SS Barunga was formerly the German-Australian liner Sumatra of Hamburg, captured at Sydney, NSW, at the outbreak of war.

She was requisitioned by the Australian Government and during the period 1915-1918 was used to transport troops and/or produce in various areas.

On 14th July, 1918 Barunga departed Plymouth with 855 invalided Australian troops returning to Australia.

At 4.20 pm, 15th July, 1918, when at a point 150 miles west by south from the Scilly Isles, a torpedo washed through the starboard bow.

Destroyers which had been some miles away were quickly on the scene to pick up survivors and returned them to Plymouth. All hands were saved before Burunga subsequently sank.

H.M.A.T. Barunga was built in 1913, weighted 7438 tons and had a top speed of 11 knots.

During her service she had been torpedoed before, in the English Channel, 7th July, 1918, but the torpedo missed.

During her service she was also involved in three collisions, these were with:
(i) S.S. Lucellum, December 1916
(ii) the dock entrance at Cardiff, 8th January, 1917
(iii) S.S. Theodoros Pangalos, 22nd February, 1917

During her service she had served in the:
Indian & Atlantic Oceans, Mediterranean, English Channel, Australia, Europe, Egypt, East & West Africa.