The first blow to the normal trade of the port after the outbreak of the war in Europe was the withdrawal from service of the modern interstate passenger vessels Kanimbla, Manoora and Westralia, which were requisitioned on behalf of the British Admiralty and Royal Australian Navy and commissioned as auxiliary cruisers. Later, the other main interstate passenger vessels, including the Duntroon, Manunda, and the veteran Katoomba, were drawn into war service, and interstate trade had then to be carried on, as far as practicable, by the regular Australian owned cargo vessels, which were later supplemented by foreign owned vessels whose countries had been over-run by the enemy.

The weekly mail vessels, British and foreign-owned cargo vessels also had their normal services disrupted within a very short space of time after the outbreak of war, whilst within the first month or so of war, harbour accommodation was required to be provided for the first of the vessels of war to be based on the port.

(extracts from the 1946 Fremantle Harbour Trust Annual Report)