Of Tragedy and Valor
David Murray Shannon

Fish feast for seals is costly

•  Victor Harbour Times (SA : 1932 - 1986) 

•  Wed 14 Mar 1984 

Sea lions offshore at Victor Harbor are daily gouging holes in the nets of local pro-fessional fishermen and gorg-ing on their catches. And the men have no deter-rent for this destruction.

Fisherman Roger Tugwell calculates the seals cost him $3,000 for damaged nets and $7,000 for lost fish each year. There are at least three seals presently feasting on the fishermen's catches, and up to nine have been spotted. They bite off the heads or tails, making the fish palatable only to seagulls, and other fish escape through the tears in the nets.

"Just one seal can eat one cwt of fish a day," commented Mr Tugwell. The problem has been around for 50-60 years but is getting worse each year as the seal numbers grow, he contended. "We are lucky if we manage to save half our catch. "Most mornings, sections of the nets are torn to pieces." The fishermen have been refused a permit allowing them to destroy two seals a year. 

Another fisherman in the area, Mr Murray Shannon, was told this was because the Australian sea lion was not exceptionally numerous. There are about 5,000 individuals living in the world - most of these off the coast of South Australia. The relevant Department advised him that Kangaroo Island fishermen protect their

nets by attending to them and lifting the nets if a seal goes by. He was told: "This appears to prevent most of the damage although some seals are persistent." Local fishermen state this is impossible. Their nets are left in the sea for 24 hours at a time, and they cannot guard them day and night.

Local fisherman Murray Shannon with sweep partially eaten by seals.

Murray annoyed

• Times (Victor Harbor, SA : 1987 - 1999) 

•  Tue 10 Jan 1995 

Local recreational net fisherman of 70 years, Murray Shannon will be very disappointed if the net review recommendations are approved. "I don't think the changes will be very helpful at all." he said. "There are only about three or four local fishermen netting regularly at the moment, the rest are holiday makers, about half a  dozen or so . " 

Mr Shannon said most of the net fishermen were retired people like himself, and this was their form of recreation. "I'd be annoyed if these recommendations went through because it would deprive me of my recreational fishing." What he took from the sea was for his use, and for family and friends only. "I don't think the closure of the Victor Harbor area to net fishermen would help at all — the fish stocks are not being reduced dramatically and there are still quite a few fish numbers around." 

According to Mr Shannon the recommendation for a $100 licence fee was simply a revenue raiser for the government. "They are exploiting the recreational fisherman." 

Currently, recreational net fishermen were made to sit on their nets — to be within a certain distance of their fishing nets. The report recommends that this he replaced with a requirement that the nets he lifted and cleared of all meshed fish every hour. 

Mr Shannon said: "It (netting) wouldn't he worth it unless the fish were running because lifting and removing the fish from the net is very time consuming."

War took toll on all

• Times (Victor Harbor, SA : 1987 - 1999) 

•  Tue 22 Aug 1995 

•  Australia Remembers

When Murray Shannon was born in 1913 it was into a world of political unrest on the verge of war. And 26 years later Murray was in the middle of his own war. 

Murray served Australia for almost three years in the Middle East, Western Desert, Syria, Palestine and Egypt, but was in the army five and a half years. As sergeant he had nine lines men under him. 

One of his most important roles was to keep telephone lines between the three battalions in good condition. The telephone lines were constantly being cut so Murray hid out one day to see who was causing the damage. It was a German soldier disguised as a priest. They apprehended the German and pumped him for information. 

War took its toll on everyone. After six weeks fighting Murray had gone from 15 stone to 10 stone. The ration for four men a day was one tin of bully beef and one bush biscuit. Fighting conditions varied from country to country. 

In Syria it was warm in the summer, but snowed all winter long. Murray said the climates were extreme in Syria. In the Syrian mountains the men ate bananas and pineapples, but just a few miles back there would be snow. Murray would patrol as far as the Turkish border and, because the Turks were neutual, they would give the prisoners back. Murray Murray would share coffee with the Turks. 

While on duty on the Kakoda Trail, he was shot in the leg. The Japanese had a trick of cutting the telephone wires and waiting to shoot the person who came to fix them. Murray spent 18 months fighting the Japanese. The Japanese were amazing jungle fighters. They would dig a trench within minutes. But Murray said the worst job he ever did in the army was to bury 1000 Japanes in those same trenches. The stench was so bad he had to tie a handkerchief. 

None of the soldiers ever wore ranking because the Japanese always shot the top people first. Shocking weather conditions meant that Murray caught malaria. Malaria was rampant, but Murray had to wait until he got home before he could receive proper treatment. 

Murray received a number of awards for bravery and committment to the armed forces. Among his awards was one for running 300 to 400 yards under intense military fire to get a telephone line across. 

Murray says people should forgive and forget. He says the Japanese were the cruelest soldiers, but were very good jungle fighters. He holds nothing against the Japanese. 

But Murray said his situation was very different to the prisoners of war held by the Japanese who have found it harder to forgive.

Murray Shannon

Remembrance Day marked

As the unknown soldier was finally laid to rest in Canberra's National War Memorial, local RSLs were also remembering those who fought and died for Australia. Yankalilla RSL marked the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War 1 with a service at the Wall of Remembrance. 

The ceremony incorporated a special segment where children were invited to lay a single flower to mark the occasion. The Rev Ivan Goss conducted the service and two mounted troopers, from the Lighthorse Association, also attended. Goolwa sub-branch's padre Paul Buckingham said Goolwa' s Remembrance service went particularly well, with about 100 people attending. Mr Buckingham conducted the service and the bugler was Ron Turner. 

Mr Buckingham said he focussed on the importance of this year being the 75th Anniversary of the end of WWI throughout the ceremony. During the service branch president Ron McArthur laid a wreath. The service was followed by a barbecue lunch at the clubrooms. 

Port Elliot RSL held its service at the memorial, near the old council chambers. Branch president Howard Jensen said it was a lovely service and about 37 people attended. 

The Rev Peter Roper conducted the service at which Mr Jensen gave the eulogy and a wreath was laid at the memorial. Colin Coote from the Victor Harbor RSL said about 200 people attended the service at the Cross of Sacrifice, in Soldier's Memorial Gardens. The service was conducted by the sub-branch's padre Captain Allan Parish. He said the service went very well, although it would have been better with less wind.

• Victor Harbour Times (SA : 1932 - 1986) 

•  Wed 24 Apr 1985 

Ready and prepared for Sunday's Anzac march is Murray Shannon of Encounter Bay, aided by his wife Kathleen. Murray served in World War II as a sergeant, receiving a British Empire Medal for bravery as he and his men successfully laid communication cables at the front line in New Guinea. He was mentioned in despatches and also received campaign medals for service in the Middle East and South Pacific. Murray, a retired fisherman, served from 1940-45 and was once shot in the lower leg as a result of a Japanese sniper's bullet but still carried out his mission, earning him his highly esteemed BEM.