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| U.S. Army Seine Trawler Unknown Tons 48' x 14' 6" Unknown  U.S. Army 1942 |
Ship History Willyama Two (Willyama II) was a wooden Seine Trawler (double ended) fishing vessel built in Berry's Bay inside Sydney Harbor and completed in 1941 with a 44 hp Kelyln diesel engine with a single screw. The skipper and part owner was Ralph E. Andrews. Willyama Two was a fishing vessel based at Eden, NSW. Wartime History During 1942, impressed into service by the Australian Government and was ordered to Sydney. Assigned to the U.S. Army, Small Ships Section. Services of Supply, Southwest Pacific Area (USA SOS SWPA). After being refit for military servie, loaded with Army supplies and departed Sydney as one of six small ships that sailed northward to Port Moresby then to the north coast of New Guinea in support of the Allied logistics for operations against Buna. On November 17, 1942 off the north coast of New Guinea, attacked by Japanese planes that damaged the ship and was run aground at Menderopu to prevent it from sinking. Afterwards, the beached ship listing to starboard was photographed. On January 3, 1943 this photograph was released by International News Service (INS) with the caption: "Jap's score a little one - New Guinea... American soldiers are shown one of our small ships which was beached after an attack by Jap planes. Jap stories probably made this ship look like a transport of large size but small enemy triumphs such as this have not added to a large enough score to represent even a stop-gap against the American and Aussie onslaughts." Later, towed to Milne Bay and repaired. At the end of the Pacific War, offered for sale as by the Commonwealth Disposals Commission and was sold. Willyama Two was registered until 1949. Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. References Trove - The Telegraph May 31, 1945 page 5 "Tenders - Commonwealth Disposals Commission, Department of the Navy - Willyama Two: Seine Trawler Type (double ended), built 1941, length 48ft., beam 14ft. 6in. One 44 h.p. Kelyln diesel engine" Trove - The Mercury June 2, 1945, page 19 "Tenders - Commonwealth Disposals Commission, Department of the Navy - Willyama Two: Seine Trawler Type (double ended), built 1941, length 48ft., beam 14ft. 6in. One 44 h.p. Kelyln diesel engine." List of Sydney Boat Builders and Ship Builders from the Register of Australian and New Zealand Vessels by Mori Flapan Forgotten Fleet 2 mentions Willyama Two Rag Tag Fleet mentions Willyama II Radio Adelaide "Isabel Andrews, Widow of WW2 Small Ships Veteran Ralph Andrews: Remembering Ralph" August 12, 2019 [audio interview] Thanks to Edward Rogers for research and analysis Contribute
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