Built in South Australia in 1932 for the Mortlock family and named after Martindale Hall at Mintaro, the Martindale was a 56-tonne luxury yacht. 66ft long and with a beam of 14ft 2in, the Martindale draws a draught of 5ft 10in. She was launched on July 19th, 1932.
She was built from timber and incorporates more than 30 naturally grown "knees" of Myall timber grown on her original owner's property in Central Australia in her construction. She boasted two staterooms and a saloon with accommodation for four. The rooms are mahogany panelled. She was equipped with a kitchen and a bathroom. Part of her teak steering wheel came from the old gunboat "Protector" and part from a yacht once owned by the King of Norway. Her original engine was a twin cylinder semi diesel Petter engine taken from the original Martindale, which was later replaced by a 100 bhp 6 cylinder Gardiner L3 type diesel.The Martindale was built by R.T. Searles & Sons, Port Adelaide. Cost of construction was 4,000 pounds.
Click here for more historic photos of the launch and construction of the Martindale.
Wartime Service
In May 1941 the Martindale was loaned, free of charge to the RAN , for use as an auxiliary patrol boat 33 to carry out patrol and sea air rescue duties in New Guinea waters, which is where Alistair Knox joined the story. Her crew sailed her from Adelaide to Sydney for refit before departing for service in New Guinea and other Pacific Islands. The HMAS Martindale carried a crew of 8 and rescued many people, including seven RAAF crew who had been forced down off Goodenough Island in 1944. She was armed with twin .303 Vickers machine guns for anti aircraft defence and depth charges.
click on the image
to see the thank you letter to the crew.
In july 1951, the Martindale was returned to her original owners, who restored her to her former status. They later sold her to a business associate, Sir Thomas Barr-Smith and later changed hands several times, falling into disrepair. In the early 1980s Victor Nash, a Sydney businessman acquired her and set about restoring her to her 1930s splendour.
In 1984, a reunion was held with the Martindale and her wartime crew: Reg Webb, (Skipper), Keith Collison, Paddy Malone, Alistair Knox, George Sangster, Don Deany and Ross Gourlay. The Martindale departed from the same wharf in Rushcutters Bay on July 15th, flying the same ensign, with the same crew as when she departed Sydney for Milne Bay 40 years earlier.
