Gallant

On Wednesday, 31 January 1951, The Gallant, a 20-foot fishing vessel, went to sea from the mouth of the Murchison River with two people onboard. They were:

Hector Herbert Napolean Mainwaring (48); and

Barry Parker (75).

Previously from Gingin, Barry Parker had travelled to the area on 27 January for a holiday and to spend time with his brother, Cecil Parker. Barry Parker was introduced to Hector Mainwaring after expressing a desire to go fishing.

Hector Mainwaring, a crayfisherman, lived at the mouth of the Murchison River and was the owner of the Gallant. Previously, Hector Mainwaring was Kalgoorlie Manager of “Bob Humphrey’s”. He was a great footballer with the Merredin Railway team and he enjoyed a range of activities including bowls, racing and swimming.

On 31 January, they went to sea and while Hector Mainwaring pulled his cray pots, Barry Parker fished. Once they’d finished pulling the pots, they headed the boat north to get back to the mouth of the river.

The weather was moderate, however a severe blow came in suddenly with the breeze stiffening in a matter of seconds. Hector Mainwaring saw a large rolling wave and steered the boat in that direction. The Gallant rode safely over it. However, there was another more formidable wave behind it, which broke before it reached the boat. The Gallant was swamped.

Hector Mainwaring was thrown from the vessel, injuring his left leg and getting a fish hook caught in his foot. He tried to re-join the boat but he couldn’t. Waves were breaking over him, so he swam northwards through heavy seas to get to calmer waters. Looking back, he saw Mr Parker well positioned and holding on to the boat.

Hector Mainwaring tried to swim through the channel at the river mouth, but was unable to. He managed to make it to Oyster Reef. From there, he waded through the water to a sand bank. His injured leg was causing him a lot of pain.

He saw three men and a boat on the back of a truck and called out to them for help. He was able to get a coil of rope from his own camp, and the men followed Hector Mainwaring at his request to a point close where the boat had been swamped.

He intended to go back to Oyster Reef and throw the coil of rope out to Barry Parker. When he got back to the reef, there was no sign of Barry Parker, or the Gallant.

He searched for him along the river bank and located the boat, but not Barry Parker. He continued to look for him until sundown and then resumed his search the next morning. He notified the police.

Barry Parker lost his life and his body was found on the beach about eight kilometres north of the mouth of the Murchison River on Saturday, 3 February. He was 75 years old, in good health, but was not a good swimmer. He was married and a pensioner.

His body was discovered by Police Constable V.R Thurstun, from Northampton. The Gallant was a complete wreck with a major portion washing up about one kilometre north of the river mouth in a small rocky bay, while other parts drifted elsewhere.

A coroner’s inquest was undertaken.