Arguably one of the best-known ships wrecked on the Illawarra coast was neither local nor engaged in any trade. Rather, it was a tanker delivering wartime fuel supplies, the SS Cities Service Boston, which was forced aground at Bass Point during World War Two. All the crew were saved, but sadly, four of the rescuers were lost.
Courtesy Australian War Memorial
On a stormy night on 16 May 1943, the 9,000 ton US tanker was part of a convoy travelling up the Illawarra coast, close inshore because of fears of Japanese submarines lurking in those waters. Caught in the storm, the Boston hit an offshore reef. To avoid having the ship break up in deep water, the ship was run aground at full power, leaving its 62 crewmen stranded well off the beach.
(Courtesy of Shellharbour City Library)
Local defence forces were called in to assist and carried out a daring rescue of all crewmen, swimming out to sea with ropes. During the rescue a huge wave swept away ten soldiers and seamen – of whom four lost their lives. All four were from the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, Australian Infantry Forces. A memorial is maintained at the site to commemorate their bravery.
Courtesy Monuments Australia
In all, the relatively short length of the Illawarra coastline has been responsible for more than its share of losses of men and ships. While Japanese submarines were known to be active along the NSW coast during World War 2, the Cities Service Boston is the only military vessel known to have been lost on this coastline over that time – the nature of the many other vessels lost at other times being reflective of the industries of the region.