03-24-2008, 12:23 AM
The Royal Australian Navy Light cruiser Sydney II was found this week some 67 years since being sunk in an engagement with the German Auxilary merchant cruiser HPK Kormoran some 12 miles off the West Australian coast near Carnavon/Geraldton.
I am actually currently in Geraldton and have visited the memorial site and being here as the mystery surrounding the missing wreck is solved is amazing. Both combatants were sunk in the engagement as the German raider fooled the Sydney for a short while displaying a Dutch? flag.....
Some eye witness accounts in the papers reported in detail the sounds of gunfire and explosions in the distance with an enormous eruption at one stage....flashes of brilliant light were seen in the distance.......German survivors were detained at carnavon after using life boats.
The Sydney was last reported steaming away from the German raider engulfed in fire when disappeared with all hands lost.
more details :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgtMaZVDc...re=related
http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/waratsea/HMASsydney.html
http://www.totaltravel.com.au/travel/wa/...orial-gera
I am actually currently in Geraldton and have visited the memorial site and being here as the mystery surrounding the missing wreck is solved is amazing. Both combatants were sunk in the engagement as the German raider fooled the Sydney for a short while displaying a Dutch? flag.....
Some eye witness accounts in the papers reported in detail the sounds of gunfire and explosions in the distance with an enormous eruption at one stage....flashes of brilliant light were seen in the distance.......German survivors were detained at carnavon after using life boats.
The Sydney was last reported steaming away from the German raider engulfed in fire when disappeared with all hands lost.
more details :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgtMaZVDc...re=related
http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/waratsea/HMASsydney.html
http://www.totaltravel.com.au/travel/wa/...orial-gera