Name/Title"Dawn"

About this object"Dawn" built circa 1938 and owned by Sam and Archie Thompson, Tilligerry.
"Dawn" was a 57 foot launch driven by a 3 cylinder Crosley diesel engine. Built in the Top Harbour , Tilligerry Creek, by the Thompson brothers.
In 1943 “Dawn” was commandeered for the war effort and served as a Naval Auxiliary Patrol (NAP) and Air/Sear Rescue (ASR) vessel. Archie Thompson, her owner, joined the Navy and remained the skipper although she was renamed “Mowong”.
The Royal Australian Navy Lists confirmed the following:
• “Mowong”: was commissioned 8 Sept 1943 as a tender to HMAS Penguin. Ref: Navy List October 1943.
• In four entries, January 1944/April 1944/July 1944/Oct 1944, Royal Australian Navy Lists the skipper is shown as Archibald. S. Thompson (seniority 10 Nov 1943) and of note “Mowong” was now a tender to Ladava (HMAS Ladava, Milne Bay, New Guinea, commissioned on 1st October 1943 and decommissioned on 30th October 1945).
• In the January 1945 Navy Lists details are the same but the skipper’s rank is noted as SBLT RANVR.
• In the April 1945 Navy Lists SBLT Thompson is still listed as skipper of the “Mowong” but is now tender to HMAS Rushcutter.
• July 45 – subsequently returned to owners 26 July 1945 when she was again renamed “Dawn”.
After her war effort Archie sailed “Dawn” to Sydney to be fitted with a 671 GM Diesel and returned to fishing and prawning until the late 1950s. In 1957 Archie decided to take a break and came to an arrangement with a young Dutch migrant, John Plooy, aged only 19. John had come from a fishing family in Holland and soon learnt the ropes as a trawlerman and skipper. John’s association with Archie and the “Dawn” lasted over 20 years, even after Archie’s return in 1959.
Apart from fishing and prawning, the boat was called upon for work outside the harbour, servicing the Karuah and Tea Gardens punts. “Dawn” towed the punts to Newcastle as well as the barge used to build the Tuncurry Bridge from Sydney to Forster.
The mighty old boat was eventually sold to private owners and has been converted to a pleasure launch cruising the waterways of Port Stephens.

Place MadeOceania, Australia, New South Wales, Port Stephens, Tilligerry Creek

Place NotesBuilt on the banks of Tilligerry Creek at the home of Pop Thompson

MakerArchie and Sam Thompson

Maker RoleBoat Builder

Date Made1938

PeriodMid 20th century

Subject and Association KeywordsBoat building

Subject and Association KeywordsBoats

Subject and Association KeywordsDiesel Engine

Subject and Association KeywordsFishing - commercial

Subject and Association KeywordsWorld War II

Object numberTMA2021.00143

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