Site 22: Wreck of Tassie 3 & Tragic Consequences
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The wreck of the Tassie 3 and the tragic consequences that followed
The wreck of the Tassie 3 is located approximately 150 metres directly in front of the Memorial Swimming Pool at Main Beach, Byron Bay.
Built in 1937 by the Robinson Brothers as a river barge to be used on the Huan river in Tasmania, the Tassie 3 was never meant to go to sea.
In 1942 during the Second World War, the vessel was purchased, refitted and commissioned by the US Navy. It was renamed the S77, and used as a supply ship sailing along the east coast of Australia and New Guinea.
Towards the end of the war on 8th June 1945, while sailing from Brisbane to Sydney carrying a ballast load of 73 tons of condemned ordinances, which were to be dumped at sea, a big storm and rough conditions forced the crew to seek safe shelter in the Byron Bay. It was just on dusk as they laid anchors in front of the car park at Main Beach. The crew then left the ship, reportedly to seek refreshments at the local Pier Hotel located on the northern corner of Fletcher and Bay Streets, a block away from the present-day Beach Hotel.
During the storm that evening, the Tassie 3 dragged its anchors and washed ashore. However, next morning on high tide, the ship partly refloated and washed onto the old decommissioned and derelict Jetty. The hull of the ship was pierced by several of the old pylons, and it sank with the cargo of explosive ordinances.
At the time, New South Wales Maritime Services officers expressed the view that there was no immediate likelihood of the cargo being exposed or thrown onto the beach and that, for the present, the local police could control the situation. They further stated that steps would be taken to remove any further danger of an explosion in the years hence.
Apparently though, some of the ordinances did wash ashore. One of the smoke bombs was salvaged and collected by a 16-year-old Bruce Graham who reportedly took it home and hid it under his bed.
Some five weeks later on Sunday 15th July, Graham and some of his young mates decided to pull the bomb apart. Many local children gathered around in the backyard to watch. After extracting several lots of gunpowder and lighting them to flare off, the young chap decided to put a match into the shell to burn off the last of the powder which resulted in the bomb exploding. Unfortunately, he was killed immediately. Eleven of the other children sitting in the yard on a slight rise received shrapnel injuries, and most were taken to hospital in Lismore for treatment.
On 18th July 1945, the Northern Star reported in dramatic headlines, “Danger from Other Bombs”. Police officer DC Bateman from Lismore, investigating the explosion, stressed the urgency for the return of any ammunition taken as it remained very danger. It was thought people who had souvenired other flare bombs and ammunition might be afraid and dump them indiscriminately. Bateman asked for warnings to be issued to the schools, and that guards be restored at the wreck.
The next day on the 19th July, the Sydney Morning Herald reported under the head line “Hidden Bombs Feared”, that the local police and community were concerned there may be more ammunition or bombs lying around in the bush and rubbish dumps of Byron Bay. Also, that the police had requested American authorities to provide guards for the Tassy 3 after the tragic accident, as the wreck still contained much ammunition.
With residents complaining that the ship remained a menace and likely to explode, the Commonwealth’s salvage coordinator Captain Herd reported that the ammunition was harmless where it was. It was not possible to forecast danger however, once it was out of the water.
Almost six months later residents’ concerns were still being raised. The Grafton Daily Examiner reported in January 1946 that the “Wreck Ship Is Dangerous”, with the Byron Bay Progress Association drawing attention at its meetings to the danger posed by the Tassie 3. It was claimed that the sand covering the wreck was being washed away, and the cargo too was being washed off the ship.
Salvage operations were to finally commence. After reporting that 80 tons of ammunition was lying off and under the jetty, the Brisbane’s Sunday Mail reported that the wreck was to be refloated and towed away. In February, the Northern Star added that divers were working on the sunken ship.
On the 20th March 1946, salvage ship the Tancred left Brisbane to collect and dump at sea the remaining ammunition from the Tassie 3. Unfortunately, it was only able to berth alongside the jetty and wreck for two days due to prevailing cyclonic conditions. It had lost both of its anchors and was in danger of being wrecked itself.
Captain Heard said his divers, upon inspection found the ship a total wreck. All the bombs, shells, and hand ammunition would be collected and dumped at sea by the Tancred, which subsequently happened, off the coast of Ballina.
In 1947 the old Jetty was demolished and removed as it was regarded as a danger to swimmers. Then, in February 1948, The Northern Star reported that the wrecked ship continued to remain a danger, this time to fishing boats. Byron Shire Council informed the Maritime Services Board, for a second time, that the wreck of the US army small craft S77– Tassie 3, was regarded as a menace to the fishing fleet, and requested that they remove it or pay for Council’s to do so. On 13 March 1948, the Tweed Daily reported that the Maritime Services Board advised that it was not prepared to undertake the cost of the removal of the wreck off Byron Bay’s Main Beach.
Councilor Dening maintained that the wreck was a definite danger to life. Together with Councilor Hatfield, they successfully moved a motion that the shire’s engineer give an estimate of the cost to remove the wreck. It was then decided that the best option was demolition This was partially done by setting explosions and blowing it up.
The shell of the wreck of the Tassie 3 still remains today and is an easy and safe diving spot just 150 meters off the main beach at Byron Bay in approx. 10 meters of water however we should not forget the tragic loss of the life of young Bruce Graham and the injuries of the other young children that occurred as a result of the Tassy 3 wreck in 1945.
A brief audio can be listened to by clicking on the audio link at the top of this page.