltd". The Argus. No. 14 October 1943. Melbourne. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
AUSTRALIA @ WAR (16 October 2008). "US Army Small Ships Section—United States Army Services Of Supply (USASOS) In Australian Waters During WWII". AUSTRALIA @ WAR. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
Chronicle (1925). "A Fleet Welcome Fiasco". Chronicle. No. 1 August 1925. Adelaide, South Australia. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
Churchward, Matthew S. (July 2008). "Transport". eMelbourne. School of Historical Studies, Department of History, The University of Melbourne. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
"PS Weeroona". Clydebuilt Ships Database. Clydeships. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
Lunney, Bill; Finch, Frank (1995). Forgotten Fleet: a history of the part played by Australian men and ships in the U.S. Army Small Ships Section in New Guinea, 1942–1945. Medowie, NSW, Australia: Forfleet Publishing. ISBN0646260480. LCCN 96150459.
Mansfield, Anthony; Ortmann, Nicole; Ross, Peter (2008). Site Report PS Ozone(PDF). Portarlington, Victoria, Australia: Flinders University Maritime Archaeology Field School. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
Masterson, James R. (1949). U. S. Army Transportation In The Southwest Pacific Area 1941–1947. Washington, D. C.: Transportation Unit, Historical Division, Special Staff, U. S. Army.
Portland Guardian (1943). "Paddle Steamer Weeroona". Portland Guardian. No. 1 November 1943. Victoria, Australia. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
Thompson, George Raynor; Harris, Dixie R. (1966). The Technical Services—The Signal Corps: The Outcome (Mid-1943 Through 1945). United States Army In World War II. Washington, DC: Center Of Military History, United States Army. LCCN 64060001.
Thomson, Max (July 2003). "A salute to the doyen of old paddle-steamers" (PDF). Afloat Magazine. Afloat Magazine (Australia). pp. 20–21. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
External linksedit
Images of Yesteryear: Sea & River (Photos of Weeroona in collection)
Mornington Peninsula Paddle Steamers of Port Philip Bay
Shipspotting: WEEROONA
April 16, 2024
weeroona, paddle, steamer, built, inglis, pointhouse, glasgow, scotland, launched, 1910, initially, owned, huddart, parker, melbourne, during, world, ship, requisitioned, wartime, service, used, united, states, army, barracks, quarters, ship, through, paddle, . The paddle steamer PS Weeroona was built by A amp J Inglis Pointhouse Glasgow Scotland and launched in 1910 It was initially owned by Huddart Parker Ltd Melbourne 2 During World War II the ship was requisitioned for wartime service and used by the United States Army as a barracks and quarters ship through the war The paddle steamer PS WeeroonaHistoryAustraliaOwnerHuddart Parker Ltd MelbourneOperatorHuddart Parker Ltd Melbourne Bay Steamers Ltd Melbourne 1942 US Army 1945 Australian Government 2 Port of registryAustraliaBuilderA amp J Inglis Pointhouse Glasgow ScotlandYard number290Launched8 June 1910HomeportMelbourneIdentification120766 1 FateScrapped in 1951 2 General characteristicsTonnage1 412 GRT 1 Length310 feet 6 inches 94 6 m 1 Beam36 feet 2 inches 11 0 m 1 Draft12 feet 0 inches 3 7 m 1 Installed power517nhp 1 PropulsionPaddle Steamer 1 Contents 1 Excursion service 2 U S Army World War II service 3 Footnote 4 References 5 References cited 6 External linksExcursion service edit nbsp PS WeeroonaWeeroona was one of several Port Phillip Bay excursion steamers operating out of Melbourne for day trips excursions and picnicking to destinations such as Portarlington Queenscliff and Sorrento 3 The excursion vessel was equipped as a luxury excursion ship capable of carrying 1 900 passengers 4 During the 1925 visit of the American fleet the ship was involved in an incident described as a gratuitous insult to the Prime Minister when the ship s firemen went on strike with Commonwealth Ministers and a thousand guests including foreign consuls and military officers aboard The strike was in protest at comments made by the Prime Minister and demanded he depart the ship although he was actually not aboard The firemen demanded a bond of 100 that he was not aboard which was rejected and the trip was cancelled 5 By 1932 the newer Weeroona was the only one of the line remaining in service due to increased land transport Weeroona was purchased for war service on 17 March 1942 6 7 An article of 1 November 1943 noting the steamer might not resume excursion service after the war mentioned that the company Bay Steamers was in liquidation and that the ship operated thirty three years without a collision that four of her captains had retired and died and that she had made 2 774 voyages travelled 206 990 miles 333 120 km and carried 3 030 508 passengers in that service 8 U S Army World War II service edit nbsp Weeroona S 195 Small Ships Section United States Army Services of Supply Southwest Pacific Area 1943 Weeroona became part of the United States Army permanent local fleet under the Southwest Pacific Area command s supply organisation United States Army Services of Supply Southwest Pacific Area USASOS SWPA and was used extensively serving as a quarters ship for American maritime personnel 9 10 As part of the Small Ships Section the vessel was given the local fleet number S 195 and perhaps also as CSQ 1 11 note 1 Weeroona was used as a quarters ship by Australian personnel under contract to the U S Army s Small Ships Section in Sydney and New Guinea 12 The ship was also used by U S Army Signal Corps personnel some of whom were setting up small ships as communications ships as barracks and dubbed CSQ for communications ship quarters 13 Weeroona was towed from New Guinea to the Philippines to support Allied forces there at Leyte Gulf and eventually serving as a barracks and convalescent ship in Manila until towed back to Sydney where she lingered in the harbour until broken up in 1951 4 Footnote edit CSQ 1 was probably unofficial as the official reference Thompson amp Harris notes A fifth vessel which they had converted into barracks to accommodate operating personnel they dubbed CSQ communications ship quarters while S numbers were used administratively for Small Ships vessels References edit a b c d e f g Lloyds 1943 44 a b c Clydebuilt Ships Database PS Weeroona Churchward 2008 a b Thomson 2003 Portland Guardian 1943 Mansfield Ortmann amp Ross 2008 The Argus 1946 Chronicle 1925 Grover 1987 p 56 Masterson 1949 p 629 AUSTRALIA WAR 2008 Lunney amp Finch 1995 p 152 Thompson amp Harris 1966 p 283 References cited editThe Argus 1946 Vol Liquidation Of Bay Steamers Ltd The Argus No 14 October 1943 Melbourne Retrieved 16 September 2013 AUSTRALIA WAR 16 October 2008 US Army Small Ships Section United States Army Services Of Supply USASOS In Australian Waters During WWII AUSTRALIA WAR Retrieved 15 September 2013 Chronicle 1925 A Fleet Welcome Fiasco Chronicle No 1 August 1925 Adelaide South Australia Retrieved 10 July 2013 Churchward Matthew S July 2008 Transport eMelbourne School of Historical Studies Department of History The University of Melbourne Retrieved 15 September 2013 PS Weeroona Clydebuilt Ships Database Clydeships Retrieved 6 November 2019 Grover David 1987 U S Army Ships and Watercraft of World War II Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 766 6 LCCN 87015514 Lloyds 1943 44 Lloyd s Register PDF Lloyd s Register through PlimsollShipData Retrieved 15 September 2013 Lunney Bill Finch Frank 1995 Forgotten Fleet a history of the part played by Australian men and ships in the U S Army Small Ships Section in New Guinea 1942 1945 Medowie NSW Australia Forfleet Publishing ISBN 0646260480 LCCN 96150459 Mansfield Anthony Ortmann Nicole Ross Peter 2008 Site Report PS Ozone PDF Portarlington Victoria Australia Flinders University Maritime Archaeology Field School Retrieved 15 September 2013 Masterson James R 1949 U S Army Transportation In The Southwest Pacific Area 1941 1947 Washington D C Transportation Unit Historical Division Special Staff U S Army Portland Guardian 1943 Paddle Steamer Weeroona Portland Guardian No 1 November 1943 Victoria Australia Retrieved 16 September 2013 Thompson George Raynor Harris Dixie R 1966 The Technical Services The Signal Corps The Outcome Mid 1943 Through 1945 United States Army In World War II Washington DC Center Of Military History United States Army LCCN 64060001 Thomson Max July 2003 A salute to the doyen of old paddle steamers PDF Afloat Magazine Afloat Magazine Australia pp 20 21 Retrieved 15 September 2013 External links editImages of Yesteryear Sea amp River Photos of Weeroona in collection Mornington Peninsula Paddle Steamers of Port Philip Bay Shipspotting WEEROONA Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title PS Weeroona amp oldid 1153530033, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
