Linda

The Linda was a 72-foot ex-naval harbour defence motor launch, owned by Jim Davey and Bill Horwood, both of Geraldton, deployed in the crayfishing industry and was in service on the Geraldton to Abrolhos Islands run. The Linda was reported as being valued at between £15,000 and £20,000, yet only insured for £11,000.

The Linda left Fremantle at 5.15 pm on Thursday, 20 October after undergoing repairs and maintenance. It was due to arrive in Geraldton at 2pm on Friday, 21 October. On board were skipper, John Roberts, aged 51, Phil Hind, aged 56 (both from Geraldton) and Les Sommerfeld, aged 38. John Robert’s little dog, Patrick, was also on board.

Les Sommerfeld was at the wheel when at 9.20pm on the night of 20 October, when the Linda steamed into a reef about three to four miles out from the mouth of the Moore River estuary.

He later said in a newspaper report that he was dead on course by the compass, but indicated that it was possible that there had not been enough allowance for current drift. He went on to say “she struck the reef with a terrific crash and we were awash within 15 minutes. We could hear her breaking up with great searing sounds and we set to make a raft. We lashed two 44 gallon drums together with rope and pushed it into the sea.

The skipper leapt into the water, carrying his dog, and we lashed the animal to the top of the raft”. It was bitterly cold and shortly after the sea started to turn rough. Les Sommerfeld fired off six flares after the Linda foundered.

The flares were seen about 9.40pm by Maxwell Dease, of Tropical Traders Fremantle, as he was driving past Moore River that night. They were also seen by a Mr B C Robinson, a plasterer from Mt Yokine. They both climbed a high sandhill and shone their torches to try to find the cause, but there was no sign of anything. Max Dease reported the incident to the police around 11.40pm, with a Constable Bishop taking down the details and organising an action plan.

For four hours, Les Sommerfeld hung on to his skipper, John Roberts, but the task with the other man, Phil Hind, getting weaker in the severe conditions made it necessary to let him go.

He had watched the time during his ordeal by his waterproof wristwatch, which kept going, and from the light of an underwater torch, which he had stuffed into his jacket pocket.

“As the raft reached the beach a couple of dumpers came in and tossed it over. I managed to get the dog free and struggled to shore” he said.

Phil Hind had died in the water and Les Sommerfeld hauled him out above the water line before staggering off to find help. It was ten minutes past seven by his waterproof wristwatch.

With no idea where he was, Les Sommerfeld looked along the shore and saw the glimmer of a fire. Two fishermen from Northam, W L Lobb and Ted Watts, were fishing from the beach.

He headed for the light and standing freezing in his soaked clothing, still in the wellington boots he had kept on in case he got an opportunity to rest on a reef, he stammered out his story. The fishermen gave him a hot drink and made him a breakfast.

Constable Peterson from Gingin Police was advised at 7.30am on Friday, 21 October to make inquiries into the matter. At 10.20am he advised Inspector Clark, Midland Junction Police, that the Linda was wrecked about two miles south of the mouth of the Moore River.

One of the crew got ashore safely, one body has been washed up on the beach and a third is missing. The body of John Roberts was recovered by police and civilians.

There was some discussion later around the wreck procedure and the time lag in informing various sections, however Police Commissioner O’Brien stated that as no report of a missing vessel had been reported, then the air-sea rescue system had not been invoked. He went on to say that the quest for information had gone on all through the night and that there had been no time lag in police investigations at any stage.

At the same time as the funerals in Perth of John Roberts and Phil Hind, a memorial service was held at Geraldton on board the Lady Joyous, accompanied by a flotilla of Geraldton boats three miles offshore.

The Coroner later blamed the lack of a proper lifeboat for the two deaths, stating the insufficient allowance for current drift may have taken the vessel off course and onto the reef.

In 1990, John Clarke, a registered researcher with the Public Records Office WA, located the wreck of the Linda after talking to fishermen who had fished the Two Rocks area for many years. A few artifacts were collected and retained. The position was recorded by radar distances.

In 1996, a further inspection was made for the purpose of establishing an accurate GPS position in order to include it in the Wanneroo wreck trail brochure. Additional artefacts were recovered including a gearbox ID plate, a teaspoon and timber samples.