LOST TREASURE - WESTERN AUSTRALIA
#Guilderton, #Tryall, #Montebellos, #Islands, #AtomicTest, #Zuytdorp, carpetofsilver,
Email Rex Woodmore: [email protected]
DIAMONDS AT LOW TIDE
DIAMOND JACK
A Dutch plane with a cargo of diamonds crashed off the Kimberley coast at the height of World War II. Worth about $20 million today, why were only a fraction of the gems ever recovered?
Where are the diamonds now?
Local legend also said that some of the people in the remote communities of Beagle Bay and Lombadina found at least some of the diamonds but did not know their worth.
There is a story told by one local aboriginal lady of her father who lived in Beagle Bay, a remote community north of Broome. He was one of the first men who found the plane after it crashed (arriving before Diamond Jack) and he was with the rescue crew who had to wait to low tide because the plane was in the water. She said. "Dad was saying they didn’t recognize them as diamonds and thought they were worthless coloured stones …. and anyway, they didn't need diamonds, the community had everything they needed”
But now the family jokes about the story and say:
“Couldn't we have just kept one of them?” The same lady said “There are stories about people burying diamonds in tobacco tins and hiding them in hollow trees, but when they went back to them they weren't there" (This story continues near the bottom of this page)
Local legend also said that some of the people in the remote communities of Beagle Bay and Lombadina found at least some of the diamonds but did not know their worth.
There is a story told by one local aboriginal lady of her father who lived in Beagle Bay, a remote community north of Broome. He was one of the first men who found the plane after it crashed (arriving before Diamond Jack) and he was with the rescue crew who had to wait to low tide because the plane was in the water. She said. "Dad was saying they didn’t recognize them as diamonds and thought they were worthless coloured stones …. and anyway, they didn't need diamonds, the community had everything they needed”
But now the family jokes about the story and say:
“Couldn't we have just kept one of them?” The same lady said “There are stories about people burying diamonds in tobacco tins and hiding them in hollow trees, but when they went back to them they weren't there" (This story continues near the bottom of this page)
COINS LITTER THE COASTLINE
Galleon
It might be an exaggeration to say that Western Australia’s coastline is littered with coins & treasure. However, it is a fact that hundreds of dollars of modern coins, both pre decimal & decimal, have been found or await discovery by metal detecting, in the sands of our popular swimming beaches.
It is also a fact that millions of dollars of treasure in the form of silver coins (pieces of eight, pieces of four and pieces of two) gold coins (British sovereigns)
and other treasures (Gold spangles, Ivory, Pearls, valuable and rare pottery and rich cargoes of lead and copper) has been lost (some found) on our rugged coastline.
The earliest known lost treasure on the coast of Western Australia was in 1622. This was the treasure, consisting of silver coins and gold,that went down with the earliest known shipwreck, the British ship ‘Tryal’.
It is also a fact that millions of dollars of treasure in the form of silver coins (pieces of eight, pieces of four and pieces of two) gold coins (British sovereigns)
and other treasures (Gold spangles, Ivory, Pearls, valuable and rare pottery and rich cargoes of lead and copper) has been lost (some found) on our rugged coastline.
The earliest known lost treasure on the coast of Western Australia was in 1622. This was the treasure, consisting of silver coins and gold,that went down with the earliest known shipwreck, the British ship ‘Tryal’.
CARGO OF VALUABLE COPPER ORE
The wreck of the Emily in Western Australia.
Copper Ore
1868 The Emily set out on the return voyage from Dongara to Fremantle with a cargo of locally mined copper ore and flour, but was driven ashore at night during a storm.
Wreckage was found washed up on Rottnest Island, but it was another two months before the location of the Emily was discovered on the beach at a site now known as ‘Wreck Point’ near Moore River just south of Two Rocks. There was an unsuccessful police search for survivors, but the Captain and his four crew had all perished.
For many years the wreck, with some of its cargo of copper ore still in the hull, lay partly covered in sand, but now the wreck has completely disappeared and its location is long lost and forgotten.
Someday a severe storm might uncover the wreck and the remnants of its valuable copper cargo.
Wreckage was found washed up on Rottnest Island, but it was another two months before the location of the Emily was discovered on the beach at a site now known as ‘Wreck Point’ near Moore River just south of Two Rocks. There was an unsuccessful police search for survivors, but the Captain and his four crew had all perished.
For many years the wreck, with some of its cargo of copper ore still in the hull, lay partly covered in sand, but now the wreck has completely disappeared and its location is long lost and forgotten.
Someday a severe storm might uncover the wreck and the remnants of its valuable copper cargo.
SPANISH SILVER COINS FOUND BY CHILDREN
GinGin Treasure (Western Australia)
The Geraldton Guardian And Express
Tuesday, March 22, 1938.
Children of the Baramba assisted school, about forty miles from Gingin, recently found a number of old coins and a pair of rusted and broken hinges in a patch of sand in the sea. The find was made on an unfrequented part of the coast which has no approach by road. Rubbings of the coins and sketches of the hinges have been sent to the Western Australian Historical Society. The rubbings however, were made on thick unwaxed paper and are consequently hard to decipher. On the best of them the word Hispania (Spain) can be seen, and the inscription 'Phil. IIII. D.G.' A bearded man in a small ruff and what appears to be a scrolled breastplate or folded doublet is on one side and the reverse contains the arms of Spain.
The Curator of the Art Gallery (Mr.G. Pitt Morrison) examined the rubbings last week, and said that they were undoubtedly Spanish coins of various values of the reign of Philip IV., who reigned from 1621 to 1665 The biggest of them was one of a valuation generally known as pieces-of-eight or eight real pieces. Some coins of this description were struck for use in the East Indies, when Spain had control there, and they continued in circulation for long after. The coins, he said, probably came from one of the many Dutch vessels wrecked along the West Australian coast during the 17th century. The fact that they were Spanish pieces-of-eight did not necessarily mean that they came from a Spanish vessel, as these coins were international in circulation during the period. The wreck may have occurred later than in the reign of Philip IV., just as a collection of money to-day might consist of coins from the reigns of Queen Victoria, Edward VII., George V. and George VI. Similar Dutch and Spanish coins have been found at various times along the coast, some at Cottesloe.
The Curator of the Art Gallery (Mr.G. Pitt Morrison) examined the rubbings last week, and said that they were undoubtedly Spanish coins of various values of the reign of Philip IV., who reigned from 1621 to 1665 The biggest of them was one of a valuation generally known as pieces-of-eight or eight real pieces. Some coins of this description were struck for use in the East Indies, when Spain had control there, and they continued in circulation for long after. The coins, he said, probably came from one of the many Dutch vessels wrecked along the West Australian coast during the 17th century. The fact that they were Spanish pieces-of-eight did not necessarily mean that they came from a Spanish vessel, as these coins were international in circulation during the period. The wreck may have occurred later than in the reign of Philip IV., just as a collection of money to-day might consist of coins from the reigns of Queen Victoria, Edward VII., George V. and George VI. Similar Dutch and Spanish coins have been found at various times along the coast, some at Cottesloe.
CRUMBLING HUMAN SKELETON FOUND
The Public Librarian (Dr. J. S. Battye) was consulted yesterday as to whether the crumbling human skeleton and the ancient coins found recently by a boy near the mouth of the Moore River had any historical significance. In his reply he confined himself to the coins and their possible relation to the early history of Dutch navigators on the coast of this State. 'The circumstances in which the coin sand the remains were discovered" said Dr. Battye, "are not sufficient to enable us even to speculate on the manner in which they may have reached the West Australian coast. I was shown some coins about a week ago, which I believe were part of the collection found by the boy. One of these was a Spanish dollar, another a Spanish half-dollar, and two or three of the others were apparently pieces of silver which were used for coinage, and loosely called tekols, throughout the East Indies. Another was a flat piece of ingot silver, about three inches by an inch; one side was smooth, and on the other were Japanese or Chinese characters. These were blurred, and I did not examine them minutely. 'If anything further could be discovered, or further evidence be brought forward, it might prove that there is something interesting about the discovery.
MOORE RIVER RELICS OLD COINS & SKELETON
The West Australian, Thursday, February 5, 1931.
Undoubtedly vessels passed up and down the West Australian coastline during the 17th century, when trading between Holland and the Dutch East Indies. We have knowledge of at least one wreck occurring somewhere south of where Geraldton is now, and probably other boats, no knowledge of which now exists, also came to grief on the coastline, which was practically uncharted at that time. One vessel which was wrecked was the Vergulde Draeck. This wreck occurred in 1649, in latitude 30.40. 'Seven survivors reached Batavia in a boat, leaving 68 behind to protect the cargo and treasure. The vessel was carrying from £10,000 to £15,000 in Dutch and other money, as well as a large cargo of merchandise. She was on her way from Batavia to Holland, and when she was wrecked 118 lives were lost. The Dutch Government made many attempts to find out exactly where the wreck had taken place, whether any survivors had reached the mainland of Western Australia, and whether any treasure or merchandise had been recovered. Various vessels searched for about 10 years without result. People on many of them observed wreckage floating about in those seas and were of opinion that it came from the wrecked vessel, but nothing definite was ever learned.
Incidentally, one of the searching ships', the Waeckende Boeij, discovered Rottnest in 1658, but gave it no name. 'The probability that the Vergulde Draeck was not the only vessel wrecked on that coastline is strengthened by the fact that about two years ago a collection of Spanish and Dutch coins was gathered on the shore slightly north of the mouth of the Murchison River, and about 30 miles from Murchison House. Those who found theA coins said that some remains existed, particularly a large block of wood which seemed to have formed part of the figurehead of a ship, that the overhanging cliff had fallen over the spot, and that if anything did happen to be there it would probably be buried under many tons of rock and sand. The spot where these last mentioned coins were found is practically unapproachable by sea, and is so forbidding that any vessel driven on the rocks would not have the slightest chance of being saved. In this case again, however, there is not sufficient information to enable any authoritative statement to be made, and without some further discoveries it would be quite useless to ask the Dutch authorities at either Batavia or Amsterdam to search its records for possible missing ships.'
DUTCH SILVER & GOLD GUILDERS
Dutch Guilder
The Dutch guilder was the currency of the Netherlands from the 17th century right up to 2002, when it was replaced by the euro.
The word gulden meant “golden”, since the coin was originally made of gold. Netherlands had both silver and gold guilders. In 1581, the silver guilder was established as the currency of the United Netherlands.
The word gulden meant “golden”, since the coin was originally made of gold. Netherlands had both silver and gold guilders. In 1581, the silver guilder was established as the currency of the United Netherlands.
GUILDERTON Western Australia
North of Perth in Western Australia, at the mouth of the Moore River in the Shire of Gingin, there is a small coastal town called Guilderton. The Aboriginal people used to call the area ‘Gabbadah’ which meant “a mouthful of water’’
The mouth of the river opens as a tidal estuary in the wet season and is closed by a sand bar to form a lagoon in the dry. The area was declared as a recreation area in 1907.
The name Guilderton is said to have come from the discovery in 1931 of about forty 17th-century silver coins were found in the sand hills near the entrance to the Moore River. The coins at Moore river were thought to be from the 1656 wreck of the Dutch East Indies (VOC) ship, the Gilt Dragon that was wrecked on a reef a little over three miles from the beach near Ledge Point.
The mouth of the river opens as a tidal estuary in the wet season and is closed by a sand bar to form a lagoon in the dry. The area was declared as a recreation area in 1907.
The name Guilderton is said to have come from the discovery in 1931 of about forty 17th-century silver coins were found in the sand hills near the entrance to the Moore River. The coins at Moore river were thought to be from the 1656 wreck of the Dutch East Indies (VOC) ship, the Gilt Dragon that was wrecked on a reef a little over three miles from the beach near Ledge Point.
TREASURE IN A NUCLEAR TEST SITE
THE OLDEST KNOWN SHIPWRECK IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA - THE TRYALL
'EXPLOSIVE' EVIDENCE OF A SHIPWRECK
WELCOME TO THE MONTEBELLO ISLANDS
1622 TRYALL SHIPWRECK - 1952 NUCLEAR TEST
1622 TRYALL SHIPWRECK - 1952 NUCLEAR TEST
1622. The Tryall (also spelt Tryal and Trial ) an English East Indies Company vessel, was on a voyage from Plymouth to Batavia with a cargo which included 500 reales (silver coins) and a quantity of spangles (tiny gold bars) for the King of Siam, when she wrecked on the Montebello Islands.
The Montebello Islands off the coast of Western Australia, is the site of the largest explosion in Australia (1952). It is also the site of the 1622 shipwreck of the Tryal, which is the earliest known English shipwreck in Australian waters. The British East India Company, acquired this ship around April 1621. It was ready for voyage to the East Indies in July that year. The cargo on this voyage consisted of small items such as hunt horns, sheathing nails, cartridges and sheet lead. There were also 500 silver reales (coins) and a quantity of gold spangles for the King of Siam. The ship sailed with a full cargo from Plymouth on September 4th under the command of Captain John Brookes. The Trial arrived at Cape Hope. Whilst here, The captain unsuccessfully tried to persuade the master mate to allow an East Indian man to accompany them as none of the ships officers had made the voyage from the Cape to the East Indies.
With the possible exception of a few mystery wrecks like the Mahogany Ship, it is Australia's oldest known shipwreck and certainly the oldest west Australian wreck. Those aboard her were possibly the first Englishmen to sight any part of Australia.
|
WRECK OF THE BATAVIA Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia.
1629, 'Batavia' a Dutch East Indies vessel (VOC) was on voyage from Texel to Batavia with a cargo including silver coins wrecked on a reef of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands.
A mutiny, psychopath and mass murder – investigating 388-year-old cold case | 60 Minutes Australia
As far as gripping, real-life crime thrillers go, this one has everything. A mutiny, a psychopath and a brutal mass murder. It’s a 388-year-old cold case mystery that dates back to 1629 when the Dutch sailing ship, Batavia, struck a tiny atoll off the West Australian coast near Geraldton.
|
|
Almost 300 passengers and crew survived the shipwreck but over the next few months, as they waited to be rescued, more than 100 were slaughtered. For centuries their bodies lay buried, the story forgotten. But now the search for the truth about Australia’s greatest mass murder is underway as archaeologists from Australia and the Netherlands dig up new clues – and victims. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Nick Greenaway
1656 VERGULDE DRAECK (Gilt Dragon)
1656 Gilt Dragon - Dutch East India Company (VOC) ship. The ship sailed, with its valuable trade goods and eight chests of silver coin worth 78 600 guilders, from the Cape of Good Hope with the intention of making use of the trade winds to for a journey of 5000 miles across the vast Indian Ocean before turning north toward the East Indies, but a navigational error saw the vessel wrecked, on the coast of Western Australian near Ledge Point.
DUTCH HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA
According to The VOC SOCIETY PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA (http://www.voc.iinet.net.au/lostships.html) The Ridderschap van Holland disappeared on a voyage from Cape Town to Batavia. This vessel belonged to the largest class of the company’s ships, 160 Amsterdam feet (45.3 metres) long, with a nominal carrying capacity of 260 lasts (520 tons) and an actual capacity of 1.138 tons. Passengers on the Ridderschap van Holland’s fifth and final voyage to the Indies included a senior VOC official, Sir James Couper (originally from Scotland), who was scheduled to take up an appointment as a member of the Council of the Indies in Batavia. The ship disappeared after leaving the Cape of Good Hope, bound for Batavia, on 5 February 1694.
- THE ZUYTDORP SHIPWRECK 1712
1712 Zuytdorp. Dutch East India Company (VOC) ship, with a rich cargo, including 250,000 guilders in silver coins left Cape Town to Batavia (Jakarta) but her journey ended at the foot of steep rocky cliffs on a remote part of the Western Australian coast near Kalbarri.
AMAZING EARLY MOVIES (1941,1950 & 1960s):
THE SHIPWRECK SITE
THE ZUYTDORP
Zuytdorp 50s & 60s
Part 1 |
|
THE WRECK OF THE ZEEWIJK 1727
1727 Zeewijk. A Dutch East India Company (VOC) vessel, was wrecked on the Houtman Abrolhos, with a general cargo and coins and 10 chests of silver coins. There was enough time before the ship broke up for the treasure chests, to be removed to Gun Island, A group of eleven survivors including the First Mate set off for Batavia in the longboat but were never heard of again.
ROTTNEST ISLAND WA EARLY SHIPWRECKS YouTube
REMEMBERING ROTTNEST in the 1960's
Remembering Rottnest of the 1960's
It certainly wasn't five star, but my friends & I loved it in those days.
A great place to camp & snorkel.
ROTTNEST & THE BEATLES John, Paul, George & Ringo.
Rottnest Island, or 'Rotto' as it is affectionately known by locals, is a small island situated just off the coast of Perth famous for its snorkeling, diving, surfing and swimming.
(Rottnest Island is Home to the cute Quokka)
In the late 17th century, Dutch explorers led by Willem de Vlamingh mistook the cute Quokkas on the island for some kind of rat and they called the island Rotte-nest, meaning ''rat’s nest" -- an unflattering name for a place that is now the nearest holiday island to the West Australian capital, Perth.
When the Beatles (John, Paul, George & Ringo) visited the Island years ago, they joked about it as being ''The Rottenest Island"
DIAMONDS AT LOW TIDE
(Continued from top of page)
DIAMONDS IN A WW2 PLANE CRASH Western Australian
Captain Ivan Smirnov
On 3 March 1942, Captain Ivan Smirnov flying a DC3 plane for KLM with serviceman Romondt and their mechanic, Joop Blaauw, were transporting nine refugees, fleeing theJapanese invasion of Java. Before they left the airport at Bandung in Dutch East Indies (now called Indonesia) Smirnov was handed a package with instructions to hand it to a Commonwealth Bank of Australia
representative when they landed in Australia. He was not told that it contained diamonds valued at 300,000 pounds.(Today estimated value is around $20 million)
representative when they landed in Australia. He was not told that it contained diamonds valued at 300,000 pounds.(Today estimated value is around $20 million)
JAPANESE FIGHTER PLANES ATTACK
Diamonds
Around 10.30am, as the DC3 neared Broome, three Japanese fighter planes (part of an attack on Broome) swooped from above and fired upon them. The port engine caught fire and Smirnov was wounded badly, but he skilfully and heroically, managed to crash land and extinguish the flames, in the shallow surf of the beach at Carnot Bay, North of Broome.
The three Japanese aircraft swooped again and cruelly strafed them with their machine guns. The KLM mechanic Joop Blaauw was shot in both knees. A passenger Mrs. Van Tuyn, had two bullet wounds in her chest and her 18-month old baby was hit in both hands. Lieutenant Hendriks was unconscious and lay in a critical condition.
The three Japanese aircraft swooped again and cruelly strafed them with their machine guns. The KLM mechanic Joop Blaauw was shot in both knees. A passenger Mrs. Van Tuyn, had two bullet wounds in her chest and her 18-month old baby was hit in both hands. Lieutenant Hendriks was unconscious and lay in a critical condition.
MANGROVES IN CARNOT BAY
Mangrove fringed beach Broome W.A.
Everybody was told to disembark and the radio operator managed to send out an SOS.
Smirnov ordered the unloading of food and water, together with the three parachutes.
The site that confronted them was a desolate beach, fringed along its tidal zone with mangrove bushes.The parachutes, stretched between chopped mangrove branches, served as their only shelter from the blazing sun. Although Smirnov had bad injuries of his own, he found the first-aid kit and administered an injection (Morphine?) to his mechanic.
With very little food and drinking water, their situation was critical. Smirnov sent a KLM serviceman back to the wrecked plane to retrieve the Flying logbook, the mail and the parcel from the safe, but as he climbed out of the wreck a wave almost knocked him off his feet and the parcel fell out of his hands and into the surf. Smirnov had more pressing concerns than a lost parcel and decided to look for it later. By the afternoon, Mrs. Van Tuyn had died and was buried in a shallow grave. In the evening Joop Blaauw died and by the next morning Lieutenant Hendriks had died too. They were given a funeral and buried.
Smirnov ordered the unloading of food and water, together with the three parachutes.
The site that confronted them was a desolate beach, fringed along its tidal zone with mangrove bushes.The parachutes, stretched between chopped mangrove branches, served as their only shelter from the blazing sun. Although Smirnov had bad injuries of his own, he found the first-aid kit and administered an injection (Morphine?) to his mechanic.
With very little food and drinking water, their situation was critical. Smirnov sent a KLM serviceman back to the wrecked plane to retrieve the Flying logbook, the mail and the parcel from the safe, but as he climbed out of the wreck a wave almost knocked him off his feet and the parcel fell out of his hands and into the surf. Smirnov had more pressing concerns than a lost parcel and decided to look for it later. By the afternoon, Mrs. Van Tuyn had died and was buried in a shallow grave. In the evening Joop Blaauw died and by the next morning Lieutenant Hendriks had died too. They were given a funeral and buried.
JAPANESE ATTACK AGAIN!
A Japanese Kawanashi flying boat
The quiet after the funeral was broken by the sudden roar of an engine. A Japanese Kawanashi flying boat, dropped two bombs, but fortunately, did no damage and caused no further injuries.
Later the same plane (piloted by Lieutenant Shigeyashi Yamauchi) returned and dropped two more bombs which, failed to detonate.
Later the same plane (piloted by Lieutenant Shigeyashi Yamauchi) returned and dropped two more bombs which, failed to detonate.
Captain Smirnov sent two Dutchmen to search for drinking water. They did not return until sunset and when they did, they were suffering badly with sunburn and had found no water. On the morning of the third day the baby died and was buried next to his mother.
Using a tin can, a kerosene burner, rubber and copper piping from the plane, the remaining survivors were able to distil a small, but insufficient, amount of drinking water from the seawater.
On the fourth morning Smirnov with what he thought was their only chance, divided what little drinking water they had, between four men and told them to walk the 50 miles south to Broome for help. He was unaware that help lay only 10 kilometres to the north.
Using a tin can, a kerosene burner, rubber and copper piping from the plane, the remaining survivors were able to distil a small, but insufficient, amount of drinking water from the seawater.
On the fourth morning Smirnov with what he thought was their only chance, divided what little drinking water they had, between four men and told them to walk the 50 miles south to Broome for help. He was unaware that help lay only 10 kilometres to the north.
Several groups of people had travelled from Broome in their own vehicles, to search for the downed plane and its casualties. They arrived after the rescue. One of the groups retrieved the mail from the crash site but not a parcel.
After thanking the Aboriginals and missionaries for their wonderful assistance, Smirnov and the other survivors were taken by truck to Broome hospital, where they were examined and given several days of recuperation.
Eventually, while travelling back to his wife who waited for him in Sydney, Smirnov stayed over in Melbourne, where he was visited by a Commonwealth Bank representative, accompanied by a police detective. One can only imagine how puzzled this heroic man must have felt, when the man from the bank said, perhaps a little accusingly:
“Captain Smirnov, I am here to receive the parcel you were given before your departure from Bandung airport”.
In frank honesty, Captain Smirnov answered simply “The parcel is missing”
He then relayed the whole story, as he knew it, and finished by asking ‘’What was in that parcel?”
The reply was “Diamonds, thousands of high quality diamonds”
After thanking the Aboriginals and missionaries for their wonderful assistance, Smirnov and the other survivors were taken by truck to Broome hospital, where they were examined and given several days of recuperation.
Eventually, while travelling back to his wife who waited for him in Sydney, Smirnov stayed over in Melbourne, where he was visited by a Commonwealth Bank representative, accompanied by a police detective. One can only imagine how puzzled this heroic man must have felt, when the man from the bank said, perhaps a little accusingly:
“Captain Smirnov, I am here to receive the parcel you were given before your departure from Bandung airport”.
In frank honesty, Captain Smirnov answered simply “The parcel is missing”
He then relayed the whole story, as he knew it, and finished by asking ‘’What was in that parcel?”
The reply was “Diamonds, thousands of high quality diamonds”
Joop Blaauw, the wounded mechanic died the next night. On the next day, to their horror, they were approached by what they feared were Japanese planes. As the planes approached the exhausted survivors scattered but they were greatly relieved to see the RAAF markings on the planes. Some supplies were parachuted to them on the beach. Strangely the planes did not return.
Apparently, Bernard George an Aboriginal man, on his way from Broome to Beagle Bay Mission, saw from a distance the plane on the shoreline and figured that it was something to do with the Japanese attack. He arrived at the mission on the 7th March and told the monks about it. They immediately reported it to Gus Clinch, the military base commander. Within 45 minutes he and an Aboriginal Joe Bernard had a mule loaded with provisions and were headed out to help. They were quickly followed by monk Brother Richard and Aboriginal Albert Kelly with another mule. After sometime they came across the men that Smirnov had sent to Broome. They got lost so intended returning to the crash site. While the men were given first aid, Joe Bernard was sent with a mule to the crash site, to let the survivors know that further help was on its way. He gave them water, and food and with Albert Kelly as their guide and helper sent them about 13km to a cattle station.
When Joe Bernard arrived at the crash site Smirnov was asleep and awoke to see an Aboriginal man leaning over him. He grabbed his revolver and pointed it at him. But his aggression was received with a beaming smile from Joe, who said "You lie down” and he asked “Want some tea?"
The greatly relieved Captain Smirnov replied "Nothing could be better!"
Joe calmly unloaded the mule, set a fire, put the kettle on to boil and then while leaving the mule and all the provisions behind, he said "Help will come soon!" and left.
At about midnight of the next day in the heat and humidity, the other rescuers and their mule arrived to the stench emitting from the buried and decaying bodies. The journey to the mission took the rescued and their rescuers three painfully long days.
Apparently, Bernard George an Aboriginal man, on his way from Broome to Beagle Bay Mission, saw from a distance the plane on the shoreline and figured that it was something to do with the Japanese attack. He arrived at the mission on the 7th March and told the monks about it. They immediately reported it to Gus Clinch, the military base commander. Within 45 minutes he and an Aboriginal Joe Bernard had a mule loaded with provisions and were headed out to help. They were quickly followed by monk Brother Richard and Aboriginal Albert Kelly with another mule. After sometime they came across the men that Smirnov had sent to Broome. They got lost so intended returning to the crash site. While the men were given first aid, Joe Bernard was sent with a mule to the crash site, to let the survivors know that further help was on its way. He gave them water, and food and with Albert Kelly as their guide and helper sent them about 13km to a cattle station.
When Joe Bernard arrived at the crash site Smirnov was asleep and awoke to see an Aboriginal man leaning over him. He grabbed his revolver and pointed it at him. But his aggression was received with a beaming smile from Joe, who said "You lie down” and he asked “Want some tea?"
The greatly relieved Captain Smirnov replied "Nothing could be better!"
Joe calmly unloaded the mule, set a fire, put the kettle on to boil and then while leaving the mule and all the provisions behind, he said "Help will come soon!" and left.
At about midnight of the next day in the heat and humidity, the other rescuers and their mule arrived to the stench emitting from the buried and decaying bodies. The journey to the mission took the rescued and their rescuers three painfully long days.
In March 1942
April 1942. Carnot Bay and the downed DC3. Jack Palmer third from left.
Frank Robinson and James Mulgrue fearing new Japanese bombings left Broome harbour and headed north in a motorboat. Along the way, they met Jack Palmer, accompanied by two Aboriginal men, with his boat anchored in a small bay. After a chat, they continued north together and came across a crash-landed aircraft in the surf. Palmer and the Aboriginal men went by dinghy to investigate. Palmer climbed into the plane wreck and rummaged around throwing away various things, which the two Aboriginal men helped themselves to.
While groping around in the wet between a fuel tank and the pilot’s seat, he found a brown paper, wax sealed parcel. He broke the string, tore off and discarded the paper wrapping from around a cigar box. Then (in what must have been a jaw dropping, eye popping moment) as he lifted the lid of the box, his eyes fell on wealth beyond his dreams! A fortune in sparkling diamonds! Lots of diamonds!
He gathered his thoughts and no doubt, with trembling hands and his heart beating loudly, he put the largest of the gems into aluminium cups which he hid. The smaller diamonds, he wrapped in a rag. Then took the dinghy back to Robinson and Mulgrue’s boat, where he showed them what he said was a ‘bag’ of diamonds that he had found on the sand near the plane. "Take a handful for each of yourself and don’t tell anybody of this find" he said.
While groping around in the wet between a fuel tank and the pilot’s seat, he found a brown paper, wax sealed parcel. He broke the string, tore off and discarded the paper wrapping from around a cigar box. Then (in what must have been a jaw dropping, eye popping moment) as he lifted the lid of the box, his eyes fell on wealth beyond his dreams! A fortune in sparkling diamonds! Lots of diamonds!
He gathered his thoughts and no doubt, with trembling hands and his heart beating loudly, he put the largest of the gems into aluminium cups which he hid. The smaller diamonds, he wrapped in a rag. Then took the dinghy back to Robinson and Mulgrue’s boat, where he showed them what he said was a ‘bag’ of diamonds that he had found on the sand near the plane. "Take a handful for each of yourself and don’t tell anybody of this find" he said.
Jack Palmer intended enlisting with the Australian Armed Forces and had a naïve idea, that if he returned some of the diamonds to the authorities, he would be treated as a hero for recovering them and be given privileged treatment in the army.
He put the small diamonds in to two salt-cellars and took them to the military base at the Beagle Bay Mission, but found no one there. He left his motorboat and flew on a passenger plane to Perth. There he went to the district military commandant Major Gibson. Palmer told him about his find of the plane wreck and a water-soaked parcel with diamonds lying next to it. The Major was of course, familiar with the Commonwealth Bank’s inquiry into the crashed plane and the diamonds.
A subsequent investigation into Palmer’s story revealed that according to the Aboriginals with him on his boat at the time, Palmer had indeed taken and kept ‘’something" from the plane and they told of pieces of brown wrapping paper, cord and wax being seen on the beach. Robinson and Mulgrue where honest about the event and Mulgrue said that he had put his share of diamonds into a film box and dug it into sand on the beach near Beagle Bay. His story was proven when the box was found on the beach by an Aboriginal woman and handed in to the military base commander.
The investigation continued. 12 April 1943 Robinson and Mulgrue were tried in the Supreme Court of Western Australia, but as they had not committed theft, they were acquitted of all charges. Even Palmer was not sentenced. He had appeared honest by going to the authorities and handing in the of the diamonds.
No other charges were ever laid and the rest of the diamonds remain unaccounted for.
He put the small diamonds in to two salt-cellars and took them to the military base at the Beagle Bay Mission, but found no one there. He left his motorboat and flew on a passenger plane to Perth. There he went to the district military commandant Major Gibson. Palmer told him about his find of the plane wreck and a water-soaked parcel with diamonds lying next to it. The Major was of course, familiar with the Commonwealth Bank’s inquiry into the crashed plane and the diamonds.
A subsequent investigation into Palmer’s story revealed that according to the Aboriginals with him on his boat at the time, Palmer had indeed taken and kept ‘’something" from the plane and they told of pieces of brown wrapping paper, cord and wax being seen on the beach. Robinson and Mulgrue where honest about the event and Mulgrue said that he had put his share of diamonds into a film box and dug it into sand on the beach near Beagle Bay. His story was proven when the box was found on the beach by an Aboriginal woman and handed in to the military base commander.
The investigation continued. 12 April 1943 Robinson and Mulgrue were tried in the Supreme Court of Western Australia, but as they had not committed theft, they were acquitted of all charges. Even Palmer was not sentenced. He had appeared honest by going to the authorities and handing in the of the diamonds.
No other charges were ever laid and the rest of the diamonds remain unaccounted for.
JACK 'Diamond Jack' PALMER Lighthouse Keeper
Lighthouse
Eventually Palmer did join the Army and became a lighthouse caretaker. After the war he must have been ‘cashed up’ because he was able to purchase a house, a motorcycle, a motorboat and a car, open a food store, and live a very wealthy lifestyle. There is a further story that in 1950 Palmer was in the Broome hospital dying from stomach cancer and a priest asked him "What did you do with the diamonds?" With a grin Palmer replied "I handed all the diamonds I had to the authorities"
The fact was that, out of 300 000 pounds worth of diamonds only 21 777 was ever returned.
At the time of the investigation, there were stories of loose diamonds cropping up all over the place. They were found amongst aboriginal communities, with a Chinese trader and in a matchbox in a train carriage compartment. Even after the war some were found hidden in the hollow a tree and another stash was found in the fireplace of a house in Broome.
The fact was that, out of 300 000 pounds worth of diamonds only 21 777 was ever returned.
At the time of the investigation, there were stories of loose diamonds cropping up all over the place. They were found amongst aboriginal communities, with a Chinese trader and in a matchbox in a train carriage compartment. Even after the war some were found hidden in the hollow a tree and another stash was found in the fireplace of a house in Broome.
Today, the missing diamonds could be worth around 20 million dollars! Did Diamond Jack sell them all?
Or did he have them stashed away, hidden somewhere and draw on them as he and when he wanted some cash?
Are there still millions of dollars of Palmer's hidden diamonds awaiting discovery?
I wonder if the Commonwealth Bank has ever offered a reward?
Or did he have them stashed away, hidden somewhere and draw on them as he and when he wanted some cash?
Are there still millions of dollars of Palmer's hidden diamonds awaiting discovery?
I wonder if the Commonwealth Bank has ever offered a reward?
Email Rex Woodmore: [email protected]