| Accession Number | S05254 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Sound |
| Object type | Oral history |
| Physical description | 1/4 inch sound tape reel; AMPEX 456; 7 1/2 ips/19 cm.s; stereo; 7 inch |
| Maker |
Darmody, Louise |
| Date made | 5 August 1992 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: AWM Licensed copyright |
| Copying Provisions | Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction. |
Len Henderson, Dudley Thrift, William 'Billy' Griffin, Frederick Darmody, Harold Howes and Stanley Williams interviewed by Louise Darmody regarding the events of 8 August 1942 when RAAF Short S23 Empire Flying Boat A18-11 crashed and sank whilst attempting to rescue survivors of a Japanese submarine attack on the MV Mamutu
Description
MV Mamutu was near Daru, New Guinea on 7 August 1942 when the vessel was shelled by Japanese submarine RO-33 and sank with the loss of 114 lives. Empire Flying Boat A18-11 was deployed on 8 August 1942 to rescue the survivors, however sustained damage on landing and sank, killing one crew member Rigger George Edwards. The remaining crew deployed inflatable life rafts and were joined by Mamutu survivor Billy Griffin who swam several hundred metres through rough water from the wreckage of a Mamutu lifeboat. They landed near the Fly River on 10 August, made their way on foot to Kikiri, and arrived by lugger in Port Moresby on 28 August 1942.
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Listen to
Len Henderson, Dudley Thrift, William 'Billy' Griffin, Frederick Darmody, Harold Howes and Stanley Williams interviewed by Louise Darmody regarding the events of 8 August 1942 when RAAF Short S23 Empire Flying Boat A18-11 crashed and sank whilst attempting to rescue survivors of a Japanese submarine attack on the MV Mamutu