A personal account of the Radio Officer of the MV Muliama

GS Schulze, Radio Officer, 21-10-42 to 25-3-43.

MV Muliama was engaged in the inter island trade operating out of Rabaul and was fitted only with a Teleradio Transceiver for communication with Island Radio Services stations. The crew did not include a Radio Officer.

At Sydney on 4/5/41 the Teleradio installation was dismantled and replaced with a standard marine installation. A Radio Officer was appointed on 5/5/41 and Muliama entered the Sydney to New Guinea service.

I arrived at Cairns, North Queensland, as Radio Officer on SS Beltana and was instructed to sign off Beltana and join Muliama. We sailed for Port Moresby, and after a few days there proceeded to Mine Bay. Prior to our arrival, the SS Anshun was shelled by a Japanese naval vessel and sunk at the wharf. However, in sinking, the Anshun had rolled away from the wharf, leaving sufficient space for Mulliama to get in and tie up.

We departed Milne Bay, escorted by an American Motor Torpedo Boat [MTB] and with a cargo of mortar ammunition and other supplies for American forces fighting their way up the coast between Tufi and the Buna and Gona area. North west of Tufi, we made our way into a mangrove overgrown estuary where we were able to anchor under the cover of the trees and not be visible to aircraft. We remained there for some time and then proceeded up the coast to land supplies for the Americans. We did this for several days before returning to Mine Bay with evacuees, including a native prisoner and escorting native policemen. the area around Tufi was so heavily shielded that we were unable to receive signals from Port Moresby Radio.

Having taken on fresh cargo, we were ready to return to the area but it was decided by the Naval authorities that it was too dangerous to go up supported only by a MTB so the Navy sent a corvette, which had precisely the opposite effect. The smoke belching corvette alerted Japanese forces further up the coast to give us their attention and we suffered repeated bombing raids. After some time we found it impossible to successfully continue the operation. On one night during this period, we were anchored close to the coast when we heard aircraft passing overhead in a seaward direction then sounds of gunfire and bombs. It was apparent that the aircraft were attacking enemy ships, probably engaged in bringing up reinforcements. Our thoughts immediately turned to hoping the aircraft were friendly. We were subsequently directed to return to Milne Bay, and later to Port Moresby.

After a short stay in Port Moresby, we saw the first action in that area by RAAF night fighter aircraft before being sent to the Fly River area to bring a load of native labourers who had been recruited by an army recruiting team, to become carriers on the Kokoda Trail. The method of recruiting native labour was to approach the natives and ask, "You boy belong Jesus Christ". If the reply was No master, me boy belong Burns Philip then these were the boys we recruited has they made the best workers.

BATTLE LINES M.V. MULIAMA

We made two voyages of transporting labour and then after another visit to Milne Bay with troops and cargo, we proceeded from Port Moresby to Cairns.

I recall one memorable event whilst at Milne Bay. I was ashore when an air raid alert was sounded and in accordance with standard procedure, it was my duty to get back to the ship before the raid developed. At the same time, labour working aboard ship went ashore to the relative safety of slit trenches and shelter. As I rushed back to the ship, I noticed one rather large American running yelling, "Lord don't let these legs fail me now.

We spent an interesting time back in Port Moresby when 61h division troops arrived from Australia on a number of Dutch ships. Because of a shortage of accommodation ashore, the troops remained on board for several days and Muliama was given the task of delivering bread to them. The ship was loaded in the early hours each morning, but with no instructions as to individual ships and quAntities to be delivered. These instructions were transmitted by signal lamp as we proceeded and the names of the Dutch ships added to the confusion.

In January we returned to Cairns and were placed on the Cairns to Darwin route for delivery of supplies during that difficult period. We were in Darwin for one of the biggest air raids since the major raid on Darwin, February 1942. I was Radio Officer on TS S S Zealandia which was sunk during that raid.

When the raid came, we were berthed at the Civil Aviation wharf, which was a small section linking the main wharf (wrecked during the major raid in 1942), with the shore.

The outgoing tide forced Muliama against this wharf so that we could not move for some time. With assistance from a tug, we eventually got away from the wharf but not before a stick of bombs was delivered across us with a number entering the water within feet of the ship. We moved out into the stream and spent some time in the harbour while the raid proceeded, then made our way back to the wharf.

After a very rewarding period of service, t signed off Muliama at Cairns on 25/3143 and traveled to Sydney to join SS Macumba, which was later, a casualty on the Thursday Island to Darwin run.

We were Attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft on 6/8/1943. 

Episode of Humour Muliama Port Moresby aboard NT WATO (Navy tug).

One of the Adelaide Steam Tug Company's biggest jobs was the salvaging of the British passenger cargo ship "Hertford" mined south of Adelaide on the 7`h December 1940. The mine blasted a forty feet hole in the ship, which lost all power and steering. The tugs Wato and Woonda were sent out to help. "She lay like a log with water, deep in No. l and 2 holds drawing 16 ft aft and forty odd feet forward and quite unmanageable. Hertford was eventually towed to Adelaide.

Wato was eventually pressed into service with the Navy and served in the Papua New Guinea campaign 1942. She was berthed alongside Muliama in Port Moresby. NT Wato had the reputation of brewing the best cup of cocoa in the area, (laced with a good drop of jungle juice me thinks). Anyhow, the story goes, some crew members of Muliama were invited aboard Wato to partake of the famous brew. One bloke came up with a piece of toilet paper and the wrapping from a new roll, with the manufacturers name and Melbourne company address on it, and said, "Look, this bum fodder is rough on both sides. let's write to the dickheads in Melbourne and tell them to make it smooth on one side so we can write home on that side, and the rough side used for the purpose intended. This was duly accomplished and posted to the manager of said company, requesting the alteration be made to the toilet rolls one side smooth for the use of writing home on, one side rough for intended uses. The reply was received, typed by the manager's secretary - a female. "Your correspondence received. Your request attended to. Future toilet paper to be smooth on one side for correspondence home, rough on the reverse for intended uses. The management wishes to inform you that all future toilet rolls will now be manufactured a half an inch wider, to allow for the rolling of your vessel and your aim more accurate. Thanking you. Yours faithfully, etc, etc " as told by George Schultz, Radio Officer, MV Muliama.