HMAS Sydney Found After 66 Years
The HMAS Sydney Has Been Found!
The modified Leander-class light cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy was lost with all hands in 1941, after having had great success in the early years of World War II.
She sank after clashing with the German raider the Kormorant in November 1941. Her loss, with her crew of 645 members represents the greatest ever loss of life in an Australian warship.
Sydney was the largest vessel of any country lost with no survivors in WW2.
Until now, searches for both the Sydney and Kormorant had been unsuccessful.
The HMAS Sydney Australian War Memorial
On Sunday 16 March, 2008 it was announced that the auxiliary cruiser HSK Kormoran, had been found 5 days previously.
On Monday 17 March, 2008 the announcement came that the wreck of Sydney had been found just over 12 nautical miles from the wreck of the Kormorant, eight nautical miles from the battle site at a depth of some 2470 meters.
Wreckage found near the Kormorant was identified as having been from the Sydney.
It is expected that the Australian Government will declare both ships to be war graves.
The Crew of HMAS Sydney
During the early part of World War 2, Sydney had been involved in the conflict in the Mediterranean, and had taken part in a number of battles, including the Battle of Cape Spada in the Greek Islands.
After returning to Australia for a refit, she was stationed in West Australia, and was returning from convoy duties to Sumatra on November 19, 1941.
Axis forces were known to be active in the area, and Sydney encountered the Kormoran, disguised as a Dutch merchant ship on November 19, 1941.
She had closed within 1,000 meters when the Kormoran opened fire.
Survivors from the German ship said that when last seen, Sydney had been heavily on fire, and low in the water.
HMAS Sydney was the second Australian ship to bear the name. She was succeeded by a Majestic class light aircraft carrier, which was commissioned in 1948.
The present HMAS Sydney is an Adelaide class guided missile frigate.
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