The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
LAE, NEW GUINEA. 1944. AB422 FRANCES PEAT ANCHORED TO ONE ANCHOR; THE STARBOARD ANCHOR AND CHAIN HAD BEEN LOST. THE FRANCES PEAT WAS A FORMER HAWKESBURY RIVER (NSW) VEHICULAR FERRY REFITTED AS AN ARMOURED FREIGHTER FOR SERVICE WITH THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY SMALL SHIPS SECTION IN NEW GUINEA WATERS. THE GUN ON THE FORECASTLE HEAD IS A 40 MM BOFORS, SERGEANT ROBINSON IN CHARGE ON THE LEFT. THE OTHERS ARE LAYERS FOR LINES AND HEIGHT. THE OTHER GUNS WERE TWO TWIN VICKERS MOUNTED EITHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE IN THE WINGS. DOWN AFT IS A LIFE BOAT SWUNG OUT IN THE DAVITS. THE WRECKED HULL ALONGSIDE WAS THE REMAINS OF SIR ERNEST FISK'S `ELECTRA', A WATER TRANSPORT CRAFT. IT EXPLODED IN PORT MORESBY AND WAS TOWED BY THE FRANCES PEAT TO LAE. (PHOTOGRAPHER AND DONOR C. ROUGHLEY)
1944. THE CREW OF AB422 FRANCES PEAT HAVING BREAKFAST AT A TABLE AT THE BREAK OF THE FORECASTLE UNDER THE BOW AWNING AS THE SHIP HEADS NORTH TOWARDS BRISBANE IN BAD WEATHER. LEFT TO RIGHT: SAPPERS JIM
BOGIA, NEW GUINEA. 1944-08. STERN OF AB422 FRANCES PEAT WITH THE RAMP DOWN, AT THE LANDING AT BOGIA. COMING ON BOARD ARE A COMPANY OF THE NEW GUINEA INFANTRY BATTALION AND THEIR CARRIERS. THE FRANCES
LAE, NEW GUINEA. 1944. THE CREW OF AB422 FRANCES PEAT ON THE DECK OF THE SHIP ENJOYING A CUP OF TEA. THE FRANCES PEAT WAS A FORMER HAWKESBURY RIVER (NSW) VEHICULAR FERRY REFITTED AS AN ARMOURED FREIGH
LABU, NEW GUINEA. 1944-10-03. THE "FRANCES PEAT" A COMPARATIVELY SMALL VESSEL WHICH WAS IN USE FOR SOME YEARS BEFORE THE WAR AS A VEHICULAR FERRY ON THE HAWKESBURY RIVER.
LABU, NEW GUINEA. 1944-10-03. ONE OF THE BADLY WORN PISTONS OF THE MOTOR VESSEL, "FRANCES PEAT" BEFORE BEING REGROUND IN THE WORKSHOP OF THE 1ST WATERCRAFT WORKSHOP, THE "FRANCES PEAT" WAS A COMPARATI
LABU, NEW GUINEA. 1944-10-03. AN IMPROVISED CYLINDER GRINDING APPLIANCE WHICH MEMBERS OF THE 1ST WATERCRAFT WORKSHOPS MADE UP TO GRIND THE CYLINDERS OF THE "FRANCES PEAT". THE "FRANCES PEAT" WAS A COM
