Further to The Grave of the Unknown Sailor from the Loch Vennachar, there are further details in “Australian Sea Mysteries” (Second edition) by Jack Loney. Details of the discovery of the dead body from the Loch Vennachar, and the subsequent burial of the body in a grave, are included in a letter that has been reproduced in the book.
I am confused as to just who wrote this letter because it is addressed to a Mr Thorpe and signed as being from (Mounted Constable) RC Thorpe.
The letter describes the discovery of the dead body thus:
“We then turned our eyes to the north end of the beach (at West Bay), and seeing something dark lying on the sand just near the (Shipwreck) shelter hut, I said to my mate, “I believe that’s a body.” We could not tell for certain owing to the distance. We however drew nearer and there we found the decomposed body of a poor young fellow, probably not more than 17 or 18. It smelled awfully bad. It was lying on its back, the skin was dry, all the features were completely gone and the flesh was leaving the skull; the left hip was thrown clean across the body and was almost detached at the hip joint. The right leg and arms were somewhat naturally shaped, they did not appear to be as shrunken as the left leg. It was a rather prettily shaped body, being slight yet compact, about 5 ft. 7 or 8, remarkably tiny hands and feet (more like a female), the teeth were evidently perfect, no hair or clothing. It was too much decomposed to get a good description.”
It would seem that the dead sailor was one of the four young apprentices on board the ship.
The burial of the body is then described thus:
“My mate and I carried the body up to a flat and buried it in its lonely grave, without a friendly tear, except our own. It is a dreadfully lonely place, high towering sand hummocks, and cliffs, and dense scrub, which made our sad task ever so much harder. The place, save for the roaring waves, is as still as death. I got a brass tipped capstan bar and nailed a cross piece on to form a cross, and with the aid of a stick and a tin of black paint recovered from the wreck, I marked on the cross, “Body from Loch Vennachar 26-11-05.”
According to “Kangaroo Island Shipwrecks” by Gifford Chapman, the grave is in the sand hills between the shelter hut and the beach.
This black & white photo shows the original cross made by Constable RC Thorpe and his mate (C.May): -
The cross is said to have been made from "a brass tipped capstan bar and (a cross piece) nailed .... on to form a cross".
The words “Body from Loch Vennachar 26-11-05" were originally painted on the cross by using "a stick and a tin of black paint recovered from the wreck",
This version of the same photo features in “Kangaroo Island Shipwrecks” by Gifford Chapman: -
(Source: “Kangaroo Island Shipwrecks” by Gifford Chapman)
“Australian Sea Mysteries” (Second edition) by Jack Loney features this map of West Bay and Vennachar Point showing both the wreck site and the site of the grave: -
(Source: “Australian Sea Mysteries” (Second edition) by Jack Loney)
This cross, with different wording, later replaced the original one which had been destroyed: -
(Source: “Kangaroo Island Shipwrecks” by Gifford Chapman)
This photo shows both Alan Hale and Brenton Booth from the SUHR's 1977 Loch Vennachar Expedition at the site of the ship's anchor memorial at the West Bay car park: -
Alan Hale and Brenton Booth at the Loch Vennachar anchor memorial at West Bay
(Photo courtesy of CA Hail)
“Australian Sea Mysteries” (Second edition) by Jack Loney states that "Before returning to Adelaide the (1977) expedition placed a tablet commemorating the ship and her crew in the cliffs overlooking the wreck site".
This is how the plaque appeared in “Kangaroo Island Shipwrecks” by Gifford Chapman: -
(Source: “Kangaroo Island Shipwrecks” by Gifford Chapman)
This photo of the plaque may have been taken by a member of the 1977 expedition at the time: -
(Source: SUHR archives)
The plaque was so shiny back then that it reflected the photographer.
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