The Argus (Melbourne) Thursday 30 March, 1911.
The story told by a settler at Ayr of
having heard a whistle and an
explosion is discredited by Mr.
Wareham, the Brisbane manager
of the Adelaide Steamship Company,
he states that the Grantala was also
in the vicinity at the time, and that
those on board would have been
sure to have known of it.
Knowing the position of the Yongala wreck this is a both fascinating and tragic account. The 'whistle' and 'explosion' suggest that crew on the Yongala sent up at least one distress signal. Distress socket signals were associated with an explosive sound as the white roman-candle type stars were released into the sky above the foundering vessel. Grantala was tucked away in Bowling Green Bay and there were no other vessels in the vicinity to respond to the plea for help.
It does seem strange that those on Grantala did not hear anything, being closer to the wreck site, unless a lifeboat got away from Yongala and drifted further down the coast before succumbing to the elements.
explosion is discredited by Mr.
Wareham, the Brisbane manager
of the Adelaide Steamship Company,
he states that the Grantala was also
in the vicinity at the time, and that
those on board would have been
sure to have known of it.
Knowing the position of the Yongala wreck this is a both fascinating and tragic account. The 'whistle' and 'explosion' suggest that crew on the Yongala sent up at least one distress signal. Distress socket signals were associated with an explosive sound as the white roman-candle type stars were released into the sky above the foundering vessel. Grantala was tucked away in Bowling Green Bay and there were no other vessels in the vicinity to respond to the plea for help.
It does seem strange that those on Grantala did not hear anything, being closer to the wreck site, unless a lifeboat got away from Yongala and drifted further down the coast before succumbing to the elements.
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| an artist's impression of distress signals - Titanic. |
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