HMASKuttabul(ship)

This article is about the former ferry and naval ship. For the current naval base, seeHMAS Kuttabul (naval base).

Kuttabulas built. 1922
History
Australia
Name	Kuttabul
Namesake	Aboriginal word meaningwonderful
Owner	Sydney Ferries Limited
Port of registry	Sydney
Route	Circular Quay-Milsons Point
Builder	Walsh Island Dockyard and Engineering Works,Newcastle
Yard number	54
In service	1922
Out of service	1940
Australia
Name	HMASKuttabul
Owner	Royal Australian Navy
Acquired	7 November 1940
Commissioned	26 February 1941
Identification	O/N 150185
Fate	Sunk 1 June 1942
General characteristics
Type	Harbour ferry
Tonnage	447GRT
Length	183 ft (56 m)
Beam	36.9 ft (11.2 m)
Capacity	2,250

HMASKuttabul,formerlySS Kuttabul,was aRoyal Australian Navydepot ship,converted from aSydney Ferries Limitedferry.

Kuttabuland her identical sistership,Koompartoo,were the largest and lastK-class ferriesbuilt.Kuttabulhad the highest passenger carrying capacity of any ferry on Sydney Harbour and was ordered for the crowdedMilsons PointtoCircular Quayroute.

During the Japanese midget submarineattack on Sydney Harbouron 31 May 1942,Kuttabulwas sunk, with 21 naval personnel aboard.

Design and construction

Kuttabulbeing fitted out atWalsh Island Dockyard and Engineering Works,1922

To service the booming population growth on the North Shore prior to the construction of a bridge connection,Sydney Ferries Limitedordered the largest, and what would be the last, "K-class"ferries. They wereKuttabulandKoompartoo,steam-powered ferries, built in 1922 by theWalsh Island Dockyard and Engineering WorksinNewcastle.Similar in size to Manly ferries, they were rated at 448 gross and 201 net register tons (1269 and 569 m³), and were 183 feet (56 m) long, with a beam of 36 feet (11 m). They were the largest ferries ever operated on the inner harbour ferry routes, thoughKuttabulhad a larger passenger capacity (2,250) thanKoompartoo(2,089). Their passenger capacity was the largest ever of any ferry on Sydney Harbour, exceeding even the largest Manly ferries by 500 passengers, a record that has not been beaten by any subsequent ferry.

Both ferries were of steel construction with a wooden superstructure.Both vessels were constructed with 18 watertight compartments, regarded as being unsinkable and therefore were not required to carry life-saving equipment.

Sydney Ferries

Kuttabulas aSydney Ferries LimitedK-class steamer

KuttabulandKoompartoohad been ordered specifically for the short heavy lift commuter link across the harbour betweenCircular QuayandMilsons Point,a route that was approximately aligned with the location of the pendingSydney Harbour Bridge.Prior to the opening of the bridge, peak hour ferries were leaving either side of the harbour at the rate of one fully loaded vessel every six minutes. Supporting the large steel hulled twins, were usually the timber "K-class"Kuramia(1914),Kai Kai,andKulgoa.

With the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932, the route became redundant.KuttabulandKoompartoowere considered too big to be used on other routes and were laid up, but were later made available for tourist cruises on the harbour.The Milsons Point wharf used by these ferries is now part ofLuna Park.

Royal Australian Navy and sinking

Kuttabulafter sinking

After the outbreak ofWorld War II,Kuttabulwas requisitioned by theRoyal Australian Navyon 7 November 1940, and moored at theGarden Island naval baseto provide accommodation for Allied naval personnel while they awaited transfer to their ships.

On the night of 31 May/1 June 1942, threeKo-hyotekiclass midget submarinesof theImperial Japanese Navyentered Sydney Harbour with the intention ofattacking Allied warships.According to the official account, only one of the submarines, designatedM-24,was able to fire her torpedoes, but both missed their intended target: the heavy cruiserUSSChicago.The torpedoes, fired around 00:30, continued on to Garden Island: one ran aground harmlessly, but the other hit the breakwater against whichKuttabuland the Dutch submarineK-IXwere moored.

The attack killed 19Royal Australian Navyand twoRoyal Navysailors asleep aboard the ferry, and wounded another 10.It took several days for the bodies of the dead sailors to be recovered, with a burial ceremony held on 3 June.One of the ferry's wheelhouses was salvaged and used as a naval police guardhouse at the Garden Island naval base;the base was commissioned on 1 January 1943 as thestone frigateHMASKuttabulin commemoration of the ferry and the lives lost.The wheelhouse later came into the possession of theAustralian War Memorial,and is on display alongside a composite submarine built from the wreckage of two of the Japanese midget submarines.

Chronological gallery

• 
  In her original as-built livery of varnished timber, grey hull, black funnel, and white trim
• 
  As an excursion boat in 1937 following her 1932 removal from regular ferry service
• 
  In her new post-Sydney Harbour Bridge colours, 1930s

See also

• List of Sydney Harbour ferries
• Timeline of Sydney Harbour ferries

References

• Carruthers, Steven (2006) [1982].Japanese Submarine Raiders 1942: A maritime mystery(Revised ed.). Narrabeen: Casper Publications.ISBN0-9775063-0-4.
• Elbourne, Sean (Winter 2006)."Wonderful Kuttabul – a long history of service"(PDF).Sea Talk (Winter 2006).Royal Australian Navy. pp. 11–19. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 19 October 2009.Retrieved7 September2008.
• Gregory's Street Directory of Sydney & Suburbs(1st (reprint) ed.). 2006 [1934].
• Grose, Peter (2007).A Very Rude Awakening.Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.ISBN978-1-74175-219-9.
• Jenkins, David (1992).Battle Surface! Japan's Submarine War Against Australia 1942–44.Milsons Point: Random House Australia.ISBN0-09-182638-1.

External links

• Media related toKuttabulat Wikimedia Commons