mv Nimbin

North Coast Steam Navigation Company

Sydney, Australia

Built at Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1927 by Beumeister and Wain

length 214.99 ft, beam 34.97 ft and depth was 11 ft ,

1052 GRT

Diesel, 6 cylinder, horsepower: 1000

The Australian Freighter "mvNimbin", 1052 tons, was sunk about 8 miles off Norah Head, New South Wales (10 miles east of Bird Island) after hitting a German Mine at 3:20pm on the 5 December 1940 with the loss of 7 lives. It is believed that this mine had been laid by the German Commerce Raider "Pinguin". " Nimbin" had left Coff's Harbour jetty on 4 December 1940 on its way to Sydney, with a cargo of three-ply timber packed in bundles and a load of pigs.

For an account of the sinking I refer to her chief engineer, Mr. Kennedy who said in a newspaper of the day:- "The explosion occurred about 3.25 p.m. It was deafening — terrific. I shall never forget it. Apparently it blew about a third of the ship into small parts. We sank in three minutes. There was no warning and no time to give orders — it was just every man for himself. The captain was in his cabin and the third mate was on the bridge. One of the engineers and a greaser were probably blown to bits. I was in the mess room, but before I knew what had happened I found myself floundering in the water. Most of us were clad only in singlet and trousers, but the water was not cold.

Fortunately a smooth sea was running, and we clung to wreckage. The vessel was carrying a full cargo, including many tons of three-ply, made up in bundles, and these made excellent rafts. We had a large number of pigs on board and they swam round our rafts squealing with terror. Some of them tried to get on the rafts, but overbalanced and slipped off. I did not see any of the missing men. Poor chaps, they must have all been so seriously hurt that they could not make any effort to save themselves. We kept an eye on one another while we floated on the rafts, but each man seemed to be comfortable while awaiting rescue," he said. "We knew that it was only just a matter of time when a vessel would be sent out to rescue us.

Shortly after the explosion we were sighted by a land plane and a little later by a seaplane. The pilot of the seaplane landed on the water and signalled to us. He then flew off towards the land. "We remained on the rafts about two and a half hours, when we were sighted by a vessel which made towards us. She came within 100 feet of us. She lowered boats, and took us on board. She brought us on to Sydney."

Nimbin was first Australian registered merchant ship to be lost during the Second World War.

Lost crew members

Master - William James Bysantson

Chief Officer - Charles George Chapman

Third Engineer - Archibald McAllister

Donkeyman - Ernest Wilfred Carlson

Able Seaman - William Gorry

Greaser - Nils Hulton

Wiper - Ernest Walter Hallett

Injured crew members

Boatswain - John Reynolds, fractured kneecap

Able Seaman - Arthur Nicklen, fractured right arm

Able Seaman - Emil Anderson, injuries to back and head

Able Seaman - Charles Cartwright, spinal injuries

Uninjured crew members

First Engineer - Stuart Kennedy

Second Mate - Thomas Humphrey

Second Engineer - Frederick Whelan

Fourth Engineer - Edward Green

Able Seaman - William Pry

Able Seaman - Walter Nicholson

Able Seaman - Chris Banks

Cook - David Powel

Steward - Frederick Gough