The stopover in Perth, 28 November - 2 December 1947 by Ann Tündern-Smith

We've looked already at the carefully organised disembarkation of 839 passengers from the USAT General Stuart Heintzelman in Fremantle, the harbour for Western Australia's capital city of Perth.  We've read the letter of thanks from Roberts Miezitis to the managers of the Swanbourne Barracks canteen.  Below is the covering note from the Acting Commonwealth Migration Officer for Western Australia, RW Gratwick.

The report from the Supervising Manager of both Army camps, or perhaps only the Graylands camp, Mr C Huck follows.

I reckon he fudged his figures because he thought that he had to get a total of 844.  For instance, 114 women is the number on women on the Heintzelman, not the 112 allowed to land.

In reality, there were 843 on the Heintzelman as one person had not embarked at the last minute.  We already know from the disembarkation report that 4 were not allowed to land in Australia, while a fifth was taken to hospital for treatment.  The numbers in Mr Huck's report should add up to only 838.

I wonder also about his 9.30 pm departure time on 2 December, since JB Thompson's report to RW Gratwick says that the Kanimbla had sailed at "1800 hrs." on 2 December.  That time converts to 6 pm.

This lower headcount make the cost per head slightly more expensive than Mr Huck's calculation, as the money was spent on fewer people.  However, given the two debatable figures so far, I've decided that the total number of meals could be out too, so checking is best put to one side.

In any case, on 22 pennies each day translates into Australian decimal currency as 22 cents.  The Reserve Bank's Pre-Decimal Inflation Calculator says that what cost 22 cents in 1947 would have cost $7.63 in 2024.  While you wouldn't get a cup of coffee and something to go with it for $7.63 now, the two camp canteens would have had the benefit of buying in bulk at wholesale prices.

Sources

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Immigration, Western Australian Branch; PP482/1, Correspondence files [nominal rolls], single number series; 82, General Heintzelman - arrived Fremantle 28 November 1947 - nominal rolls of passengers https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=439196 accessed 27 June 2025.

Reserve Bank of Australia, Pre-Decimal Inflation Calculator https://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualPreDecimal.html accessed 29 June 2025.