Wrecks of "Sydney" and "Kormoran" Found

[Mojito]

Spent much of the day on this at work in the Museum - a huge story down here. All day the news has been full of the stories of those who lost loved ones when the "Sydney" went down, and the years they waited for answers.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/hmas-sydney-found/2008/03/17/1205602237607.html

http://news.theage.com.au/hmas-sydney-mystery-must-be-revealed/20080317-1zud.html

 

[Smithy]

Many thanks Mojito, a huge day for Australia.

Lest we forget.

 

[Story]

How shipwreck hunter found watery grave

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23391874-5001021,00.html

http://presspass.findingsydney.com/...chive/2008/03/16/HSK-Kormoran-Discovered.aspx

This is a pretty epic (and ignored) battle with more than it's fair share of mysteries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_between_HMAS_Sydney_and_HSK_Kormoran

Previous threads on the HMAS Sydney - maybe a bartender could roll them up with this one? [huh]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=22111

 

[Windsock]

Yes, it's quite amazing and great news- I remember seeing a tiny shot to bits liferaft at the AWM that they believed to have been from the Sydney- found off the WA coast at the time.

I've not yet caught up with the stories yet but the first things that come to mind are;
- if it was last seen steaming over the horizon towards Perth, why didn't the crew evacuate- she was lost with all hands.
- I have heard some reports that it be raised- aside from the ethical reasons, it's very deep and old so absolutely out of the question anyway?
- What a relief for the families.

I'm sure there are a ton of unanswered questions which can now have a chance of some resolution.

 

[Story]

German survivors of the sinking of HMAS Sydney 67 years ago are helping an official inquiry set the record straight, writes Les Kennedy.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cruel-sea/2009/01/02/1230681748896.html

 

[Story]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25925511-25209,00.html

THE Cole inquiry into the loss of HMAS Sydney on November 19, 1941, has confirmed what objective observers have always argued: the Australian warship was sunk because its commander, Captain Joseph Burnett, committed almost inexplicable errors.

Probably deceived by the German commerce raider Kormoran's disguise as a Dutch merchant vessel, he approached too close, losing the advantage of his long-range guns and without sending his sailors to action stations. The Germans accepted the opportunity, running up their battle flag and risking all on a single surprise salvo, which worked. Commissioner Terrence Cole estimates 70 per cent of the Sydney's crew were killed or wounded within five minutes. That the survivors fought back with such ferocity that the Kormoran sank is a tribute to their training and courage. But there is no denying the Germans king hit the Australian ship.

From Deutsche Presse-Agentur

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/n...ee-from-blame-in-World-War-II-sinking-Feature

'I am satisfied Captain Burnett made errors of judgement,' investigator Terrence Cole said this week after delivering a three-volume report that included the testimony of German survivors.

Cole's is the latest of many inquiries over the past 60 years and is likely the last. Once again, it confirmed that German accounts of the battle were correct. Once again, it dispelled the calumny that there were no survivors because crew from the Sydney were machine-gunned in the water before the Kormoran was scuttled.

And yet, once again, Burnett escaped personal blame for Australia's worst maritime disaster despite acceptance that his actions resulted in the sinking of the Sydney.

'The terrible consequence of his erroneous decision was that Sydney did not go to action stations and approached to a position of great danger where all her tactical advantages were negated and the advantage of surprise was given to Kormoran,' Cole said.

That there were no findings of negligence reflected national pride. Australians, it seems, still can't bring themselves to accept that Burnett was a fool and that his foolishness cost him his ship.

Commission gallery of still photos and simulations
http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2009/Jan/20090112/index.htm

 

[MisterCairo]

This is an incredible story. We Canadians are often offended by the lack of knowledge of our war efforts by others, and here I'd never heard of this terrible loss of life suffered by the Australians, and the irony of the German raider sinking too.

It just goes to show, it truly was a world war, and we need to remember these events.

Lest We Forget.

 

[dr greg]

Canadian cavalry

There's a show on here at the moment about Canadian amateur archaeologists at WW1 sites and last night they were at Moreuil Wood,
fascinating stuff, never heard of it before, a great story. Usually we only hear about our own triumphs...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Moreuil_Wood

 

[Story]

How Psychology Solved A WWII Shipwreck Mystery

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/27/140816037/how-psychology-solved-a-wwii-shipwreck-mystery?ps=cprs