Cadet G. J. Kent MV Tulagi (Tulagi) signed on Darwin 28th February 1942 and signed off Sydney 19th April 1943. Working by SS Morinda under going survey and repairs signed on Sydney 6th July 1943 signed off Sydney 25th September 1943.

The Tulagi sailed from Darwin 0745 on 1st March 1942 with naval escort which left at 1953hrs and the vessel sailed on independently for Thursday Island arriving at 1321 on 4th march. Disembarked were two naval passengers one of these happened to be the same naval officer Lieut, C, White RANVRS Acting NOIC Thursday Island who kindly asked all of the Neptuna survivors for their names and addresses of their next of kin in order to send telegrams to let them know we had survived. The telegram that my parent received was the first indication that I was alive. Lieut Charles White subsequently became a Port Phillip Sea Pilot and when I was Master with British Phosphate Commissioners he periodically piloted my vessel and we had many a nostalgic discussion.

The Tulagi called at Cairns and loaded logs, sawn timber and some general cargo for Sydney where she arrived and berthed at No6 Walsh Bay ay 1245 on 19th March 1942. The weather conditions the last two days were atrocious and seas dislodged wooden plugs from the shell plating port side of steering gear flat. These plugs had been inserted at Darwin in the way of shrapnel holes caused by bomb near misses. We had to form bucket brigades to bail water out for hours until the pump could cope.

The Tulagi dry-docked at Sydney for repairs, I was sent home to Melbourne for 10 days leave and to renew my seagoing attire as all was lost with the Neptuna. When I returned and rejoined the vessel a full cargo of aviation spirit was loaded below decks and railway rolling stock on deck for Darwin.

A Vickers machine gun mounted on monkey island (this is a small place on top of the bridge when we took bearings) . A Defensively Equiped Merchant Ship (DEMS)  RAN Gunner joined name of Hilder (I recall he was a relative of Brett Hilder) Dick Charles was Chief Officer and instructed the ship’s carpenter to construct a gun emplacement around the Vickers and this was done with a wooden posts and rails which looked like gum tree branches. Where the timber was procured from I know not.

The next day at sea Dick went up on to monkey island to take bearings only to find printed on the railings around our Vickers main armament in chalk “Foo’s Cowyard” and the lower railing “Foo’s Popgun”. In Dick’s mind only two people could have done such a thing Cadets Rothery and Kent and we were quite innocent, however we had to remove the offending lettering. Well the next few days “Foo” was everywhere leaving his message ‘Foo has been here” Bridge rails even under Dick’s bread & butter plate in the saloon. In the end I think that Dick realized the Cadets were innocent. We would not be game to do such a thing to the Chief Officer as he could make our lives unbearable if we had been found guilty. Foo was never found but he sure upset Dick Charles.

Capt. Thomson was in command that first return voyage to Darwin with Ernie James 2nd Officer and Dick Banks 3rd Officer. This particular voyage was fairly uneventful except when off Sandy Cape northbound one of the crew reported what we thought was a surface sub to seaward just after dusk. Capt Thomson increased to max speed and the old Tulagi literally took off. Does not take much to set off aviation spirit.

The voyage to and from Darwin was uneventful and we returned to Sydney with bagged sugar loaded at Cairns. Capt Bill Colquhoun relieved Capt Thomson for a well earned leave. The Tulagi loaded urgent cargo for army, navy and airforce in Darwin.

No further armament fitted and after departing Sydney Capt Colquhoun thought it a good idea if Cadet Rothery and Kent constructed a dummy gun on the poop (aft end of the ship).

We had life boat muster and fire drill when south of the Whitsunday passage. I was stationed on the bridge as messenger when one of the stewards rushed up to the bridge and reported what he thought was a submarine surfacing briefly. Capt Colquhoun sharply instructed “Kent stand by the gun” “The gun sir?” I queried, “Yes” he said, “The one on the poop” I rushed to obey. Shortly afterwards the whale surfaced again and the muster continued. There was much merriment amongst the complement to see Cadet Kent trying to look alert close up on that dummy gun.

The Tulagi was then employed on what was known as the shuttle service Cairns or Townsville to Darwin and return with occasional voyages to Sydney. We suffered the usual night air raids on Darwin. When cargo operations would cease and the vessel would depart the wharf and anchor in the harbour or steam slowly around until going alongside again at daylight.

Some time previously we had been provided with a diesel powered pinnace ‘tuna’ (small life boat) which was stowed on No1 hatch. At Darwin we moored this craft inner side of the wharf. Cadets had to maintain it and my duty during these night air raids was to depart the wharf with the Deck Boy as crew and steam around close by the ship to render assistance if required. Not much sleep was had by all hands on these occasions. Steve Wylie would remember this pinnace because one voyage at Cairns Mangola was in port with us and Steve was 3rd officer. He got a loan of the craft and took Rothery and myself for a voyage outside the harbour and down the coast some distance where we landed and quenched our thirst with coconut milk.

Eventually Tulagi received her ancient 3inc HA/LA gun on the poop and a 20mm Oerliken in an emplacement abaft the funnel. John Rothery had transferred to the Morinda – Cadet Sam Southey had joined.

Dick Charles arranged for and sent us on a gunnery course at RAN Woolloomooloo which I see by the commencement date on my gunnery certificate No 1789 was the 30th December 1942. Leading Seamen Gunner Tom Ryan and Seamen Gunner Erol Avery were the DEMS personnel attached to the ships at this time.

Passing our gunnery certificates was very handy for Sam Southery and myself as our wages increased by 10shillings. As gun crew on the oerliken we were on the anti aircraft watch closed up form dawn to dusk each day at sea when north of Cairns. The exhaust fumes from the funnel where a great nuisance.

I left the Tulagi on 19th April 1943 and sick leave and on recovery worked by Morinda under going survey and repairs at Sydney until articles were opened 6th July 1943 Morinda.
6th July 1943 to 25th September 1943 (2 voyages0
Master Capt Wilding
•    Chief Officer e Mc Fayden
•    2nd Officer G Walstab
•    3rd office R Rafferty
Cargo and passengers Lord Howe Island Norfolk Island, New Hebrides and return to Sydney.  All cargo was loaded and discharged by means of surf boats towed by ships launches the only emergency I can recall was just after 2000hrs one night between Norfolk IS and Tanna on bridge watch with Rafferty white flares were observed on the port bow. I was instructed to call Capt Wilding. All gun crews stood to. I remember Bill Wilding telling Rafferty to phone 2nd Officer Walstab in charge of the 3inch gun on the poop and instruct him that the ship would “fight to the death”.
These flares about six in number were seen on the port side and the last fairly close on the starboard quarter. Diesel engines were heard in the distance, certainly a submarine. Whether enemy or American we never know. Suddenly heavy rain commenced, one could not see the fo’castle head the visibility was that bad. This down pour lasted for over four hours and the emergency was ended.
The other vessels employed on the Darwin shuttle service that I recall were the Islander, Darvel, Alagna, Turka and the Tolga to name but a few.
From the Morinda I transferred to the Marella 1st October 1943 at Sydney.