HMAT Bulla

The NDL liner Hessen was seized by Australian forces on 3 September 1914,^[3] when it sailed from Bremen into Melbourne, the German crew being unaware of the outbreak of World War I.^[4] The vessel did not have a wireless radio, and had sailed from Antwerp on 19 July 1914, with hostilities in progress from 4 August 1914.^[5] The seven crew and master Dietrich Reimers were taken into custody then released on parole in accordance with Articles 5(2), 6, and 7, of the Hague Convention.^[6] Its cargo was then offloaded in Sydney and Brisbane.^[7][8]

It became a troop transport for the war, becoming HMAT Hessen (A45) by February 1915,^[9] and by September 1915, renamed as the HMAT Bulla (A45).^[10][11] It was initially under the command of Captain R. A. T. Wilson,^[12] initially ferrying troops and horses to Egypt, and formed part of the Gallipoli campaign.^[13] It was subsequently considered unsuitable for troop transport.^[14] Captain E. Clutterbuck took over from Wilson,^[12] where the vessel was part of a storeship for that campaign.^[15]

May 1919 saw the steamer return from London with trophies of war for the Australian War Museum.^[16]

It was transferred to the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers in 1918,^{[citation needed]} with Captain A. R. Pascall being the master about this time.^[17] In 1920 the SS Bulla was used to transport 6400 bales of wool and 1400 bags of barley from Adelaide to London via Durban.^[18]

The steamer was sold for £13 500^[2] in 1926 to W. Schuchmann, who renamed it Weissesee (meaning 'white sea').^[19][20]

Weissesee was bombed and sunk by aircraft at Hamburg, Germany, on 25 July 1943. The wreck was raised in 1949 and scrapped.^[21]