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Image Not Available for Engineers day log for ILUKA, September 1958 - March 1959
Engineers day log for ILUKA, September 1958 - March 1959
Image Not Available for Engineers day log for ILUKA, September 1958 - March 1959

Engineers day log for ILUKA, September 1958 - March 1959

Date1958 - 1959
Object numberANMS0434[006]
NameLogbook
ClassificationsBooks and journals
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThe engineers day log for the tug ILUKA , 1958 - 1959, printed with 'Department of Public Works' at the top of each page and with handwritten entries in blue ink. First page dated Wednesday, 17 Sept 1958 and the last entry on Wednesday, 11 March 1958.HistoryThe rapid expansion of the Canadian Armed Forces during WWII, and the increased shipping tonnages using Canadian ports as staging points of war convoys bound for Britain, produced a shortage of small general-purpose tugs, which could only be overcome by new buildings. In a like manner to the United States planners who produced very large numbers of standard design vessels, the Canadian authorities tried to rationalise on the use of steel for building small vessels and reasoned that there were many small boat builders existing with a wealth of experience in wooden shipbuilding, who could make a valuable contribution to the war effort, whilst continuing to work in their traditional material from a standard design. Thus the initial TANAC tugs were wooden hulled vessels, but towards the end of the war many were constructed in steel. Mr W Rowe, a naval architect of Halifax, Nova Scotia, produced his 'Design No.155 - Diesel Powered Wooden Tugboat" in response to a government tender, and was awarded the task of drawing up the detail plans for the tugs. As WWII progressed, the need arose for a comparatively small tug to tow barges and lighters where ordinary port facilities could be lacking, with the size of tug small enough to enable deck shipment by ordinary freighter to the required areas of service. To this end of the TANAC and TUSA types were most suitable and large numbers were shipped from Canada and the USA for employment in Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as the Pacific. The ILUKA was built in 1944 by Central Bridge Company, Ontario and arrived in Sydney in April 1945 as deck cargo aboard the LEWIS HENNEPIN to be part of the Royal Navy Pacific Fleet. In May, ILUKA was declared surplus and offered for sale by the Commonwealth Disposable Commission. After two years in Port Moresby, ILUKA was purchased by the NSW Department of Public Works and stationed on the Clarence River until 1972towing barges used for construction work on the river entrance breakwaters at Iluka and Yamba. In 1973, ILUKA arrived in Sydney after passing into private hands. The vessel, fitted with a Kelvin diesel engine and stern gallows for fishing, was based at the fisherman’s wharf, Black Wattle Bay. SignificanceThe ILUKA, designed and built in Canada, had a long history in Australian waters and served various roles for over 30 years.