submission no 26 - department of defence submissions/pin… · 1.56 submission on hmas sydney from...

I. Both ships were on a parallel course, at close range..

2.The KORMORAN was flying the NORWEIGAN FLt\Q.

3. The forward guns of SYDNEY were not trained on KORMORAN.

4. Some crew members of SYDNEY were said to be leaning over the side amid-ship ofSYDNEY in white rig-relaxing amd smoking (I must add here, then and now I find thathard to believe because ships crews would have been at battle stations, and everymember of those ships crews would have had a well rehearsed role foremost in theirminds).5. It appeared that "Bridge Control" of SYDNEY realised that they had found theRaider. because both ships opened fire together with the KOROMAN striking theSwastika.

6.Both ships received direct hits.

7. It was claimed some of SYDNEY's shells went straight through KORMORAN,leading to an assumption that (a) the shells were armour piercing

(b) that there were incorrect fuse setting(s)

8. Both vessels were continually being hit. with SYDNEY being set on fire andKORMORAN being stopped dead in the water.

9. The last some of the survivors of KOROMAN saw of SYDNEY was that theSYDNEY was a mass of flames from bow to stem and drifting away over the horizon.

10. KOROMAN sank in sight of her survivors.

11.There was no mention of any other vessel what-so -ever.

12. I cannot remember how or who rescued KOROMAN survivors.

13. Regretfully the daily diary I kept of those days has disappeared.

14 Many years later the son of a British Naval Officer (MONTGOMERY) who wasseconded from the Royal Navy as the navigator of SYDNEY, lodged an apof pealthrough all main Australian news papers for any information at all on the loss SYDNEYto contact him. He dined with us. and he subsequently wrote a book, in which heincluded some of the above facts as I remembered them then.

Although I am now 76 years of age I still have a reasonably good memory of manyevents of past years.

This submission is offered with the thought that it may be of assistance to theCommittee.

Your faithfully

SUBMISSION No 26

SUBMISSION TO THE JOINT STANDING

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

DEFENCE AND TRADE

DEFENCE SUB-COMMITTEE

INQUIRY INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF

THE SINKING OF HMAS SYDNEY

69 GLENDINNING ROAD

TARCOOLA BEACH, GERALDTON WA 6530

PHONE/FAX (08) 99649256

MOBILE: 015867 112

.,150 151

PINQ.SUBS.001.0079

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 2

TERMS OF REFERENCE I 4

Finance: 4

Language: 5

Access: 5

VDC Files: 6

Police Files: 7

Wharf Logs 10

RSL Minutes 11

Ships Logs 11

Christmas Island File 14

Signals 15

Relative's letters 19

TERMS OF REFERENCE 3 19




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Submission on HMAS SYDNEY from Glenys McDonald

INTRODUCTION

Before addressing the tenns of reference I wish to introduce myself and my bias in the

HMAS Sydney research, and state why I became interested in the subject.

Professionally I am a registered nurse and midwife, currently working in health

promotion. I am completing my final units of an external history degree which has

dragged on for many years because of work and family commitments. I am currently

National President of Masters Swimming in Australia, and Chairperson of the Pacific

Rim Masters Swimming countries.

Locally I am a Justice of the Peace, and chair an ad hoc HMAS Sydney interest group

in Geraldton. Although I work closely with a number of HMAS Sydney researchers

in many States, I am not aligned to any group.

My interest in HMAS Sydney began when I went to live in the small coastal fishing

village ofPort Gregory in 1988. I resided in this town for 7 years while I owned and

operated the Port Gregory Caravan Park with my husband. The town itself had 50

houses, but only about 18 of these are occupied pennanently. However between Port

Gregory on the coast, and the town of Northampton, 47 km away, there are many

farming families, many of whom have resided in the area for generations.

Port Gregory was established as a port in the early 1850's and ships used to export

lead, wool, wheat, whale oil etc overseas in these early times. However, the isolation

and hardship of life in this area, and the large number of shipping losses eventually

led to the demise of Port Gregory. During the war, although there were the remnants

of a jetty within the protected enclosed reef, there were no inhabitants or buildings in

the town. The old road into the town was inaccessible due to sand movements. Local

farmers however still used to access the beach on holidays, by camping where the

road ended, and accessing the southern part of the Port Gregory beach by climbing a

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Submission 011 HMAS SYDNEY from Glenys McDonald

large sandhill. Alternatively, they could access across a sand spar of the Hutt Lagoon

near Shoal Point. Between Port Gregory and the Hutt Lagoon were the rail lines and

what was left of the 1920's salt works and bunk houses which had survived stripping

by the local fanning community. It is this area which was shelled by Japanese

submarine 1-165 on 28 January 1943.'

Gradually I gained the trust of the local community, and was fascinated by two

recurring local 'myths'. The first was that Port Gregory had been 'bombed' during

the war, and the second was that several locals had witnessed 'a naval battle' during

the war. This is how I came to be involved in Sydney/Kormoran research. I began in

1991/92 to seriously research the Japanese shelling of Port Gregory and the 'naval

battle'. I assumed initially that the shelling may have been the locals 'naval battle'.

However, the more oral histories I took, the more it became clear that the two

incidents were indeed separate. I researched every family in the area in 1941 and

interviewed surviving members. I believe, by the use of school records and oral

histories, I have been able to prove that the 'naval battle' observed from the high land

back from the coast, took place in November 1941.2

Whilst I have an interest, or even bias towards anything to do with Port Gregory, I

believe my research in WA State and National archives, the archives in Sydney,

Melbourne and Canberra, and a visit to the Public Records Office in London, has

enabled me to take an objective approach to the whole area of HMAS Sydney

research. I was born at the end of the war, my father served with the RAAF but did

not serve overseas, so my family does not have a history of war trauma. I have many

Japanese and German friends from my involvement in international masters

swimming and have visited both countries and like the people, therefore I have no

bias against any particular nationality.

I McDonald, Glenys 'Seeking the Sydney: A New Perspective in the Search for HMAS Sydney' WAMaritime Museum April 1993 p9-13.1 ibid. Also June 1996 HMAS Sydney Geraldton Forum Paper, and February 1997 Fremantle ForumPaper.

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I do consider I have a bias for the value of oral history in assisting to seek the full

story involving the loss ofHMAS Sydney. I am aware of the problems with memory

in speaking to people 56 years after an event, and I know problems can be

experienced as people retell and retell events, particularly after learning new

information. But overall, and if subject to strict criteria, I believe that oral history is

now the key, particularly given the destruction of so many vital documents. I detailed

my arguments for the value of oral history in my paper to the 1997 HMAS Sydney

Forum.)

I respectfully suggest that the Inquiry needs to keep in mind two important points

during its deliberations:

(i) Victors write history

(ii) We democratise history by acknowledging the importance ofpopular belief.

It is this popular belief - that all the truth about the Sydney/Kormoran battle has not

been told, that has led to pressure for this Inquiry 56 years on from the event. We

now have a chance to address all those concerns.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. The extent to which all available archival material has been fully investigated

and whether any relevant material has been misplaced or destroyed.

In addressing this term of reference I can only highlight the path my own research has

taken and the stumbling blocks I encountered.

Finance: Obviously financial constraints and time constraints affect independent

researchers in attempting to search all available archives both here in Australia and

I McDonald, Glenys 'Oral History and its relevance to the search for HMAS Sydney' p4 The value oforal history as an historical tool. February 1997.

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overseas. I believe that although we have had the 3 main research books of

Montgomery, Winter and Frame, and the National Archive search by Richard

Summerrell, there remains the small possibility that some material is still inaccessible,

or the relevance ofit is not understood by researchers with a different focus.

Language: I believe language difficulties have prevented many interested

researchers in accessing archives in Japan, Germany, Holland etc. Although I have

been to Japan on two occasions and had a quick trip to Germany, the cost of paying

for language assistance in attempting resear~h in these places was prohibitive and

therefore I did not attempt it.

Access: I remain unconvinced that all naval and intelligence files and signals

are available to us, and even if technically they are, if we do not have knowledge of

their acquisition numbers, or have the correct clearance, we are unlikely to access

them. I personally requested ASIO and Commonwealth Police Files be searched for

reference to Pastor Wittwer, Gerhardt Grossman, Constable Homesby etc. I have

been informed that no such files exist.·

Whilst I feel that the man suggesting that he was Gerhardt Grossman of the Kormoran

was an impostor, I do believe Pastor Wittwer's story of his interview with 'Security'.

Therefore those files should exist somewhere.

I was informed by a Konnoran survivor that Gerhardt Grossman died in East

Germany in 1986. His last address was Philipp-Muller Str 3 Oelsmith. His widow

states he never returned to Australia after being expatriated.

The Public Records Office, London still has some Churchill files embargoed for 75

years.

• Australian Archives letter Ref97/100 1 dated 1.7.97

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Another problem as I sec it, are the files that are currently embargoed for 30 years. If

a 56 year old file had recent infonnation added to it, it may now be lost to us for

another 30 years from the date of the most recent infonnation. Likewise anyone who

has written to the Navy in the 1970's for example, the file containing that letter might

not be accessible until the year 2000.

VDC FILES: The first files I attempted to locate were files on the work of the VDC

units along the WA coast. It was to these groups that battle sounds, flashes seen out

to sea off Port Gregory, and the finding of debris or lifeboats, would have been

reported. I was not able to locate any such information. I believe all VDC files were

destroyed at the end of the war, by order. This was stated as fact in a book written by

Reg A. Nicholas 'Mr. Raspberry Jamwood' Mr Nicholas was Chief Intelligence

Officer, VDC with the rank of Captain. He was also Liaison with the Security

Service, Navy, Airforce, and 3 Australian Corps in 1941.5

"I plead'guilty' to disobeying an order "That all files, correspondence, orders,

plans etc at HQ, in fact, throughout the Corps were to be destroyed." No. I

did obey the order for those at our VDC Headquarters. I watched as all files,

dossiers, indexes, records etc, as ordered, were fed through a shredding

machine until HQ contained only staff, furniture and the document certifying

that the order had been carried out. As Chief Intelligence Officer and

responsible for security I appended my signature."

When he knew the order was coming and before he actually received it, Mr Nicholas

removed from the premises some files which he considered indicated the history of

the VDC. These are now in the hands of the Battyre Library but were not relevant to

my research.

It is frustrating not to be able to refer to VDC records to date the night of the Port

Gregory 'naval battle' from reports they would have undoubtedly received. It is also

l Nicholas, Reg, 'Mr. Rasberry Janlwood' p 82

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frustrating that we do not have a clear list of debris which was located by the VDC in

searches along the coast, in particular in the area near Port Gregory. As an example, I

am not able to prove from the archives the following written memory of VDC Jack

Higgins ofYuna.

"I was on a VDC jeep patrol on a beach twenty miles north of Gregory when I

found a four feet by nine inch (4' x 9") packing case board with HMAS

Sydney painted on it, and lashed to it was a flare which had been fired. I

handed it into the 2nd Division HQ at Geraldton, but the army's organisation

was a shambles at the time - there was only enough ammunition to last ten

minutes. I served as a liaison officer between the VDC and the 2nd Division

which was commanded by General Lloyd. In 1942 Japanese submarines shot

down a Catalina and destroyed a merchant ship off the same coast. In late

November darkness falls between 7 and 7.30pm"

All the papers I have written on the HMAS Sydney - April 1993, March and

September 1995, and the papers written for talks and forums, have all referred to

extensive debris being found at Port Gregory which is of naval or defence service

issue. This information was collected from oral histories, but because documents

were destroyed, it cannot be substantiated by archival evidence. Do we just wipe our

hands of this oral evidence and say it has no relevancer

POLICE FILES; Obviously the next archival source I tried to secure

contemporaneous evidence of the Port Gregory flashes and debris were the police

records of Northampton and Geraldton. I searched the Battyre Library and the Police

Library for these, and inquired at the relevant police stations with no success. After

the 1993 State election I wrote to the Minister of Police, Mr Bob Wiesse seeking

assistance in locating the Northampton and Geraldton Daily Occurrence books. I was

infonned that they were no longer in existence and must have been inadvertently

6 McDonald, Glenys 'Seeking the Sydney: A New Perspective in the search for HMAS Sydney'Maritime Museum April 1993

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destroyed by an over zealous police sergeant possibly lighting a bonfire after clearing

or shifting premises.

I found this hard to believe because the Battyre Library held police records prior to

1941, so one would consider that a clean up would have resulted in the destruction of

all files prior to the missing ones - not so.

1 raised these concerns with an Independent Member of State Parliament - Mr Phillip

Pendal7, and he asked questions in Parliament on my behalf about the missing police

daily occurrence books.

I was informed by a police source which I will not name that this questioning in

Parliament had raised 'concerns' in police circles, and that a file of interest was

removed and 'sent to Canberra'. At about this time I learnt that there should have

been 2 copies of the information I was seeking because the daily occurrence books of

the time consisted of a duplicate. The original was tom out and both originals from

Northampton and Geraldton, would have gone to Sgt Archibald.8 To date I have been

unable to locate either the daily occurrence books for either ofthese police stations, or

the original sheets.

By accident, when taking an oral history on another issue I was told the following

information by Mr Ron Ash ofHorrocks Beach.

In the mid 1970's the police sergeant from Northampton, whose name eluded

him at the time, asked his son Colin (now deceased) to take him out on his

crayboat 'Pathfinder II' to dump some police records. The policeman

accompanied them on the trip and they threw overboard 3 big boxes of stuff

about 9 miles west of Horrocks at 240°."

, Personal meeting followed by a letter from G. McDonald to The Hon P Penda1l6.6.96• Interview & letter B. Ledwith, police officer 1877, based at Geraldton November 1941.

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When Mr Ron Ash was first asked this favour by the police Sgt, he joked that they

would have some interesting reading on the trip out. The policeman stated that that

was why he intended to come to.

The policeman in question used to play centre-half for a Perth football team, he came

to Northampton from Geraldton police station and moved later to Exmouth. I have

not had time to follow up this information as yet.

The loss of the Northampton Police records is a further frustration in attempting to

confirm oral histories which conflict from the official version regarding the transport

of German prisoners to Fremantle. The official version is that all those Germans who

were picked up by ships, went to Fremantle by those ships. Of the 103 who landed on

the coast at Red Bluffand 17 Mile Well, they were transported by truck to Carnarvon,

but then transported to Fremantle aboard the Centaur. Only two, Captain Detmers,

and First Officer Foester were taken by road convoy to Perth. We have Detmers own

account of this trip in his book.9

However, the popular belief of the residents of Northampton and Geraldton is that

more than two Germans were transported by road, and there were local concerns about

how the community would react if they got their hands on these Germans - the

feelings for the loss of Sydney being so high. This may have been a simple

misconception caused by the trucks going to Carnarvon to bring back the Germans,

but I have interviewed many people who sincerely believe they witnessed trucks

carrying more than 2 Germans. To date no account other than a Mr Ledwith, is

specific enough to resolve this issue.

Mr Ledwith states he was actually present at an interrogation at the Geraldton Police

Station of three Germans. Bert Ledwith was referred to earlier in this submission as a

policeman on duty at Geraldton Police Station in November 1941. He states that Sgt

Archibald asked the Germans several questions and he wrote these and the replies by

• Detmers, T 'The Raider Konnoran' William Kimber, London [959.

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the German Captain in the daily occurrence book. From photographs he recognised

Meyer, the Navigator as the 3rd German. Meyer had received treatment in Camarvon

for a shrapnel injury to his back, but no reference is made anywhere to his transport by

road in any book, including Detmers own. Mr Ledwith was also of the opinion that

other Germans as well as these three, travelled to Fremantle by road. His opinion that

the three Germans he saw interviewed arrived at the Police Station the night before,

had breakfast there and left. His shift was 7am to 3pm.

This again is another frustration caused by the missing Police Daily Occurrence

books. It is conceivable that if the authorities considered it too risky to transport the

German Captain and First Mate by ship in case they were lost, they might also include

in this scenario, the Navigating Officer.

GERALDTON WHARF LOG: Another popular belief in Geraldton is that the

HMAS Sydney was in Geraldton just days before the first rumours began about her

sinking. It is easy to prove from archival information 'O that HMAS Sydney did visit

Geraldton from 18-20 October 1941. Many however, believe she came in for one

night only on about the 18 November 1941. This is much more difficult to prove, as

obviously the log ofHMAS Sydney for November went to the bottom with her. Also

there is no corresponding listing in the Geraldton Wharf Log for such a visit.

However, not all visits by HMAS Sydney to Geraldton appeared in the Wharf Log. A

visit ofNovember 23-25 1939 which is docwnented by HMAS Sydney Captain's own

reportII , is not noted in the Geraldton Wharf Log. It is not correct to asswne that the

Geraldton Wharf Log had a separate log for naval vessels because the Log combines

these in other months and years, e.g. HMAS Sydney's October 1941 visit. The Log

for November 1939 does not appear to be tampered with in any way.

10 HMAS Sydney Log for October [94\ and Geraldton Wharf Log, October 1941.II LenerofProceedings- [91170921.12.39.

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The local newspaper the Geraldton Guardian Express makes no reference to any visit

by the HMAS Sydney during wartime, but detailed all activities in pre war visits.

This is obviously the result of wartime embargoes of what could and could not be

printed, but it does make research difficult in finding contemporaneous information.

RSL MINUTES: As another possible source of reference to visits of HMAS

Sydney to Geraldton and possible hospitality extended to the crew, I accessed the

Minutes of the City of Geraldton, Northampton Road Board, and attempted to access

the Minutes of the Geraldton RSL. No mention was made in shire minutes but the

Geraldton RSL Minutes for February 1941-February 1946 are missing. The RSL was

operational during this period as they have records of office bearers etc. Their current

President has no explanation as to why this segment of the Geraldton RSL's full 80

year history is missing.

MISSINGffAMPERED SHIPS LOGS: During my research I have

accessed from the NSW Archives the logs of HMAS Sydney for October 1941, and

also Yandra for November 1941, ( one of the search vessels that picked up German

prisoners.) These are the type of/ogs I was looking for. However, located in the WA

Archives are assorted logs for the Cape Otway, Centaur etc. There is some evidence

of tom pages, reassortment, rewriting or, as in the case of the Cape Otway's Log a

strange gap in writing from 18 November 1941 to 30 March 1942. These logs appear

to be more incidence type logs, rather than the logs which record all the ships

movements. For example, the Centaur Log makes no reference at all to picking up

German prisoners and towing them to Carnarvon.

CAPE OTWAY

The Cape Otway's log would have been particularly interesting given the anecdotal,

but unprovable oral histories which surround it. The Cape Otway was instructed to

search within 5 miles of the coast and appeared to do SO.12

12 HMS Ploning Sheet

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Jack Heazlewood sincerely believed that he had been told by two crew members of

the Cape Otway that they had sailed amongst bodies against the Zuytdorp Cliffs and

were told to leave the area. I) The wife of the first mate of the Cape Otway Mrs W.E

Hardman, reported that prior to his death, in his eighties, he had been hallucinating

about bodies in the water before he died. 14

CENTAUR

Because this Log is either not complete or lacking in detail, it has been impossible for

me to fathom the truth of the Centaur's capture of the German boat containing Captain

Detmers. I have read Captain Detmers own account of this rescue in his book of 1959

referred to earlier. Here he differs from his own interrogation slightly. In his book he

maintains that 10 of his men, including the sick men and the one Chinese were

allowed on board the Centaur when she took them in tow at 22.30hr 26.11.41. During

his interrogation however, he stated 6 men had been allowed on board.

I interviewed Dr Haberfield the Centaur's doctor on that voyage, and he was adamant

that no Germans came on board until Carnarvon, and then and only then did he treat

them. He was disgusted that the Chinese was left lying in the bottom of the boat

when they came on board, with a badly burnt arm.

The Chief Officer on the Centaur, Eric Greenwood stated in a letter to me's that they

did not find the German boat until the moming, and no Germans were allowed on

board, and they lowered two of their own boats for the Germans to move into. He did

not recall any Orientals amongst the Germans. A simple explanation as to why this

Chief Officer may not recall the actual interception of the Germans near midnight the

evening before, and the possible taking on.board a number of prisoners, could have

simply been because he was off duty and asleep when this occurred.

I) Television interviews'4 Laffer, Gordon, Hardstaff Reg' HMAS Sydney Another View' Paper 1991 HMAS Sydney Forum

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I interviewed a whole family of 5 children, the Earle familyl6, who were on the

Centaur on this voyage and they had two strong memories - that there were a few

Japanese faces amongst the German prisoners; and that many Germans came on board

when they were out at sea. This is in direct contrast to the official version. One even

suggested a second lifeboat pickup after leaving Carnarvon, which could simply have

resulted from seeing the Centaur first towing one boat and then two, But this boy also

vividly recalled a badly bumt Japanese lying in the bottom of a boat which was

winched on board after the Germans were taken up the side.

Centaur engineer Maurie Caimie also believes that when the German boat partially

sank, they were allowed on board and "came up by a rope ladder in the stem, one at a

time", "There were a couple of Asians amongst the Germans." Again, another

reference to Asian faces.

Officially only one of the Chinese was picked up by the Kormoran, the other two were

picked up by the Yandra. Detmers is wrong in his statement that the Chinese went on

board, because there is a very clear photograph of him in one of the two Centaur

lifeboats which were towed. 17 (Attachment I)

Memory lapse and time could account for the inconsistencies amongst this group of

people. It would appear from Detrners account and majority recollection that at least

some Germans went on board, but it is hard to explain why the ship's doctor denies

this. 1have no explanation for the belief amongst the majority of those I interviewed

of a few Asian faces amongst the Germans.

This highlights I feel the frustration.ofresearchers who are unable to check statements

against archived material. However, Passenger and crew lists for the Centaur did

confirm that all the persons I interviewed were on board the Centaur on 19 November

IS Greenwood. Eric undated letter, March 1996.16 McDonald. Glenys 'Children of the Centaur' Paper circulated September 199517 Odgers George, 'The Royal Australian Navy: An Illustrated Histol)" Child & Henry Australia 1982 p99

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1941. I am sure the log books of the vessels involved in the search for HMAS Sydney

would have been taken for further study, and they must be somewhere in Naval

Archives.

MISSING FILE ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND FLOAT AND BODY.

I am convinced that a full report on the examination of the Christmas Island body, and

a piece of the carley float was delivered to Fremantle Naval base in 1942. The oral

testimony for this as provided by B Clark is strong. IS

There is some evidence to suggest that information regarding this body and float has

been misplaced or destroyed by the answer the Minister for Defence gave in May

1989 when Kim Beazley responded to questions posed by Mr Clark who was seeking

File No 612/231/446.

"It has been established that file number 612/231/446 concemed life-saving

equipment, but the reason for its destruction is not known by Navy Office."

Given the constant denial by the Navy that this body came from HMAS Sydney, and

the denial that no inquest report or piece of the life raft was ever delivered to

Fremantle Naval Base, the destruction of any file on the subject is tragic.

I, like most researchers, believe that the body found on Christmas Island most

certainly came from HMAS Sydney, (unless there was another sinking at the same

time and in the same area, that has been kept secret). The work of Dr John Bye, Jack

Heazelwood (dec) and Mrs Ros Page are to be commended in this regard. I have also

shared my own research on this aspect with interested researchers, as it was primarily

gained from reading the research of Jonathon Rowbotham and Bryan Clark.

\I Clark. Bryan Paper on the Christmas Island incident presented at the 1991 Fremantle HMAS SydneyForum

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SIGNALS FROM HMAS SYDNEY For many years I watched the frustration

of Gordon Laffer as he tried to convince people that in 1945 he had read, under the

instruction from the OIC RAAF Intelligence Lt Gill, Perth, a distress signal from

HMAS Sydney. He told me that this signal form, written in red pencil stated:

"Sydney calling Darwin, Sydney calling Darwin. On fire fore and aft.

Preparing to abandon ship...followed by degrees of which either the latitude or

longitude were missing."

Mr Laffer passed away about two weeks prior to the February 1997 HMAS Sydney

Forum where Richard Summerrell highlighted the signal found in the National

Archives - undated which read:

"Rtf to morse calling during 2140 till 2325

Calling Darwin or technical telegraph operator - call from sea. Sydney calling

send carrier men on board - calling Frazer DIF Darwin Cannot detect you _

Singapore call Darwin this ...MS Sydney calling message received frequency

satisfactory will put through morse at 2310 Cpl Dawson and Aerodiv F four

stations transmitting in morse on ...wavelength"

This portion of the signal appears matter of fact and is alleged to have been received

by Corporal Dawson at Aeradio RAAF Geraldton. The second part of the signal

taken perhaps towards the end time of 2325 indicates a Sydney in trouble.

"Sydney calling Darwin Distress Signal • Stats Lykart" (?????? Straat

Malakka)

This message was taken over the phone from a Squadron Leader Cooper by an Air

Force signals clerk, Western Area. The message is undated, but appears to form the

basis of the SWATCH log entry for 4 December 1941. Annotations in red pencil and

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in a different hand subsequently appear to have been made to the time groups and the

name Lykart. '9

I have deliberately tried to steer clear of hypothesis which would have required the

German survivors to lie for all of these years. (I have built up a rapport with two of

these Germans and recently spent two days staying with one of them and taping all his

memories of events.) However I did consider a scenario which included HMAS

Sydney capturing the Kormoran and escorting her to Geraldton with a prize crew,

when something went very wrong. These signals seem to indicate that this type of

scenario could be possible. The fact that the signal is undated is a problem.

Winter maintains that this was a 4 December signal between Sydney PMG and

Darwin PMG. This seems an unusual assumption given the content of the message

here. Although not the same signal recalled by Mr Laffer, it is similar. Details of

who received and who transmitted this signal are provided by Mr Laffer to the 1991

Forum on p23 of his paper.

Morse signals were also received by the Uco and several persons at the Esplanade

Hostel, Geraldton. The Uco's signals pertain to the QQQ message that the Kormoran

sent out twice just prior to the battle.

Confusion reigns about the date and amount of morse and plain voice messages which

are supposed to have been received. I did hear an unsubstantiated rumour that the first

word concerning the demise of HMAS Sydney had come from a RAAF base on a

mountain at Port Gregory and sent by land line.

There is evidence that Mr Len Hall, now about 100 years old, was called to his radio

post at Hamlin Pool by his wife, in the early hours of 20 November, and remained

there, relaying messages down the line, for five days. He believed he heard

,. Summerrell, Richard 'The Sinking ofHMAS Sydney A Guide to Commonwealth GovernmentRecords' Australian Archives Canberra, January 1997 p 40

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"Government men clipping into his line on several occasions", and he tried to talk to

them.

Was it possible that in November 1941 there was a VDC or RAAF observation

position on a hill or mountain at Port Gregory? There had been some RAAF scares

with an unidentified plane in the vicinity of Geraldton in early November, so it is

reasonable to assume that this could be so. I learnt recently that the RAAF did have

an observation position on top of a hill behind tlle convict ruins at Lynton Station,

Port Gregory. Bill Eneberg JP was sent to just this position in November 1942 until

January 1943 for coast watch observer duties. Ironically he left Geraldton on the 28

January 1943, the date of the Japanese shelling ofFort Gregory. Duty was for 10-12

days at a time. Some others were sent on observer duties to the Abrholos Islands. Mr

Eneberg felt they were taken to a position which was known and often used. He took

photographs at the time of his camp, and the position of the site on the hill in relation

to the convict ruins at Lynton. He sent me copies of these photographs. It seems

possible then, that some RAAF coast watchers could have been in this same position

on 19 November 1941.20

I have interviewed Alun Morris Reece, in Sydney NSW who was based at HMAS

Harmon in November 1941 and he mentioned a time when there was a 'flap on about

a missing signal'. This 'flap' was referred to by several Harmon men in relation to a

missing signal from HMAS Sydney, but Alun Morris Reece did not believe a signal

from Sydney came through otherwise he would have heard about it. (Again, the 'I was

not there so it did not happen' scenario.)

On another trip to Sydney! caught up with David 'Ron' Griffiths who was on

holidays there. He was positive that he picked up a fleet code signal about 8pm on the

19 November 1997 at HMAS Cerebus. He wrote this in the log and when relieved by

a senior WRAN he mentioned she should listen carefully for this signal coming in.

When he returned a few minutes later the WRAN was making coffee and the

'0 Letter from B. Eneberg to G. McDonald, with photos 10 April 1997.

17

1GB


headphones were unattended. He was specific about the date because he took the first

leave, and because of Pearl Harbour there was no second leave. He was on leave

when the lady he was staying with received notification that her son was lost on

HMAS Sydney. His service record shows he was at HMAS Cerebus at this time.

My February 1997 forum paper also highlighted the recollection of a young girl living

in the farming area back from Port Gregory who recalled a plain voice distress call

from HMAS Sydney breaking into her evening radio programs. Consultation with

Naval radio operators of the time indicate that if this house had a large aerial to pick

up radio reception, it may have picked up messages from a distressed Sydney.

It is my opinion that both Sydney and Konnoran were likely to send messages. Part

of Kormoran' s QQQ message I believe was a way of informing Germany that she was

in trouble and in what area. It could also have been, as stated, a ruse to try to show

Sydney that she was an innocent merchant ship or there was one in trouble nearby.

There has been some evidence suggested by researcher David Kennedy that Kormoran

sent signals to Berlin or Tokyo.

It was the practise of Kormoran to jam all signals which enemy ships attempted to

send. Once her camouflage was broken, she would have jammed Sydney's messages.

There is anecdotal evidence to suggest this occurred. Were our bases picking up

pieces from the jammed messages Sydney was trying to send and the 'flap' that

occurred in some bases was because no one was in a position to receive all the

message. Initially they were 'caught short' and then unless they had a 'good ear' or a

'warm ear' they may have missed vital information, particularly if the message was

being jammed.

Perhaps the jammed messages from Sydney around the time in WA when they

switched from day wave to night wave, or in the eastern states as they stopped for

their evening cup of tea, a garbled message was lost or insufficiently heard. Was it

simply bad luck that a distressed Sydney was not heard? Did she limp towards the

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coast, sending flares and seeking help whilst a search was not contemplated for

another four and a halfdays?

RELATIVES LETTERS: I would like access to the information which appeared

to require the Admiralty to write to next of kin and amend the date of death. I .quote

this letter sent to the wife of the Sydney's navigator by J.S.Barnes on 24 February

1942.

"Madam, I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to

refer to Admiralty letter of 9 December, 1941 and to state that information has

now been received from the Commonwealth ofAustralia that the death ofyour

husband, Lieutenant Commander Clive Alexander Craig Montgomery, Royal

Navy, must now be presumed to have occurred on the 20th November, 1941,

and it is deeply regretted that his death was previously stated to have been

presumed on 19th November. I am further to renew Their Lordship's

expression ofdeep sympathy in the great loss which you have sustained. I am,

Madam, Your obedient Servant.,,21

TERMS OF REFERENCE

2. No comments

3. The desirability andpracticability ofconducting a search for the HMAS

Sydney and the extent to which the Commonwealth Government should

participate in such a search should one be deemed desirable andpracticable.

I certainly believe that the Commonwealth Govemment should be involved in and

give funds towards a search for Sydney and Kormoran. We lost 645 men on this ship

in home waters. We now have the technology to find these ships if they are in water

~I Copy ofa letter recently found by Mrs Montgomery and sent to G McDonald by M. Montgomery

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less than a mile deep. World Geoscience for example, has planes which can delect

anything magnetic, and can also detect minuscule amounts ofoil on the surface. I saw

first hand in June this year, the amount of oil which is still bubbling to the surface

from the Arizona in Pearl Harbour.

To maintain credibility the Government and Navy need to find the ships to put an end

for all time to the popular belief of a cover up. Where the ships are located and what

damage they sustained will go a long way to achieve this.

The Navy and the WA Maritime Museum have conducted a number of specific 'spot'

searches over the past years. No form of grid search was conducted until a small grid

search recently by World Geoscience.

Both oil exploration companies and the HMAS Morseby have done some work in

surveying this area of our coast. However, in the area of greatest interest to me, the

area west of Port Gregory, the HMAS Morseby appears to have only done two spot

su!'Veys.22

As a researcher, I have been given the position or approximate position of a small

number of snags or lumps in the area. To have any chance of involving the Navy or

Maritime Museum I have to first get a GPS for the lump, do a tracing and video the

colour sounder if no printout is available. Then, and only if the material proved

interesting, could I even tempt anyone to take an interest. Thus it is cost prohibitive

to an individual researcher to check out items of interest given to them, no matter how

exciting the story accompanying them. I did charter a boat and attempt to check one

position without success.

In March 1995 I provided the WA Maritime Museum and the Navy through Vic

Jeffries their Public Relations person, a suggested grid search proposal for the area off

Port Gregory. I backed up this grid search proposal with detailed research from my

~~ Cape Cuvier to Champion Bay Chart 1056.

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Port Gregory, Horrocks Beach and Geraldton sightings and the compass bearings I

had taken from the residences of those who saw the 'battle'. I put a case for where

Sydney was going and why.23 The compass bearings taken from the homes in the Port

Gregory area all suggest a position on 295°

In November 1995, I was surprised to learn that a couple of people had taken my

research to World Geoscience in June, to ask if they had any oil exploration data

which might suggest ship like magnetic anomalies in the area suggested. World

Geoscience indicated to these people in July 1995 that there were two ship shaped

magnetic anomalies in the area indicated. These same persons approached the Sunday

Times for funding for a search. I was upset when I read their proposal to see that my

research had been credited to a fellow researcher who had done a small amount of

work in the Port Gregory area.

Because of the significance of the information, and the fact that there were two

magnetic anomalies lying ten miles apart in a south easterly direction (the last known

sighting by Kormoran of the Sydney) I took this information to Mike McCarthy,

Curator of Shipwrecks at the WA Maritime Museum. World Geoscience were asked

to produce the tracings for these anomalies.

They did not do this for four months. On 5 March 1996 World Geoscience made a

public presentation of their findings. They stated they had re-flown over the area of

the anomalies because their original flight pattern was too wide, and they found them

not to be on the surface of the seabed after all, but about 200ft below the sea bed.

The information provided appeared genuin'e, but as I have the Lat and Long for these

anomalies I would still like them checked out in any proposed search because the four

month delay in providing the answers to the Museum request did concern me.

21

172


The major problem quoted for a proposed search for HMAS Sydney is that the area is

too huge and the costs would be prohibitive. However we do have the Captain of the

Kormoran's position and the Navigator's position, plus we have a report of a large

sighting of linseed oil by the RAAF and HMAS Heros. Both the oil, Captain Detmers

position of 26°34S 111°E and the Navigator's position of 27°S I I IOE should give us

a reasonable grid search for the Kormoran. If the ship cannot be located in this area,

then it is probable that the Captain and Navigator lied and that the battle was much

closer to shore than they stated.

It should be stated here that these positions are about 120 nautical miles south of

Carnarvon. The general public believe the Sydney lies some 300 miles west of

Carnarvon following the initial broadcasts by the Prime Minister, and the fact that all

the lifeboats were found north of Carnarvon. It should be remembered however,

particularly with the lifeboats that landed on the coast, these had sails rigged, and

were at sea for 6 or 7 days. I also think you need to be a Geraldton local to appreciate

the strength of our southerly winds. German diaries, a local fisherman's diary and

weather information suggests that after the 3rd day a southerly gale blew. It should

therefore be expected that the boats would blow north.

The second position I feel should be grid searched is an area with a central focus of

28°S 113° 30E, this is a similar focus to the one proposed to the Navy and Maritime

Museum in March 1995 by myself, but now carries with it scientific credibility.

When I presented my paper on the Port Gregory oral testimonies at the HMAS

Sydney Forum in February 1997, I was approached by Dr John Bye of Flinders

University, who had been involved with the drift card analysis for the Christmas

Island float. Dr Bye asked me if I would like the University to study the regional

sound and light propagation of the sounds and flashes heard by the residents of the

Port Gregory area. Of course I agreed.

II McDonald Glenys 'Request for Grid Search re location ofHMAS Sydney' March 1995 to MikeMcCarthy WA Maritime Museum, copies to Vic Jeffries Navy and Graham Edwards MLC Sydney

22

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PINQ.SUBS.001.0090


I supplied him what information I could on daily temperatures from the time as

recorded by the Geraldton Guardian Express newspaper, sunset times etc, and

informed him of some meteorological work which had been done for the 1991 Forum.

His paper was published in October 1997 and concludes the probable source position

for the flashes and sounds heard at Port Gregory to be as mentioned above.24

He further states that the sound bounced in waves with diminishing force and that the

Port Gregory residents could not have heard and seen a battle from the reported

German position. This was as expected. The paper also states that it is highly

unlikely that there could have been any electrical storm activity in the area at the time,

a reason for the flashes given by some senior army men visiting Port Gregory

residents.

This brings me back to the hypothesis that I have placed at the end ofall my papers.

(i) The German Captain and Navigator lied and the battle was much closer to the

coast than 111°E and residents were able to see and hear the battle, especially

the last final explosion of the Kormoran and her mines at l.35am on the 20th.


links with the Sydney or German prisoners, the closure of the Yallabatharra

School and the removal ofthe Rob family to Perth in December 1941.

In proposing that both of these areas be searched, I feel they are of equal importance.

In addition to the oral histories regarding battle lights and sounds, we have the amount

of debris which was picked up from 20 miles north of Port Gregory to the mouth of

the Hutt River. There are also two oral testimonies of a grey lifeboat coming ashore

in this area. This does not form part of the official version, and with the destruction of

so many vital archival documents, it cannot be proved. Neither can the Cape Otway

anecdotal evidence of bodies near the Zuytdorp cliffs. There are too many indicators

to this area to reject it.

One matter which does concern me, and I do not believe that I can be classified as a

conspiracy theorist, however, I am concerned at the lack of contemporaneous

evidence for the Port Gregory sightings and debris. I know of at least two people who

were alleged to have reported this to the Northampton police at the time, and yet it

does not appear part of the official version of events.

(ii) The Sydney was able to stay afloat to reach the vicinity of 28°S 113°32E

where she blew up just after midnight on either 19/20 or 20/21 depending on

her speed capabilities.. There could be evidence for this in the sending of

signals and the packing case marked HMAS Sydney attached to a fired flare

found north of Port Gregory. There was also a second oil slick located by

the RAAF during the search in this area.

I have no proof, but a suspicion that the little port of Port Gregory could have been

used as a base to clean up any bodies, if the reports about bodies near the cliffs are

true. Maybe the authorities were left with a clean up of 725 bodies (Australian and

German) who may have been disposed of in a manner unpalatable to the relatives.

My next concern is my growing belief that HMAS Sydney did send signals and yet no

'official' search was undertaken until the 24 November. Perhaps the 'clean up' was

taking place during this period?

(iii) Some other battle in late November 1941 accounted for what the residents

saw. However my research to date has not been able to identify any other

source for the witnessed 'naval battle'. This being dated by personal details,

Foundation Trust.

23

174

My final concern is my growing belief that the Sydney did not chance onto the

Kormoran by accident. I now believe that the Sydney knew that a German raider was

2' Bye. John. Byron-Scott R 'Research Report No 57 Regional sound and light propagation during thesinking of HMAS Sydney' Flinders University October 1997.

24

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PINQ.SUBS.001.0091


in the area and she was being updated on it from Direction Finding bases in operation

around Australia and controlled at this point from Singapore. Commander Long and

Captain Collins were in Singapore at this time. Two other ships took out German

raiders during this period. Did the directing of HMAS Sydney to the Kormoran

somehow go horribly wrong?

I know officially HMAS Sydney was escorting the Zealandia to the Soodra Straits and

handed her over to the Durban, as per the archives. However, there is again anecdotal

evidence that men on the Zealandia observed Sydney ducking off every now and then.

It is also suggested that she cut off escort duty early about the Carnarvon area and

Zealandia proceeded on alone. 25 For this to be correct the Durban's log would have

had to be falsified.

Again I refer to anecdotal evidence of HMAS Sydney slipping into the port of

Geraldton on the 18 November. I have also interviewed two ladies who are convinced

that they entertained 8 crew members from HMAS Sydney when they came into

Carnarvon via the rail calarnazoo on a Sunday night just prior to the influx of

Germans into the town.


Mrs Graham is adamant that the men .were from HMAS Sydney, but there is always

the danger that they could have been from another ship. I have had no luck so far in

locating the Carnarvon Wharf Log. The Carnarvon wharf is, even today, in such an

isolated position, that men could have come in on the little rail truck, the mile to

shore, and not been observed by too many.

The suspicion arises, that ifHMAS Sydney was being directed to a tracked Kormoran,

and things did not tum out as expected, then those doing this tracking should have

some idea of the whereabouts of HMAS Sydney. I have no reason to suspect the

Navy ofthis, but during my research I have been concerned to hear that more than one

Navy clearance diver is alleged to have stated "that the Navy knows where Sydney is

and that they have dived on her."

I have supplied a copy of a chart showing the direction of the sOWld and light heard

from the Port Gregory area. (Attachment 2)

I have supplied a copy of my HMAS Sydney Forum paper, February 1997Exh.\o,.r

(Attachment 3) Nc·. t

Is it possible that HMAS Sydney broke off escort duty of Zealandia on the evening of

Sunday 16 November and spent the night or part of the evening at Carnarvon? Was

land line telephone calls being made? Was there contact with the secret Dutch

Indonesian Intelligence group which was resident in Canlarvon at this time? The

visit of several Sydney boys to Carnarvon was unexpected, and unknown by the rest

of the townspeople still alive, But given the closeness of the loss of this ship, the

visit impacted greatly on these two women. One, 94 year old Blanche Graham

certainly has her wits about her and is quite clear and explicit about the event. Her

daughter Maureen Bartlett, who was a six year old at the time also has vivid memories

of the night she woke up and saw several sailors having a cup of tea. She sat on the

knee of one of them and he stated she reminded him of his sister.

I have supplied a copy of Flinders University Report No 57 (Attachment 4)

I have countless audio and video interview tapes of the people I refer to in my papers

and submission.

Footnote:

I feel I adhere to a strict code in accepting.oral information. It needs to come to me

from at least two separate sources before I will use it, and then only after detailed

interviewing. One rather bizarre piece of information should be mentioned however.

One, and only one resident of the Port Gregory area, a member of one of the local

families, states that he actually saw the two ships. As he was only 6 years old at the

~,h.b:l

NG./

21 David Kennedy's research.

25

17G

26

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PINQ.SUBS.001.0092

Submission on HMAS SYDNEY from Glenys McDonald Submission on HMAS SYDNEY from Glenys McDonald

time, the infonnation is provided more from a perspective that it should be mentioned

rather than believed.4. The practicability ofaccurately locating the grave ofan alleged bodyfrom

HMAS Sydney which was allegedly buried on Christmas Island.

I admit to being very sceptical when I went to interview this gentleman, but what he

had to say actually fitted with all the relevant infonnation I had to hand. His name is

Paddy Pluschke. His mother was ill in Northampton Hospital at the time, having

given birth to twins in October. His father was in military service. The children were

fanned out to relatives and later would spend from 1943 to the end of the war in the

Swan Boys Home - their mother died. Paddy and some of his siblings went to stay

with his Aunt Lizzie, who was the lady who cooked the cabbage that her husband and

sons found on the beach after the 'battle'. Paddy did not like it and thought it was

sour.

He remembers being with some adults and children and going to camp at Port

Gregory. They took a truck and buggy to the end of the road and the Taylor boys

bought them a 100 gal tank ofrain water and Paddy thought the intention was to camp

2-3 days. According to Paddy he was walking ahead of the adults towards the Port

Gregory jetty. He wanted a swim but was told not to, so went for a walk instead. He

maintains from beach level, near the little gap in the southern part of the Port Gregory

reef he saw two ships. The closest to the reef was a ship with camouflage markings.

The one further out he could only distinguish a bridge. He maintains he saw this at

beach level and not on top of the sand dune as he accessed the beach. He believes the

ships started firing at each other and the adults rushed to gather up the children and

took them back over the dune to the buggy and truck. Paddy was upset at missing out

on his swim and camping holiday. When he got to the top of the dune both ships had

disappeared, but he thought he saw the smoke of a .third ship heading west. The next

morning the adults were cleaning their old farm guns and said they were going to use

them on the Germans.

27

178

I simply offer my support here to researchers like Ros Page of Adelaide and John

Heazlewood, and recently Mr Ted McGowan, who believes the body could be his

brother. The Navy has been so insistent for so long, despite all the available evidence,

that this boy did not come from Sydney. These researchers have information to

accurately locate this grave. I urge the Parliamentary Committee to support them.

5. The identification ofany scientific procedures now available which could

verify the identity ofhuman remains alleged to be those ofa crewman of

HMAS Sydney buried on Christmas Island ifand when such remains were

located.

The medical records of the men of HMAS Sydney are available. This would include

their blood group, dental records etc. Before even resorting to DNA samples, I am

sure it would be fairly easy to identify this man and return him to his family.

The sustained anecdotal evidence regarding this body coming from the residents of

Christmas Island is that he had a 'perfect set of teeth'. This was a most unusual

occurrence in the pre fluoride days of 1941.

The only information I have on issues which might help to identify the body comes

from my research of Jonathon Rowbothom's unpublished papers in the Battyre

Library in Perth. I feel Rowbotham may have had access to the missing Inquiry we

are all seeking. Alternatively he gained a fairly complete picture by oral testimonies

of witnesses taken at the time. The area my information differs from everyone else's

is:

(i) "In order not to touch the perished flesh unduly the coffin was built to conform

to the body as it lay."

28

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PINQ.SUBS.001.0093


(ii) "One foot was bare and had been nibbled by fish or big crabs. One shoe was

on and the other was in the float. The shoes were black and had no toe caps

were marked DD and an arrow between and stamped with the name McKeown

& sons Sydney Size 7.4" (Naval contractor RAN)"

(iii) Bryan Clark mentioned that the Christmas Island carley float was marked with

No 2. Wes Olsen in his work states "the two No 20 floats stowed abreast of

the forward funnel would have been numbered 2 and 4."26

I suppose any modified coffin, would now be disintegrated and would not be ofvalue

in identifying the correct grave. Where my information differs from all the others, is

that there was a shoe in the float which did not fit the body, BUT in this report, the

body also had one shoe on..27 It is not clear to which shoe the size is applicable.

Because of the boiler suit, many researchers are contacting the families of the stokers.

I believe the action stations of the men, if known, and their access to carley float No 2

could be considered.

Two wartime carley floats have been recently relocated at the WA Museum. These I

believe will show that the Navy ships had an assortment of floats and equipment,

which they acquired where and how they could on a needs basis in very difficult times

for supply.


given the WA Maritime Museum's policy is that a one mile triangle 'no go ' area

would surround the wreck, with the position's GPS not actually known within that

mile area.

Obviously of concern would be those who would unscrupulously dive on this wreck

and try to take souvenirs. Because of the depth of water, the distance from the coast,

and the number of boats in this area, particularly at certain times of the cray fishing

season, we will need to come up with strategies to provide protection. However, I do

not think a 'no go' grid will work.

Given the character of the Midwest community, particularly its fishermen, I believe

we have to get community involvement in this. We need to involve the community in

protecting the site, and reporting any unauthorised activity. We need to educate the

community that it would be wrong to salvage anything from this wreck, and impose

severe penalties for anyone who attempts this.

We have to realise that, if found, the location of HMAS Sydney will be of interest to

all Australians. Many relatives and researchers will want to go to the ACTUAL

position and pay their last respects. Many doubting Thomas' will want to dive to see

for themselves. Surely we can come up with a community acceptable policy which

will satisfy all our needs and not a strictly bureaucratic one.

6. Measures which should be taken to protect and honour the final resting

places, ifand when located, ofHMAS Sydney and HSK Kormoran

Crayfisherrnen - If the wreck site is a current pot site, special negotiations must occur

to gain their co-operation in banning pots in this area. Crayfisherrnan need to be

aligned to the project so that they report any unusual or suspicious activity in the area

of the wreck. If you do not gain their co-operation, you will not have their support.

Protection:

I have spent considerable hours considering the best scenarios to protect and honour

these ships, but more particularly HMAS Sydney. A scenario most likely to occur,

~6 Olsen W.J. 'With All Hands' Report No 115 Maritime Museum September 1996 p 17.1 Rowboham, lonathon 'Eagle in the Craw's Nest' unpublished manuscript, Battyre Library, Perth

29

180

Dive Clubs: Although it may seem controversial, I believe we should allow

regulated dives on the wreck by registered dive operators. The dives would be a 'no

touch' type, given that the wreck is a war grave. These regular dives would be a way

of keeping watch on the wreck and its condition and would immediately alert

30

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PINQ.SUBS.001.0094


authorities if anything was touched. Given the depth of water expected, it would only

be experienced divers who would attempt this.

If this was allowed, it would assist in putting rumour to bed. If people are told "Yes,

we have found HMAS Sydney, its in this area, but we will not tell you exactly where,

and you are never allowed to go near it", the controversy will continue.

I believe that we need to protect the wreck site from unscrupulous people, but my

point is, we need the community to do that protecting with the help of the authorities,

not by the authorities alone.

Honour:

I have been deeply touched during my contact with the relatives of our Sydney boys,

by how much their grieving continues. I believe, and indeed some of them have said

this, 'that they cannot put it all behind them until they can say goodbye.'

I have visited the resting place of the Arizona at Pearl Harbour on two occasions. It is

a reasonably high standard memorial to a warship. The Arizona is in easily accessible

shallow water however. But depending on when and where HMAS Sydney lies, I

believe we should attempt to erect some permanent reminder of her, both at sea and

on land. Perhaps the simpler the better for the poignant reminder at sea.

When found, I believe the Australian Government should endeavour to assist the

healing process by a proper service. If the Sydney is not located by 19 November

1999, I believe this ceremony should take place anyway, in the area of most likely

occurrence.

I would like to see all next of kin, even all relatives, if possible, plus the researchers

who have devoted many years to this subject, and the surviving members of the

Kormoran, to sail to this position on several of the Navy's largest ships. The

delegation should include Federal and State politicians, the Governor etc.

31

182


The ceremony should be scheduled between 6.30pm and 7.30 pm as the sun sets.

Each family should have the opportunity to throw a wreath overboard. As too should

the Germans.

The ceremony should be widely telecast throughout Australia.

Then and only then do I believe we can 'let go' and say goodbye to our 645 valiant

men and boys. Then and only then will people accept that the Government and the

Navy valued their lives. Then and only then will Australians appreciate that our

servicemen are valued in either victory or defeat.

For the sake ofour future, we must make this gesture to the past.

There were more Australian lives lost in this battle than in the entire Vietnam war.

Taking into account the German losses, we are talking about 725 missing men.

Eventually we honoured our Vietnam Veterans with a special march and 'welcomed

them home'. I feel it is past due that we do something significant for our men of

HMAS Sydney.

I thank the Sub-Committee for the opportunity to put forward my thoughts.

Glenys McDonald

32

lSJ

PINQ.SUBS.001.0095

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