Fire at Sea

HMAS Moresby escorting SS Wang Lee on to anchorage on the north coast of NSW in October 1942. While in a north bound convoy from Sydney, the "Wang Lee On", fully laden with valuable war material, catches fire. Unable to control the fire, the ship's master requests permission from the convoy commodore to proceed to the nearest point of shelter on the coast. Permission is flashed back and "Moresby" as senior escort ship signals the two other naval units to comtinue. "Moresby" leads "Wang Lee On" to Crowdy Bay and as both ships anchor in the big, exposed bay, a working party is put aboard the merchant ships. Though the decks were now becomming red hot and quantities of petrol were in danger of exploding, the naval party worked and finally succeeded in subduing the fire and saving a valuable ship and cargo.