HMAS Sydney (1934)

HMAS "Sydney" was a light cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) between 1934 and 1941. "Sydney" had great success in the first years of World War II, but controversy and mystery surrounded the loss of the battle-hardened ship and her crew in November 1941. She was sunk on 19 November 1941 with the loss of all 645 hands, which represented the greatest loss of life in an Australian warship, and the largest Allied vessel to sink with all hands during the war. [The Japanese aircraft carrier "Chiyoda" was lost with all 1470 hands. After the Japanese heavy cruiser "Chokai" was sunk, some crew were rescued by a destroyer, "Fujinami". This destroyer was later sunk with the loss of all of "Chokai's" survivors. It has been claimed that the Japanese battleship "Fuso" was lost with all hands in 1944, but the evidence is not at all clear. HMS "Neptune", another "Leander" class cruiser, was lost with all but one crew member only a few weeks after "Sydney".]

She was classified by the RAN as a Modified "Leander" class cruiser, although these ships are sometimes known as the "Perth" class" or the "Amphion" class". As "Sydney" was originally intended for the Royal Navy, she was known as HMS "Phaeton" for part of her construction. The ship was bought by the Australian government and renamed before she was launched.

After years of searching, the wreckage of the German vessel that sank HMAS "Sydney", the auxiliary cruiser "Kormoran" was found on 12 March 2008. On 17 March 2008 the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that the wreck of "HMAS Sydney" had also been discovered, on the previous day. "Sydney" was found Convert|150|km|nmi from Shark Bay, Western Australia and Convert|22.6|km|nmi from the "Kormoran".

Description

"Sydney" was one of three light cruisers originally ordered in 1931–1932 for the Royal Navy as the "Amphion" class", an improved sub-group of "Leander" class cruisers. The "Amphion" class had their machinery arranged in a redundant "unit" principle, with boiler room, engine room, boiler room, engine room configuration. The visible difference from this change was two widely separated funnels, while the original "Leander" class ships had a single large funnel. Ships in the class were Convert|562|ft|m long, Convert|56|ft|m wide, had a draught of Convert|15|ft|m and displaced 6,830 tons.Stevens 2005, secondary sources]

Armament included four twin-mounted BL 6-inch (152 mm) guns, four QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk.V L/45 anti-aircraft guns, three quadruple mount 0.50 inch (12.7 mm)) Vickers machine guns and eight Convert|21|in|mm|adj=on torpedo tubes. [Royal Australian Navy, primary sources] The ships carried a single catapult-launched seaplane (initially a Supermarine Seagull V then later a Supermarine Walrus [London 2003, secondary sources, p275] ) that was crewed by members of No. 9 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force.

The design had a number of shortcomings, including guns not having shields, the single-mounted anti-aircraft guns not providing enough firepower and a lack of redundancy in the power supply to the Director Control Tower (in the latter case meaning that the main guns could not be aimed effectively if power were lost). In 1938, Commander Waller explained to the Australian Commonwealth Navy Board that "The primary gun control systems in HMAS "Sydney" are extremely vulnerable to gunfire and bombs, even of small calibre." These problems were fixed in HMAS "Hobart", but the changes were not made to "Sydney".

History

Construction and commissioning

"Sydney" was laid down by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Limited at Wallsend-on-Tyne, England, on 8 July 1933 as HMS "Phaeton". In 1934, before launching, she was purchased by the Australian Government and renamed in memory of the earlier "Sydney". She was launched on 22 September 1934 by Ethel Bruce, the wife of S. M. Bruce, High Commissioner to Britain and former Australian Prime Minister. A year later, following her sea trials she sailed to Portsmouth under Royal Navy Captain John Fitzgerald.Frame 2004, secondary sources, p145] She was commissioned at Portsmouth on 24 September 1935.

On 29 October 1935, she sailed for Australia, but was diverted to the Mediterranean following the Italian invasion of Abyssinia. There, she assisted in enforcing a League of Nations blockade against Italy until January 1936, before sailing for Australia where she finally arrived on 2 August 1936.McKernan 2006, secondary sources, p147]

World War II deployment

"Sydney"'s initial duties in World War II consisted of patrol and escort duties in the Indian Ocean. However when Italy joined the war, she was deployed in the Mediterranean under Captain John Augustine Collins, joining the 7th Cruiser Squadron at Alexandria on 26 May 1940 after passing through the Suez Canal. While serving in the Mediterranean, "Sydney" was credited with the sinking of the Italian destroyer "Espero", a ship that fought tenaciously to the very end.Johnston 1942, secondary sources, p39-40] Pratt 1979, secondary sources, p406]

"Sydney"’s crowning glory was achieved on 19 July 1940, in the Battle of Cape Spada in the Greek Islands. With a British destroyer squadron in company, she engaged the high-speed Italian light cruisers "Bartolomeo Colleoni" and "Giovanni dalle Bande Nere".Swain 2001, secondary sources, p10-14] In the running battle which followed, "Bartolomeo Colleoni" was wrecked and later sunk by torpedoes from the destroyers, while the high speed of "Giovanni dalle Bande Nere" enabled her to escape a similar fate. During this battle, "Sydney" received the only damage of her Mediterranean campaign, when a shell penetrated one of her funnels.Johnston 1942, secondary sources, p14] This victory had important strategic effects: "...until the fall of Greece some nine months later, Allied control of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean was virtually unchallenged."Australian War Memorial, secondary sources]

On 27 July 1940, while covering a convoy to the Dardanelles, in company with HMS "Neptune", "Sydney" was involved in the sinking of a small Greek tanker, "Ermioni", which was carrying fuel to the Italian garrison in the Dodecanese. During August and September, "Sydney" took part in various operations, including bombardments of Italian positions at Bardia in Libya,United States Naval Institute, secondary sources, p416-418] and an airfield at Scarpanto in the Dodecanese. "Sydney" then returned to Alexandria for repairs, maintenance and leave.

In October, "Sydney" and another "Leander" class cruiser HMS "Orion", carried out a bombardment of Port Maltesana (Astipalea) in the Dodecanese. In November, "Sydney" ferried troops and stores to Crete; on the night of 11 November "Sydney", "Orion", HMS "Ajax" (another "Leander") and two destroyers attacked an Italian convoy of four merchant ships and two escorts in the Strait of Otranto. All the merchant ships were sunk, although the two escorts escaped.

"Sydney" was refitted at Malta and departed the Mediterranean for Australia on 12 January 1941, performing escort duties en route. "Sydney" reached Fremantle on 5 February and underwent a further refit in Sydney Harbour, during which Collins handed over command to Captain Joseph Burnett. "Sydney"’s crew was honoured by her namesake city on 11 February, with school children given a holiday in order to see them on parade.Royal Australian Navy, primary sources] On 27 February, the ship left for its new base of Fremantle, from where she would carry out patrol and escort duties in the Indian Ocean, occasionally venturing into Asian and Pacific waters.

Final battle and disappearance

On 5 November 1941 at Albany, Western Australia, "Sydney" began escorting the troopship "Zealandia",Plowman 2007, secondary sources, p130-131] which was bound for Singapore. "Sydney" and "Zealandia" arrived at Fremantle on 9 November. They were delayed by a labour dispute on board "Zealandia", but left Fremantle on 11 November. On 17 November, "Sydney" handed over escort duties of "Zealandia" to HMS "Durban" at Sunda Strait, then turned around to head back to Fremantle. "Sydney" was scheduled to arrive back in Fremantle in the afternoon or evening of 20 November. Axis submarines and surface raiders had already been active in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and it was expected that any Australian naval vessel on such a voyage might have to investigate reported sightings or suspicious vessels.

At about 4pm on 19 November, somewhere west of Shark Bay, Western Australia, "Sydney" sighted what she believed to be a merchant ship about Convert|20|km|nmi away and challenged her. The other ship identified herself as the Dutch ship "Straat Malakka".Grove 2002, secondary sources, p21] She was, in fact, the German merchant raider "Kormoran", disguised and sailing under a false flag. According to survivors from "Kormoran", the ill-prepared "Sydney" closed to within Convert|1000|m|yd, and was surprised and overwhelmed when the crew of the heavily armed raider opened fire at nearly point-blank range with concealed artillery and torpedoes.

"Kormoran" was also badly damaged in the ensuing battle and had to be abandoned and scuttled due to engine failure and a fire that was burning out of control.Action Report 1941, primary sources, p3] Survivors from "Kormoran" were rescued by the ships "Koolinda" (31), "Aquitania" (26), "Trocas" (25) and HMAS "Yandra" (2), while a further 103 reached Carnarvon by lifeboat.Grove 2002, secondary sources, p11] The Germans reported that "Sydney" was last seen down by the bow and on fire as she disappeared over the horizon. The ship and her 645 crew members were never seen again.Frame 2004, secondary sources, p168]

It was not until 25 November (six days later) that the fears of the Royal Australian Navy about likely loss of "Sydney" were heightened to the point that the Secretary to the War Cabinet was informed and he, in turn, informed the Prime Minister in writing.

Floating wreckage from "Sydney"

The Australian War Memorial houses a Carley float, clearly damaged by shrapnel, discovered at sea nine days after the sinking at coord|24|07|S|110|58|E|type:landmark_region:AU.Hardstaff 1995, secondary sources] Until the discovery of the ship, this was the only substantial relic of the sinking.

On or about 6 February 1942, another Carley float, containing the body of a white male adult, was found off Christmas Island about Convert|2500|km|nmi from the scene of the battle. Neither the body nor the origins of the float were able to be identified, although it is possible that both came from "Sydney".Gibbs 1997, secondary sources] Documents regarding the body and the location of this man's grave appear to have been lost during the Japanese occupation of the island, and several searches in a cemetery failed to locate the remains. In October 2006, an archaeological investigation rediscovered the body of the unidentified man. It was also reported that examination of the remains had revealed a 9 mm bullet or a fragment of shrapnel in his skull. However, the body has not been positively identified and no link with "Sydney" has yet been shown. Researchers are currently undertaking DNA investigation on the remains and suspected, surviving relatives. [cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=666&objectid=10447663 |date=June 25, 2007 |title=ID for sailor's remains getting closer |accessdate=2008-03-17 |publisher=The New Zealand Herald]

In March 1943, a lifebuoy from "Sydney" was found near Comboyuro Point, Moreton Island, Queensland, although it is possible that this was lost before the battle with "Kormoran".

Discovery of "Kormoran" and "Sydney"

The Finding Sydney Foundation announced that the wreck of the "Kormoran" had been found on 12 March 2008, during a $3.9 million private [cite web |url=http://www.findingsydney.com/sponsors.asp |publisher=HMAS Sydney Search Pty Ltd |date=2008 |accessdate=2008-04-02 |title=Sponsors] and government-funded search for "Sydney" launched at the beginning of March.Finding Sydney Foundation, 16 March 2008, primary sources] The search team was headed by David Mearns, a veteran American shipwreck hunter. The ship was found Convert|112|nmi|km west of Steep Point, lying in Convert|2560|m|ft of water.

On 16 March 2008, the wreck of HMAS "Sydney" was reportedly found at coord|26|14|37|S|111|13|03|E|type:landmark_region:AU|display=title,inline|name=HMAS Sydney, approximately Convert|100|nmi|km west of Steep Point and Convert|12.2|nmi|km from the "Kormoran" wreck.Finding Sydney Foundation 17 March 2008, primary sources] Prime Minister Kevin Rudd confirmed the following day that the wreck was that of the "Sydney", at a depth of Convert|2470|m|ft. On 3 April 2008, the Finding Sydney Foundation published the first underwater pictures of the "Sydney" taken using an ROV. The images show that the bow had sheared off, leading Mearns to speculate that:Finding Sydney Foundation 5 April 2008, primary sources] cquote|It seems increasingly likely that Sydney’s bow, severely damaged and weakened by the torpedo strike, broke away with Sydney pointed on a heading of 140 degrees, and still possibly underway. All the evidence indicates that the weather and sea conditions worsened on the evening of November 19th and rough seas may have played a factor in Sydney losing her bow and finally sinking.

The wreck of the "Sydney" will be protected under the 1976 Historic Shipwrecks Act [cite web |url=http://www.austlii.com/au/legis/cth/consol_act/hsa1976235/ |title=Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 |date=1976 |publisher=Australian Commonwealth Government |accessdate=2008-03-30] and be treated as a war grave. [ABC News, secondary sources]

Notes

References

; Primary sources consulted
*citation |last=sc|D|etmers |first=Theodor |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/kormoran/Kormoran-Evidence-11d.jpg|title=Action Report (Coded message) |date=1941 |accessdate=2008-09-15 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy Archive
*cite press release|last=sc|M|earns|first=David|url=http://presspass.findingsydney.com/blogs/search_reports/archive/2008/03/15/HSK-Kormoran-Discovered.aspx|title=Wreck of HSK Kormoran Discovered|publisher=Finding Sydney Foundation|date=2008-03-16|accessdate=2008-04-06
*Cite press release|url=http://presspass.findingsydney.com/blogs/search_reports/archive/2008/03/16/discovery-of-hmas-sydney-ii.aspx|title=HMAS Sydney (II) discovered|publisher=Finding Sydney Foundation|date=2008-03-17|accessdate=2008-04-06
*Cite web|url=http://presspass.findingsydney.com/blogs/search_reports/archive/2008/04/06/5th-april-2008-daily-report.aspx|title=Latest Search Reports: 5th April 2008 Report|publisher=Finding Sydney Foundation|date=2008-04-05|accessdate=2008-04-07
*cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/index.php/HMAS_Sydney_%28II%29 |title=HMAS Sydney (II) |accessdaymonth=23 August |accessyear=2008 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy

; Secondary sources consulted
*cite web |url=http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/hmas_sydney/document.htm |title=HMAS Sydney II and the Kormoran |publisher=Australian War Memorial|accessdate=2008-03-17
*cite book|author=sc|E|dwards, Bernard|title="Salvo!: Classic Naval Gun Actions"|date=2002|accessdate=2008-03-18|isbn=1860199593|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=-yOAsX3g95IC|publisher=Brockhampton
*cite book|author=sc|F|rame, T.R.|date=2004|accessdate=2008-03-23|isbn=1741142334|publisher=Allen & Unwin|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=YY6CN8wAk4AC|title=No Pleasure Cruise the Story of the Royal Australian Navy
*cite book|title=German Capital Ships and Raiders in World War II|author=Grove, Eric|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0714652083|date=2002|accessdate=2008-03-23|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=yfo6jOQ0lJUC
*cite book|author=sc|H|ardstaff, Reginald John|title=Leadline to Laser: The Hydrographic Service, Royal Australian Navy, 1920–1995|date=1995|isbn=0646250531|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=n-FhAAAACAAJ
*cite book|author=sc|G|ibbs, Martin David|title=The Corpse in the Carley Float) — An archaeological survey of the Christmas Island Cemetery and the possible site of an HMAS Sydney sailor|date=1997|publisher=Dept. of Maritime Archaeology, Western Australian Maritime Museum|accessdate=2008-03-23|date=1997|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=TfmWGwAACAAJ
*cite book|author=sc|J|ohnston, George Henry|title=Action at Sea: The Saga of the Sydney|date=1942|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=q54gAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=2008-03-25
*cite book|author=sc|K|eegan, John & sc|M|ayer, Sydney L.|title=The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of World War II|date=1977|publisher=Rand McNally|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ay8YAAAAIAAJ|accessdate=2008-03-23
*cite book|author=sc|L|ondon, Peter|title=British Flying Boats|publisher=Sutton|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=uKlTAAAAMAAJ|isbn=0750926953|date=2003|accessdate=2008-04-06
*cite book|author=sc|M|cKernan, Michael|title=The Strength of a Nation: Six Years of Australians Fighting for the Nation|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9TRPqEaG0LgC|date=2006|publisher=Allen & Unwin|isbn=174114714X|accessdate=2008-03-21
*cite book|author=sc|P|lowman, Peter|title=Coast to Coast: The Great Australian Coastal Liners|date=2007|isbn=1877058602|accessdate=2008-03-23|publisher=Rosenberg Publishing|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=7H8zjawqLSQC
*cite book|author=sc|P|ratt, Bruce W.|title=The Australian Encyclopaedia|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=0ywhAAAAMAAJ|date=1979|accessdate=2008-03-21|publisher=Grolier Society of Australia
*cite book|author=sc|S|tevens, David|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=DW9dcA1cF9EC|title=The Royal Australian Navy in World War II|isbn=1741141842|isbn=1741141842|publisher=Allen & Unwin|date=2005|accessdate=2008-03-23
*cite book|author=sc|S|wain, Bruce T.|title=A Chronology of Australian Armed Forces at War 1939–45|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=gadwyIkiY38C|accessdate=2008-03-23|date=2001|publisher=Allen & Unwin
*cite book|title=Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute|publisher=United States Naval Institute|accessdate=2008-03-23|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=DjYaAAAAIAAJ
*cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/17/2191487.htm|title=Historic protection for HMAS Sydney, Kormoran|publisher=ABC News|date=2008-03-17 |accessdate=2008-03-17
*cite news|last=sc|S|quires|first=Nick|title=HMAS Sydney found off Australia's west coast|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/17/wsydney117.xml|publisher=The Telegraph|date=2008-03-17|accessdate=2008-03-18

; Tertiary sources consulted
*cite paper|last=sc|B|rown|first=Neil|coauthors=Timothy O’Leary, Frank Leahy & Joseph Leach|title=A Method For Handling Uncertainty in the Search for HMAS Sydney|url=http://www.fig.net/pub/fig_2002/Ts4-4/TS4_4_brown_etal.pdf|date=26 February 2002|year=2002|journal=Hydrographic Surveying II|location=Washington|accessdate=2008-04-06

Further reading

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External links

* [http://www.findingsydney.com/gallery.asp Finding Sydney Foundation Photo Gallery]
* [http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_SYDNEY_and_KORMORAN_DOCUMENTS HMAS "Sydney"/"Kormoran" wartime documents]
* [http://www.findingsydney.com HMAS Sydney Search Pty Ltd, The Finding Sydney Foundation (official website)]
* [http://www.sydneymemorial.com HMAS Sydney II Memorial]
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/australia/hmas_sydney.htm maritimequest.com, HMAS Sydney photo gallery]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/hmassydney TV Documentary: The Hunt for the Sydney]
* [http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=11139723&T=P&S=1 Bullet-riddled Carley life float from HMAS "Sydney" in the Australian War Memorial, Canberra]