Smith, Will
[Passenger list, "KOOMBANA" 37, compiled 02 April 1912, Adelaide Steamship Company. Noel Butlin Archives Centre, Australian National University, 0186/N46/634]
Fremantle-Derby Smith W. [blank]
[Passenger list, "KOOMBANA" 37, compiled 02 April 1912, Adelaide Steamship Company. Noel Butlin Archives Centre, Australian National University, 0186/N46/634]
List of Passengers Booked for Derby.
From Fremantle.
...
Smith William A? Father resides at Gaffney's Creek Victoria.
Nephew of D.J. Ronan, Manager, Napier Downs
Station, Derby.
...
[Ronan, Tom, 1964, Packhorse and Pearling Boat, Cassell Australia, Melbourne, Chapter 2]
CHAPTER TWO
TOM CROTTY’S GREY MARE
...
No lady could be seen, in public, drinking anything stronger than lemon squash, and unless she had some gentleman escort to obtain her drink, she was denied even that. So unless Dad or my cousin Will Smith was with us, we went drinkless. How I envied the older boys who could shin each other up until the rider had his head dangling through the smoke room porthole asking, almost begging:
‘Mister! Mister Please, mister! Can I have the ice out of your drink?’
...
In the calm of the next morning Mum, like the rest of Derby, let local damage lie. Where was the Koombana? Half the station people and a leavening of townsfolk were returning from the south on board her. Dad's nephew, Will Smith, was among them. The telegraph line was down all along the coast. It was days before news came through that the ship had left Port Hedland to find deep water before the worst of the cyclone. And that is almost as much as has ever been discovered. It is one of the most complete sea tragedies in history.
It was when word came through that the search for the Koombana had been abandoned that I first saw my mother in tears. Will Smith was no blood kin of hers, but he was the sort of lad who won the hearts of everyone, from children like Trix and me to toughened old bush battlers of the sort who worked with him on Napier. I can remember him as being tall and dark-eyed, with the assurance of a man and the gusto of a boy. Seldom as we saw him, our little world seemed smaller when we knew he had gone from it forever."
["The Passengers", The West Australian, Wednesday 03 April 1912, page 7]
FOR DERBY.
Saloon.
...
Mr. W. Smith.
...
["The Koombana", The West Australian, Friday 12 April 1912, page 7]
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THE PASSENGER LIST.
The Adelaide S.S. Company advises the following additions to the passenger list of the Koombana:--H. Bates, steerage, for Broome, and Geo. H. Lawrence, a shearer, whose wife resides at Woodlupine, for Derby, both of whom booked on board. Of the others known to be on the vessel, W. Smith, a passenger for Broome, had been residing in Bagot-road, Subiaco; Gilbert Bailey, for Broome, had two brothers in Somersetshire, England. and had friends at Maylands; and W. Smith, a passenger for Derby had a father residing at Gaffneys' Creek, Victoria. Mr. A. S. Tayler, who was amongst the unfortunate Koombana's passenger, was well known in the Gingin district, having worked for Mr. G. J. Gooch. Mr. Taylor was a native of Berkshire, England, and landed at Fremantle in November last by the s.s. Uganda. He wis proceeding to Derby under engagement to Mr. Piper.
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["In Memoriam", The Argus (Melbourne), Monday 22 March 1915, page 1]
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SMITH.--In sad and loving memory of William (Will) who was lost off Port Headland
in the wreck of the Koombana 21st March 1912. Rest in peace.
--(Inserted by his sorrowing parents and brothers.)
...
