Koolama
Koolama docked at low tide at Broome, c. 1940
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| History | |
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 Australia
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| Name: | Koolama |
| Owner: | Government of Western Australia |
| Operator: | Western Australia State Shipping Service |
| Port of registry: | Fremantle |
| Builder: | Harland & Wolff Ltd., Govan, Scotland |
| Yard number: | 1003 |
| Launched: | 16 December 1937 |
| In service: | 23 May 1938 |
| Identification: | Official number: 140184 |
| Fate: | Bombed and sunk, February/March 1942 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Cargo/passenger motor ship |
| Tonnage: | |
| Length: | 348 ft (106 m) o/a |
| Beam: | 52 ft 2 in (15.90 m) |
| Depth: | 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × Burmeister & Wain 808 nhp oil-fuelled engines, 2 shafts |
| Armament: | |
MV Koolama was an Australian merchant vessel which sank as a result of several attacks by Japanese aircraft in February–March 1942. It was also the centre of the Koolama Incident, an alleged mutiny resulting from these attacks.
Koolama was built in 1937, by Harland and Wolff of Glasgow, Scotland for the State Shipping Service, at a cost of £250,000, and was registered at Fremantle. Her official displacement was 4,068 tons (4133 tonnes), she was 348 feet (106 m) long, with a beam of 54 feet, and had diesel engines driving two propellers. Koolama could accommodate about 200 passengers and 90 crew, 500 live cattle and had a freezer hold for cargo such as meat. She was used mostly for passenger and general freight transport on coastal routes in Western Australian (WA) waters. Koolama is sometimes confused with another State Ships vessel of a similar design, Koolinda.
The ship's master, Captain Jack Eggleston, his officers, and crew travelled to Glasgow in early 1938 to take delivery of the ship, and after successful sea trials she sailed for Australia on 7 April. The ship entered service on 23 May, sailing north from Fremantle to Darwin, calling at various ports in between.
In January 1942, following the outbreak of war with Japan, Koolama carried members of the ill-fated 8th Division and their equipment to Ambon and West Timor, in Netherlands East Indies. On the return voyage she carried Dutch refugees to Darwin.
On 10 February, Koolama — still under Captain Eggleston — sailed from Fremantle, bound for Darwin with Australian Army personnel and equipment, as well as some convicts on work release and regular civilian passengers. Although the soldiers on board were armed only with rifles, the ship carried a 50 mm (1.97 in) gun on its rear poop deck, which was intended for use against submarines and could not be aimed above level for anti-aircraft purposes. However, Koolama was carrying Vickers 0.303 inch machine guns mounted on each side of the bridge.
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