HMAS SYDNEY II 1934-1941
HMAS Sydney in camouflage Paint
Description
Naval Light Cruiser
Construction
Steel
Size
6830 tons length 171m beam 20m draft 5m
Built
1934 Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd UK
Owner
Royal Australian Navy Master: Captain Collins
Sunk
1941/11/19
Location
207 Km West of Steep Point
Latitude/Longitude
(-26.243611112, 111.2175)
Sinking
Following a battle with the German raider Kormoran in the Indian Ocean off the Western Australian coast.On 19 November, Sydney sighted the Kormoran, disguised as a Dutch merchant ship, and both ships altered course. When the Kormoran was asked to identify itself, and as the distance between the two ships narrowed, they hoisted the German colours and, already at action stations, fired at the ill-prepared Australian cruiser. The Sydney’s bridge and tower were hit within seconds and for 30 minutes they fired guns and torpedoes at each other. The loss of the Sydney with its full war complement of 645 crew remains the worst Australian naval disaster.
Underwater
At 2500m, the 2015 WA Museum and Curtin University survey expedition, costing $2.4m, has produced thousands of images and video.