Finding HMAS Sydney (II)

Sydney sank with all hands west of Shark Bay, Western Australia, following a battle with the armed merchant raider Kormoran on 19 November 1941. The German ship was irreparably damaged and later scuttled, the majority of its crew surviving.

The total loss of Sydney and all of her crew of 645 young men is Australia’s greatest ever maritime tragedy in war, or peace and came at a particularly challenging time for the nation as it preceded the entry of Japan into World War II by a few weeks. This tragic event faded from public view but later re-entered the public arena. In the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s a number of books and articles were published and some unsuccessful shallow water searches were undertaken using Defence and private company assets. Several symposia were held and the Federal Parliament conducted a formal Inquiry during 1997/1998 with the report being issued in March 1999. The most recent seminar was conducted by the Royal Australian Navy on the recommendation of the Parliamentary Inquiry, in November 2001, the 60th Anniversary of Sydney’s loss. None of this resolved any of the major issues and the controversy moved on to basic questions of the location of the wrecks. During the 2001 forum, argument was presented for alternative wreck positions in shallow water off the Abrolhos Islands and between the Abrolhos Islands and the mainland near Port Gregory.

Over the years it remained the hope of the many families and loved ones of those lost that the final resting place of Sydney would be found so that present and future generations could truly come to terms with this tragedy, learn from its historical implications and put a close to the years of mystery and uncertainty.

It was this background that inspired founding members Ted Graham, Don Pridmore and Kim Kirsner to form the view that a well researched, funded and planned search could be successful, and thus to form the company in early 2001. The founders enlisted the aid of similarly minded persons who became Directors of the fledgling company and carried its objectives forward to the success now achieved.