This is a listing of some of the support craft associated with Spectacle Island during its life as an explosives depot. It was compiled in January 1988 by Robert Curran and John (Jack) Hampson (well-known as the "Little Admiral"), the then Master of TB9 Sardius, the 45 foot tugboat used at the Island and the pride of its support craft fleet).
Cartoons of TB9 are shown on this page courtesy of the artist, Mark Mobley. They were drawn in 1979-80 when Mark, a Constable in the Naval Police was stationed at Spectacle Island.
Further information and photographs of some of the craft mentioned on this page are contained in: Ross Gillett Australian & New Zealand Warships 1914 - 1945 Doubleday, 1983
A1
Skiff 12ft used at Newington wharf. In service 6/46. Condemned 10/52.
255
"Ditty Box" Motor dinghy 16ft. Acquired 1950. In service 1/64.
282
Dinghy. Acquired 1957.
205
Dinghy I0ft. In service 5/53. Returned 1957.
295
"Ditty Box" Motor skiff 16ft. In service 6/48. Returned 7/50. Engine CLAE one cylinder petrol; used for recreation by resident officer, Spectacle Island.
524
Skiff 16ft. In service 6/48. Used to service lighters.
884
"Tweenie" ("Tweeny") Motor skiff 16ft. In service 6/48. Engine (1950) Chapman 1 cylinder petrol engine 4" bore 4 1/2HP.
1115
Dinghy 9ft. In service 6/48. Tender to TB9.
1298
Sailing dinghy 12ft Acquired 1950.
257
In service 1/64.
2
Acquired 3/58. Returned 5/59.
10
Acquired 5/59. Returned 9/59.
DR653
Motor dory 26ft. Acquired 9/59. In service 1/64.
TB9
"Sardius" 45ft tow boat. constructed by Brooks Robinson and completed 10/45. In service 6/46, 12/87. Standard displacement 30 tons. L.45.8' B.15.2' D.6.0'. Engine (original) Hercules DNX6 270HP diesel. Speed 8 knots. Range 500 miles.
Steam-Launch "Sea Breeze"
In service at Goat Island 1876
Master Samuel Small, Engine Driver Thomas Crowley
191
"Ruby" Motor boat cargo carrying with derrick 45ft. Constructed about 1940. Returned 10/58. Engine (1946) Gardnet 5L2 diesel. L.46'5" B.6'9" D.4'9 1/2"
195
"Telopea" Acquired 1956 from REVY. Returned 1957.
308
"Garnet" Passenger launch full cabin 39ft. Constructed about 1914. Returned 10/53 (towed from Spectacle Island to Rydalmere Depot by MB Amethyst on 1/10/53 and laid to rest in preparation for sale.) Engine (1946) Thornycroft RD4 petrol 40HP. L.39' B.7'4" D.3'3" Used for VIPs and senior staff.
601
"Onyx" Motor boat. Constructed about 1921. In service 2/46. L.45' B.10'6" D.4'6" Engine (1946) Ailsa Craig diesel 4 cyl.
2601
Fibreglass workboat 25'. Acquired 6/65. Returned 8/71. Constructed in UK.
317
"Jasper" Fast motor boat 25ft. Constructed about 1940. Engine (I946) St Lawrence Ford V8. L.25' B.6'9" D.1'11 1/2"(aft). Returned 4/64.
373
"Beryl" Cargo carrying launch with derrick 46ft. Constructed by Holmes yard Lavender Bay; acquired 7/43. Returned 2/59. Engine (1946) Gray diesel 3 cyl. L.46'5" B.10'9" D.4'9 1/2".
Constructed during WW2; L.40' B.12.5' D.4.6'
AWB404
"Topaz" In service 12/87.
AWB416
"Onyx" In service 12/87.
AWB4I9
Returned 1956 (ex loan from REVY).
AWB420
"Amethyst" In service 12/87. Original no. AM1635 fitted with Cadillac V8 petrol engine
AWB444
"Garnet" Acquired 7/58. Returned 12/62.
1
Lighter steel ammunition 100 ton. In service 6/46, 6/29. Sold 1959. L.90' B.19' D.9'. This is probably one of the lighters constructed at Cockatoo Island during WW1.
2
Lighter steel ammunition 50 ton. Probably constructed prior to 6/29. Returned 2/58. L.55' B.16' D.7'
3
Lighter steel ammunition 30 ton. Probably constructed prior to 6/29 by GID. Returned 5/72. L.45' B.14'6" D.6'
4
Lighter wood ammunition 10 ton. Constructed about 1927. Returned 1/47. L.36' B.9'9" D. 3'10 1/2"
5
Lighter type unknown 50 ton. Probably this is one of two lighters constructed at GID about 1936. Forwarded to operational area early in WW2
6
Lighter steel ammunition 50 ton. Probably this is one of two lighters constructed at GID about 1936. Acquired 10/36. Sold 1959. L.55' B.16' D.7'2"
7
Lighter steel ammunition 75 ton. Acquired ex construction GID. Sold 1959. L.66' B.17' D.7'8"
8
Lighter type unknown 120 ton. Forwarded to operational area early in WW2.
9
Acquired 6/42 ex GID. Returned 11/53. L.59' B.25' D.7'6"
10
Acquired 7/42 ex Holmes yard. Returned 3/59. L.58' B.22' D.7'
11
Acquired 7/42 ex Pritchard's yard. Sold 3/59. L.59'6" B.23' D.6'10"
12
Acquired 7/42 ex Adam's yard. Sold 3/59. L.59' B.22'6" D.7'
13
Acquired 7/42 ex W.Ford yard. Sold 3/59. L.59'8" B.22' D.7'
14
Acquired 7/42 ex Hayes yard. Sold 3/59. L.59'2" B.23' D.7'
15
Acquired 8/42 ex Woodley's yard. Broken up and burnt 1953. L.59' B.22'7" D.7'5"
16
Acquired 9/42 ex Adam's yard. sold 3/59
L.59' B.23' D.7'
(L.55' B.16' D.7')
CAL501
Acquired 1/43 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co. Tasmania. In service 12/87.
CAL503
Acquired 3/43 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co. Tasmania. In service 12/87.
CAL504
Acquired 1/43 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co. Tasmania. In service 12/87.
CAL508
Acquired 6/44 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co. Tasmania. In service 12/87.
(L.90' B.19' D.9')
CAL101
Acquired 11/43 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. In service 12/87
CAL102
Acquired 3/44 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. In service 12/87.
(L.107' B.25'6" D.9'6")
CAL201
Acquired 12/43 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. In service 12/87.
CAL202
Acquired 1/44 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. In service 12/87.
CAL203
Acquired 4/44 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. In service 12/87.
CAL204
Acquired 5/44 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. In service 12/87.
CAL 205
Acquired 8/44 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. In service 12/87.
CAL206
Acquired 8/44 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. Returned for disposal 1/71.
CAL207
Acquired 10/44 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. Transferred to Diving section Rushcutters Bay 12/54.
CAL208
Acquired 11/44 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. In service 12/87.
CAL209
Acquired 1/45 ex Timms Bridge Construction Co, Tasmania. In service 12/87.
(Constructed during WW2 for use in forward areas; cutter design with small hold - self-propelled. (Ford Prefect 4. cylinder engine)
WAL302
"Silver Water". Received 1/46 ex HMAS Birchgrove Park. Returned 8/56.
WAL303
"Silver Bullet". Received 1/46 ex HMAS Birchgrove Park. Returned 8/56.
WAL304
"Silver Spear". Received 1/46 ex HMAS Birchgrove Park. Returned 8/56.
(L.63' B.18'6" D.5')
MWT BI
Acquired 9/45 ex RN Pool. Returned 1/79.
MWT B2
Acquired 9/45 ex RN Pool. Returned 8/79.
LUL501
Acquired 5/53 ex REVY. Returned 8/79
LUL502
Returned 2/58.
LUL507
Acquired 10/45 ex GI. Returned 8/79. L.26' B.14' D.6'3".
(Constructed during WW2. L.36'6" B.18' D.4'6")
SSL560
Acquired 8/45 ex MA GI. In service 3/59.
SSL562
Acquired 7/45 ex MA GI. Transferred to Swan Island 1950.
(Constructed during WW2 - non-self propelled derrick lighters L.35'3" B.1384". D.3')
SB170
Received 6/45 ex Rydalmere. Returned 11/50. Engine Ronaldson Teppets 1 cyl. petrol 3 HP.
SB375
Received 6/45 ex Rydalmere. Condemned 1953. Engine as SB170.
SB525
Received 6/45 ex Rydalmere. In service 6/46. Engine as SB170.
SB530
Received 7/45 ex RN Pool Blackwattle Bay. In service 6/46. Engine Rosebery 1 cyl. petrol 3 HP.
SB551
Received 6/45 ex Rydalmere. In service 6/46. Engine Moffat Virtue 1 cyl. petrol 3 HP.
SB592
In service 6/46. Returned 5/60. Engine as SB170.
SB579
Received 6/45 ex Rydalmere. In service 6/46.
Engine as SB551.
SB596
Received 7/45 ex RN Pool Blackwattle Bay. In service 6/46. Engine as SB530.
SB602
Received 7/45 ex RN Pool Blackwattle Bay. Returned 11/53.Engine as SB530.
SB686
Received 7/45 ex RN Pool Blackwattle Bay. In service 6/46. Engine as SB530.
SB693
Received 7/45 ex RN Pool Blackwattle Bay. Returned 5/60. Engine as SB530.
SB768
Received 6/45 ex Rydalmere. Returned 11/50. Engine as SB170.
(Constructed during WW2. L.39'6" B.23'6" D.4'9")
1297
In service 6/46 (being handed over to RN). Returned 9/46.
1300
In service 6/46 (being handed over to RN). Returned 9/46.
AB1302
Received 2/45. Returned 4/72.
1303
In service 6/46. Returned 3/49 (for transfer to Swan Is.)
(Constructed during WW2. L.80' B.23'9" D.7'9")
AB1283
Received 2/45. In service 12/87.
AB2262
Received 8/46 (on loan from RN pool. In service 12/87.
AB2263
Received 8/46 (on loan from RN pool). In service 12/87.
(All constructed by E.M. Moore of Newport at a site in
Blackwattle Bay)
CAL5010
Received 5/73. In service 12/87.
CAL5011
Received 9/73. In service 12/87.
CAL5012
Received 11/73. In service 12/87.
(All constructed by E.M. Moore of Newport at a site in
Blackwattle Bay)
CAL10010
Received 8/73. In service 12/87.
CAL10011
Received 9/73.In service 12/87.
CAL10012
Received 10/73. In service 12/87.
CAL10013
Received 12/73. In service 12/87.
CAL10014
Received 1/74. In service 12/87.
CAL10015
Received 3/74. In service 12/87.
(Information compiled in January 1988 by R. Curran and J. Hampson)
