24 June 2025

Disembarking from the Heintzelman in Fremantle Harbour: the Orders, by RW Gratwick with Ann Tündern-Smith

Military precision is not a surprise only two years after the end of World War II.  That's what was required by the Acting Commonwealth Migration Officer for Western Australia, RW Gratwick, in this letter to the Master of the General Stuart Heintzelman.  Of the Heintzelman's three Captains, the Master would have been the Navy one, Cort M Pedersen.  It was more likely the Army one, Transport Commander Captain Valentine Pasvolsky, who organised the passenger as required by the Department of Immigration.


The letter probably was carried to the Heintzelman when a doctor went out to the ship to conduct the medical inspection.  This is as good a time as any to note again that this medical inspection resulted in three passengers not being allowed "debark" (disembark) and enter Australia.

The letter is from a Department of Immigration file, PP482/1, 82, General Heintzelman — Nominal Roll — arrived Fremantle 28 November 1947.  It's been digitised at https://firsttransport.blogspot.com/2025/06/disembarking-from-Heintzelman-in-Fremantle-Harbour-19471128.html, but I'm drawing significant correspondence to your attention.

Double-click on each of the two pages to see a more legible size in a new browser page.




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