14[Storm on N.W. Coast - Ships 'Crown of England' and 'Concordia' wrecked, Western Australia Police Department, State Records Office of Western Australia. Cons 430 Item 1912/1727, "The Shipping Disaster at Depuch Island", Police report, F.H. Growden, P.C., Whim Creek, 4th April 1912]

...

I beg to report that during a terrific gale on the morning of the 22nd ulto., the Norwegian Barque Concordia and the Norwegian Ship Crown of England, which for sometime had been receiving bulk Copper ore from Whim Well Copper Mines, at Depuch Island, parted with their anchors and were driven on to Depuch Island.

The Crown of England, under the command of Captain Martin Olsen, after parting with her three anchors, was driven on to a rocky point on the Northern shore of Depuch Island at 2 A. M.

There was over a thousand tons of ore in the holds, and in a marvellously short space of time from striking she was simply smashed to pieces on the rocks and the crew precipitated into the sea, eight of them losing their lives. Some idea of the violence of wind and water may be gained from the remarkable escape of the first mate Mathias Holst who was carried over the starboard bow by a tremendous wave into the raging sea, only to be caught by a second wave and hurled back clean over the top of the doomed vessel, and dropping into the water on the other side was caught up again by a wave which landed him high on the rocks of Depuch, and from where he made good his escape. Captain Olsen estimates the velocity of the wind at fully a hundred miles an hour.

The barque Concordia under the command of Captain O.E. Ericksen, containing about 1500 tons of ore, parted with three anchors and was driven ashore at 3 A.M. on a sandy beach on Depuch, in close proximity to the Crown of England, and striking the bottom remained firm and fast. No lives were lost in this vessel.

The Whim Well Copper Mining Company's schooner Enterprise and lighters Clyo and Steady were also driven ashore on Depuch Island during the same night.

The Enterprise went ashore at 4pm on 21st with crew and two passengers. All these men succeeded in getting safely to land by the aid of a lifeline, which was taken ashore by one of the crew under tremendous dangers and difficulties. By daylight next morning the Enterprise had been smashed to matchwood on the rocks where she struck.

The lighter Steady went ashore about 7 P.M. on the sandy beach close to the spot where the Concordia grounded. This boat had on board a good many passenger including several witnesses in the case Rex V Seleno and Cappelli, who were awaiting the arrival of the S. S. Bullarra to secure passages to Roebourne and elsewhere. All hands got safely to land.

The lighter Clyo sunk in shallow water close to the spot where the Steady went ashore, at about 9 P.m. and all hands took to the riggings, clinging on until most of them were either exhausted or injured by flying ropes and spars and dropped into the water. Four men lost their lives off this boat.

During the same night a pearling lugger named Clara foundered on the Southern side of Depuch Island. One of her crew of six Japanese and one Malay, was lost, the others got ashore on the mainland after about four hours in the water.

The names of the survivors and deceased of each boat are as per attached lists.

On the day of the 22nd, eleven bodies were picked up on the shore of Depuch Island. They were terribly battered about and almost completely divested of clothing.

The Clyo victims included Thomas James Hill, Licensee, Federal Hotel, Whim Creek, who was on his way to Roebourne to attend the Supreme Court sitting; Edward Peter Maginnis, Master Mariner and Wharfinger in charge at Balla Balla; Robert McGregor Thompson, Mining Engineer, W.W.C. Mines had only recently arrived. And one Greek sailor named John Pitsikas. These bodies, with the exception of R.M. Thompson, which has not been recovered, were removed to Balla Balla and were there buried with two victims from the Crown of England, Christian Plavis Andriasen and Hans Gron by order of Mr. H.R. Sleeman J.P.

Six of the Crown of England victims were buried on Depuch Island by Captain O.E. Eriksen of Barque Concordia and Capt. Martin Olsen of Ship Crown of England, without Coroners Order of Burial, owing to the advance state of decomposed state of the bodies.

Namely--

Karl John Johannesen.

Evar Floden.

Olaf Sevaldsen.

J.E. Janssen.

Hall Newton.

Karl Gron.

Constable Cussack, Dr. Shelmerdine and myself arrived at Depuch Island from Cossack with the Police Cutter. We anchored along side the stranded Barque Concordia and went aboard, finding all well.

The following morning we inspected the graves of the deceased sailors, and also made a fruitless search for the missing body. The masts of the Lighter were visible and at low tide Const. Cussack and I boarded her and searched the holds but found no traces of body. The boat was badly smashed about from the violence of the water. Her decks had been carried away, canvas blown to peices[sic], and riggings dashed to peices, in fact, she is a complete wreck, yet did not touch the rocks.

The Steady was high and dry upon the shore about fifty yards above usual high water mark, and apparently badly damaged.

The schooner Enterprise was piled up on the rocks like a heap of firewood.

The Ship Crown of England had evidently struck one of the most rugged points on the Island and was lying there just a mass of shattered timber and iron, being torn and twisted and smashed to atoms.

The barque Concordia was standing in about two feet of water at low tide, and was badly buckled and bent about keel and rudder, having evidently come into contact with some rocks, she had also lost all her anchors.

The following survivors were then taken aboard the Police Cutter and place ashore at Balla.

Rupert Love. William Kelleher. William Chapman. Charles Turner.

Thomas Graham. Asala Khan. George Nagel. Charles Kruger.

Torolf Aslesen. Charles Marshall. Michael Sheehan.

On arrival at Balla Balla it was ascertained that a Pearling Lugger had been wrecked on the Southern side of Depuch during the gale, namely Clara, and that two of the crew, Nagga Nitsia and Yama Coca, had reached Balla.

We at once secured these two Japanese and proceeded in search of the remainder of the crew. At 6 P.M. that evening we picked up three survivors from the lugger Clara about eight miles from Balla Balla. They were Japanese, who, had succeeded in getting ashore on the mainland, and after wandering about for two days without food had picked up a dinghy and rowed toward Depuch. They had not a stitch of clothing and were rowing with the aid of deal boards.

Constable Cussack took these men back to Balla while I proceeded in search of the one who was still missing, in company with a beachcomber named Fisher who had accompanied us with his boat.

Fisher and I searched the mainshore between Moor and Depuch Island and Moor and Sherlock Island, also the Island as well. Wreckage from the Lugger Clara was found on the shore near Sherlock Island, also the Island as well, but no trace of the missing Japanese sailor, and it is presumed that he sunk with the lugger, as he refused to put on a lifebelt, and remained below, and it is said by the survivors, went down when the vessel foundered.

The five Japanese suvivors[sic] from the lugger Clara were eventually put on board a lugger for Hedland. The sixth, a Malay reached Roebourne per foot.

The survivors from Ship Crown of England had been landed at Balla Balla on the 23rd. and were safely housed and cared for.

...

The only personal effects that were saved were those of Thomas J. Hill, R. M. Thompson and E. P. Maginnis. These were handed over to the Father, Brother and Widow, respectively.

There were no effects belonging to any of the dead off Crown of England, all bodies being practically naked when found.

...

[signed] F. H. Growden

P. C. 735.

[Attachment: Survivors and Fatalities]

Crown of England

Survivors.

Martin Olsen, Captain,

Matthias Holst, First Mate

Hans Bredisen, A.B.

Albert Sander, A.B.

Frederik Matson, A.B.

Oscar Kolenen, A.B.

Emile Kymmalinen, A.B.

Torolf Allesen

Jerge Randen, A.B.

Torbjorn Toresen

Fatalities

Christian Plavis Andriasen, II Mate

Hans Gron, Steward

Karl Gron, Cabin Boy.

Karl John Johannesen, A.B.

Evar Flodin, A.B.

Olaf Sevaldsen, A.B.

J. E. Jansson, Sailmaker.

Hall Newton, A.B.

Barque Concordia

Survivors

Ole Edwin Eriksen, Captain.

The Cristopherson, First Mate.

Olaves Andreasen, Sail Maker.

Korpela, Carpenter.

A. E. Anderson, Boatswain

Karl Olsen, Steward.

Karl Nilsen, A.B.

G. Webster, A.B.

Edwin Svensen, A.B.

S. Sevstrom, O.S.

A. Madsen, A.B.

James Byron, O.S.

Felix Arviller, O.S.

Werner Kray, O.S.

Matthias Myrset, O.S.

Charles Marshall, Engine Driver.

Fatalities

nil.

Schooner - Enterprise

Survivors.

Nicholas Pappastatis, Skipper.

Angelo Peter, Sailor

Nicholas Angelo, Sailor

John Salakas, Sailor

John Scordese, Sailor

Isaac Timmins, Passenger

Asala Khan, Passenger

Fatalities

nil.

Lighter Clyo

Survivors

Con Celezis, Skipper.

George Carlos, Sailor

Dimmitris Chandros, Sailor

Fatalities

Edward Peter Maginnis, Wharfinger.

Thomas James Hill, Licensee

Robert McGregor Thompson, Mining Engineer

John Pitsikas, Sailor

Lighter Steady

Survivors

Harold Olsen, Sailor

Karl Larson, Sailor

Nels Nelsen, Sailor

Rupert Love, Passenger.

William Kelleher, Passenger

William Chapman, Passenger

Charles Turner, Passenger

Thomas Graham, Passenger

George Nagel, Passenger

Charles Kruger, Passenger

Michael Sheehan, Passenger

Fatalities

nil.

Lugger Clara

Survivors

Nagga Nitsia, Diver

Hanga Warra, Sailor

Yama Cooa, Sailor

Soa Yooa, Sailor

Sa Sahki, Sailor

Fatalities

Shi Raata, Sailor.