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Passenger Ship / Cargo 1,618 Tons 83.21m x 11.29m x ? |
Ship History Built by Napier & Miller Ltd. in Glasgow, Scotland during 1900. Purchased by Mersey Steam Shipping Co. Ltd. Named SS Zweena and registered in Liverpool, England. During 1909, sold to Burns, Philp & Co. Ltd. and renamed SS Matunga and registered in Australia and operated as a passenger and cargo vessel in Australia and New Guinea. During October 1914, SS Matunga was the first commercial vessel to enter Madang Harbor after Madang was occupied by the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF). During August 1917 bound for Rabaul under the command of Captain Alex Donaldson loaded with 500 tons of coal and a month's supply of liquor. When 300 miles away, she radioed her expected time of arrival. This radio message was intercepted by German Raider SMS Wolf (Wolf IV) disguised as a steamer stalked the vessel. Capture On August 6, 1917 while at sea roughly 300 miles east of Riche Island, SMS Wolf fired a warning shot across her bow and SS Matunga surrendered the vessel with forty-six crew and passengers without resistance who became Prisoners Of War (POWs). Afterwards, SMS Wolf and the captured vessel steamed westward for a week until reaching Fofak Harbor (Offak Harbor) on Waigeo Island where 500 tons of coal and liquor were transferred onto SMS Wolf. Sinking History On August 26, 1917 explosive charges were placed in the hull with a fuse and the vessel was scuttled and sank a few miles out to sea to the north of Waigeo Island. Search Meanwhile, when SS Matunga failed to arrive at Rabaul, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) including HMAS Encounter searched for the missing ship unaware it had been captured. SS Matunga remained missing until in November 1918 when World War I ended. References WreckSite SS Matunga Passengers In History - Matunga Contribute
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