Finding HMAS Sydney (II) _ Royal Australian Navy

7/27/2019 Finding HMAS Sydney (II) _ Royal Australian Navy

1/3

10/4/13 Finding HMAS Sydney (II) | Royal Australian Navy

www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/finding-hmas-sydney-ii

NAVYServing Australia with Pride

HMAS Sydney (II) pride of the Australian fleet

(RAN)

Home History Feature Histories

byJohn Perryman

HMAS Sydney(II) was one of three modified British Leanderclass light cruisers purchased by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in the years immediately

prior to World War II. She gained fame early in the War for her exploits while operating as part of the Royal Navys Mediterranean fleet. On 19 July 1940,

against superior odds, Sydney, under the command of Captain John Collins, RAN, engaged and destroyed the Italian light cruiserBartolomeo Colleoniand

damaged another, the Giovanni Delle Bande Nere. This action became known as the Battle of Cape Spada and in many ways mirrored the earlier success of

HMAS Sydney(I), when in 1914 she vanquished the German cruiserEmden. The second Sydneylikewise became the darling ship of the Australian nation.

Recalled to Australia in early 1941, Sydneywas feted during visits to both Fremantle and Sydney.

The cruiser received a heros welcome in her home port and her crew marched from Circular Quay to

the Town Hall for a civic reception and lunch. Within the RAN Sydneybecame well known as thelucky ship, while many of Australias c ivilian population considered her invincible. Following a short

refit, Sydneywas assigned to duties on the Australia station and was soon operating in Western

Australian waters, undertaking routine patrols and convoy escort duties.

On 11 November 1941, now under the command of Captain Joseph Burnett, RAN, Sydneysailed from

Fremantle to escort the troop ship Zealandia to the Sunda Strait. She handed over her charge to the

British cruiser HMS Durban at midday on 17 November. Sydneyshould have returned to port on 20

November, but the Australian cruiser and her men were never seen again.

What had happened to Sydneywas subsequently reconstructed from the interrogations of German

naval officers and seamen, some of whom were rescued from lifeboats, while others made it ashore to remote parts of the Western Australian coast. It was

learned from these men that they were survivors from the German auxiliary cruiser HSKKormoran. Kormoran, under the command of Kapitan zur See

Theodor Anton Detmers, was a merchant ship which had been well armed and converted into a disguised raider.

During a voyage of almost a year, Detmers had sunk 10 Allied merchant ships and taken another as a prize. According to the German account on 19

November, Kormoranencountered Sydneyapproximately 120 nautical miles west of Steep Point, Western Australia. The cruiser immediately challenged the

unknown vessels identity, but configured as the Dutch merchant ship Straat Malakk a, Kormoran feigned innocence while Sydneycontinued to close. With

the distance reduced to approximately one nautical mile, and not satisfied with the mysterious vessels responses, the cruiser issued a final challenge to

reveal her secret call sign. Not knowing how to respond, Detmers de-camouflaged and opened fire on Sydneyat the equivalent of point-blank range.

The ensuing engagement saw Sydneycrippled by a torpedo hit to her bow and from withering fire to her bridge, primary and secondary armament and upper

decks. Despite the destruction Sydneys X turret managed to score several crit ical hits on her opponent. Within an hour both ships were ablaze and mortally

damaged. The last the Germans had seen ofSydneywas as a distant glow on the horizon late in the evening as they began setting scuttling charges in their

doomed vessel. Although 317 ofKormorans crew survived, none ofSydneys c rew of 645 men lived to tell the tale.

During the many years following Sydneys loss, conjecture and debate surrounding her fate intensified rather than abated. Public interest was such that on 26

August 1997 the Australian Government requested the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade to investigate and report on the

circumstances surrounding the sinking. In March 1999 the Committee published its report, with one of the primary recommendations being that the RAN

sponsor a seminar aimed at establishing the likely area of the battle and hence the location of the wrecks ofSydneyand Kormoran.

The Sea Power Centre Australia (SPC-A) subsequently convened a Wreck Location Seminar in Fremantle on 16 November 2001. Regrettably the aim was

not achieved as the seminar served primarily to highlight the many differing theories on where the wrecks might lie. Here the matter might have rested were it

not for a volunteer group known as the Finding Sydney Foundation (FSF). [1] Intent on conducting an in-water search forSydneyand Kormoran the FSF

established their credentials with the SPC-A, RAN and ultimately the Australian Government. Confidence in the foundation was further inspired through its

alliance with notable shipwreck investigator David Mearns, who had a successful record in locating deep-water shipwrecks including that of the famous Royal

Navy battlecruiser HMS Hood. This alliance aided the FSFs object ives considerably and in August 2005 the foundation obtained partial funding for a search

from the Federal Government. Other sizeable donations were obtained from the State Governments of Western Australia and New South Wales, and from

ABOUT MEDIA ROOM THE FLEET NAVY TODAY JOIN THE NAVY HISTORY

Help Defence Ministers Navy Army Air Force
http://www.navy.gov.au/abouthttp://www.navy.gov.au/media-roomhttp://www.navy.gov.au/fleethttp://www.navy.gov.au/navy-todayhttp://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/Semaphore_13_2008_-_Finding_Sydney_%28web%29_img_2_0.jpghttp://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/Semaphore_13_2008_-_Finding_Sydney_%28web%29_img_2_0.jpghttp://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/Semaphore_13_2008_-_Finding_Sydney_%28web%29_img_2_0.jpghttp://www.navy.gov.au/join-navyhttp://www.navy.gov.au/historyhttp://www.navy.gov.au/nodehttp://www.navy.gov.au/http://www.navy.gov.au/nodehttp://defence.gov.au/Accessibility.htmlhttp://defence.gov.au/http://minister.defence.gov.au/http://www.navy.gov.au/http://www.army.gov.au/http://www.airforce.gov.au/http://www.airforce.gov.au/http://www.airforce.gov.au/http://www.army.gov.au/http://www.navy.gov.au/http://minister.defence.gov.au/http://defence.gov.au/http://defence.gov.au/Accessibility.htmlhttp://www.navy.gov.au/historyhttp://www.navy.gov.au/join-navyhttp://www.navy.gov.au/navy-todayhttp://www.navy.gov.au/fleethttp://www.navy.gov.au/media-roomhttp://www.navy.gov.au/abouthttp://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-historieshttp://www.navy.gov.au/historyhttp://www.navy.gov.au/http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/Semaphore_13_2008_-_Finding_Sydney_%28web%29_img_2_0.jpghttp://www.addthis.com/bookmark.phphttp://www.navy.gov.au/nodehttp://www.navy.gov.au/


2/3



Sydneys X turret, credited with infli cting the mortal

blows on Kormoran (FSF)

Two of Sydneys boats lying within the scattered

debris field (FSF)

members of the general public. The proposed scope of the search st ill exceeded the available funds, but after further lobbying an additional commitment by

the Federal Government in August 2007 brought total funds up to $4.2 million.

With sufficient funding in place, detailed planning for the in-water search could begin in earnest with early 2008 set as the object ive. David Mearns was

confirmed as the search director while the Norwegian company, DOF Subsea, secured the contract for the search vessel, the SV Geosounder. The vital

deep-water side scan sonar equipment needed to find the wrecks was provided by an American firm, Williamson and Associates.

The search team mobilised from Geraldton, Western Australia in February 2008 and sailed in early March to begin searching an area of seabed equivalent in

size to the Australian Capital Territory. The first objective was to locate the Kormoran which could then be used as a reference point to find Sydney. Despite

setbacks caused by equipment malfunctions and the influence of a tropical cyclone, the defined search box proved accurate and wreck ofKormoran was

identified on 12 March. This discovery enabled David Mearns to further refine his search box. Four days later at 11:03 on Sunday 16 March the wreck of

Sydneywas found at a depth of roughly 2500 metres. News of the discovery was quickly communicated ashore and an official announcement was made by

the Prime Minister, the Honourable Kevin Rudd, on Monday 17 March. What has been described as Australias most enduring maritime mystery had been

solved.

With the location of both wrecks identified, the search vessel Geosounderreturned to Geraldton where

the search team began mobilising for Phase II of the search, obtaining imagery ofSydneyand Kormoran

using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Geosounderwas fortunately equipped with a suitable vehicle

which was soon being prepared for this crucial part of the expedition. On 28 March the Geosounder

sailed again from Geraldton and returned to the wreck si tes. Both wrecks were now protected under the

provisions of the Historic Shipwrecks Act, 1976and as such permission had first to be sought before the

Geosoundercould re-enter the area.

Again the expedition was dogged with bad weather and further technical difficulties which had to be

resolved at sea with only the expertise available onboard. These setbacks were eventually overcome and

the ROV obtained its first images ofSydneyat 15:10 on 3 April when its powerful underwater lighting

illuminated one of the cruisers MK XXI 6-inch gun turrets. The wreck was upright, and as the ROV was

maneuvered along Sydneys port side it became clear that, in spite of obvious battle damage, she was in

a remarkably well-preserved state with litt le marine growth. The extreme depth and darkness in which

Sydneylies is, and will continue to be, her greatest protector.

An initial examination of the wreck confirmed Sydneyhad lost her bow, and appeared to support much of

what the German seamen had revealed following their capture in 1941. Sydneys bridge, mid-ships

section and upper works were severely damaged and the accuracy of the German gunnery was apparent

on each of her four gun turrets which had all received multiple direct hits.

A separate ROV inspection ofKormoran revealed

that the scuttling charges placed by the

Germans among the 300 plus mines which she

carried had destroyed most of the vessel with only the well deck and forecastle remaining.

The FSFs objective to locate both wrecks was achieved. Equally importantly the crews of both ships

were commemorated by the search team with short services being conducted over the site of each of

the wrecks.

The data and imagery collected by the FSF has now been forwarded to the Commission of Inquiry

into the loss of HMAS Sydney II, presided over by the Honourable Terence Cole. This Commission

was appointed by the Chief of Defence Force to inquire into and report on circumstances surrounding

the loss ofSydneyand consequent loss of life and related subsequent events. Special

commemorative services will also be conducted around Australia on 19 November 2008, to mark the

67th anniversary of her loss.

References

1. See the HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation web site , (16 September 2008).

Sea Power Centre Australia

Sea Power Centre - Australia

Department of Defence
http://www.findingsydney.com/http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/327px-Semaphore_13_2008_-_Finding_Sydney_%28web%29_img_4_0.jpghttp://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/Semaphore_13_2008_-_Finding_Sydney_%28web%29_img_3_0.jpg


3/3



Canberra ACT 2600

[email protected]

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY To fight and win at se

PRIVACY POLICY

COPYRIGHT

DISCLAIMER

BROWSER SUPPO

Contact Us | 1300 333 362

BOUT MEDIA ROOM THE FLEET NAVY TODAY JOIN THE NAVY HISTORY

Organisation

Senior LeadershipGroup

Our People

Establishments

The Fleet

News

Events

Press Releases

Publications

Chief of NavySpeeches

Image Gallery

Video Gallery

Multimedia

Ships, Boats & Craft

Aircraft

Weapons

New GenerationNavy

Operations

Exercises

Navy Open Days

Recruit School

Naval Col lege

Reserves

Sea Power Centre

Navy Museums

Ship Histories
http://www.navy.gov.au/fleet/ships-boats-craft/available-ship-historieshttp://www.navy.gov.au/history/navy-museumshttp://www.navy.gov.au/history/sea-power-centrehttp://www.navy.gov.au/join-navy/reserveshttp://www.navy.gov.au/join-navy/naval-collegehttp://www.navy.gov.au/join-navy/recruit-schoolhttp://www.navy.gov.au/navy-open-dayshttp://www.navy.gov.au/navy-today/exerciseshttp://www.navy.gov.au/navy-today/operationshttp://www.navy.gov.au/navy-today/new-generation-navyhttp://www.navy.gov.au/fleet/weaponshttp://www.navy.gov.au/fleet/aircrafthttp://www.navy.gov.au/fleet/ships-boats-crafthttp://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/multimediahttp://video.navy.gov.au/http://images.navy.gov.au/http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/chief-navy-speecheshttp://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publicationshttp://www.navy.gov.au/press-releaseshttp://www.navy.gov.au/calendar/monthhttp://news.navy.gov.au/http://www.navy.gov.au/fleethttp://www.navy.gov.au/establishmentshttp://www.navy.gov.au/about/our-peoplehttp://www.navy.gov.au/about/senior-leadership-grouphttp://www.navy.gov.au/organisationhttp://www.navy.gov.au/historyhttp://www.navy.gov.au/join-navyhttp://www.navy.gov.au/navy-todayhttp://www.navy.gov.au/fleethttp://www.navy.gov.au/media-roomhttp://www.navy.gov.au/abouthttp://www.navy.gov.au/contact-ushttp://www.navy.gov.au/browser-supporthttp://www.navy.gov.au/disclaimerhttp://www.navy.gov.au/copyrighthttp://www.navy.gov.au/privacy-policyhttp://www.navy.gov.au/nodehttp://www.navy.gov.au/mailto:%73%65%61%70%6f%77%65%72%2e%63%65%6e%74%72%65%40%64%65%66%65%6e%63%65%2e%67%6f%76%2e%61%75

Finding HMAS Sydney (II) _ Royal Australian Navy

Documents

Transcript of Finding HMAS Sydney (II) _ Royal Australian Navy