ʃiː ˈɑːpɚɹˌeɪɾᵻd ˌɔn ɐn ˌɪntɚɹˈaɪlənd tɹˈeɪd ɹˈaʊt fɔːɹ bˈɜːnz fˈɪlp ænd kˈʌmpəni, ænd æt ðɪ ˈaʊtbɹeɪk ʌv wˈɜːld wˈɔːɹ ɹˌoʊmən tˈuː, ʃiː wʌz ɛŋɡˈeɪdʒd ɪnðɪ ɪvˌækjuːˈeɪʃən ʌv sɪvˈɪliənz ɐhˈɛd ʌv ɐdvˈænsɪŋ dʒˌæpənˈiːz fˈoːɹsᵻz ɪn nˈuː ɡˈɪni.
She operated on an inter-island trade route for Burns Philp & Company, and at the outbreak of World War II, she was engaged in the evacuation of civilians ahead of advancing Japanese forces in New Guinea.