HMAS Sydney II....Found! (WW2, war, Japanese, Bismarck)

[Kangaroofarmer]

This is pretty much "Old News" (For us Aussie's Anyway? ), But I thought the WW2 buffs here, Might like this story?

In November 1941, The Australian Light Cruiser..HMAS Sydney II, Was heading back too Fremantle port, When it encountered and confronted, The German Auxillary Cruiser..HSK Kormoran, Which Fired torpedoes and sank Sydney, Killing all 645 crew.

After 66 years, Along with Many conspiracy theories and Mistaken Sightings, The wreck of the Sydney was finally found, On the 16 of March 2008, Off the coast of Western Australia, Under 2,470 feet of water and 12 Nautical miles Away, From The wreck of the Kormoran (Which also sank, During the battle!).

[Bazzwell]

Interesting story, thanks for passing it along.

[quiet walker]

Thanks for this information. Very Interesting.

First pictures of HMAS Sydney wreck | The Daily Telegraph

[Kangaroofarmer]

It's been a complete mystery until now, As too where the wrecks actually were and why no-one survived?

[Ted_Foster]

Originally Posted by Kangaroofarmer

It's been a complete mystery until now, As too where the wrecks actually were and why no-one survived?

Why no survivors?

It can happen at times, or almost happen.

I can think of three examples:

1) HMS Hood, sunk by the German battleship Bismarck in the Battle of the Denmark Strait on 24 May 1941. Out of Hood's complement of 1,418 men, 3 survived.

2) USS Juneau (CL-52). This was the ship whose complement included the five Sullivan Brothers. It was sunk by the Japanese submarine I-26 on 13 November 1942, after the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Out of a complement of 700 men, 100 survived the actual sinking. However, it took eight days for rescue aircraft to find them. During this time, 90 of the remaining 100 died, due to either exposure or shark attacks. In the end, there were only 10 survivors. All of the Sullivan Brothers were among those who perished.

3) During World War II, one of my father's friends served aboard a destroyer that simply vanished in the waters around Guadalcanal. After the war, it was found that the destroyer was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. Apparently, the ship blew up before it could send a distress call, and everyone was killed.

Wikipedia was my source of information about HMS Hood and USS Juneau.

[moonshadow]

Thanks for this roofarmer.

I've been so pleased and excited to see that they've finally found the Sydney after all these years. It's given peace to a lot of people.

I went to the memorial in Geraldtown a few years back and read the names of those who died and stood in the dome. It was so moving.

HMAS Sydney Memorial Geraldton, Geraldton, Western Australia - Shopsafe Australia Travel Directory

[Kangaroofarmer]

I've Been there aswell and I agree, It's very sad to read all the names.