HSK Kormoran Discovered - Latest Search Reports

incredible news, now to find the Sydney

more on the Hilfkreuzers :

Hilfskreuzer (Auxiliary Cruiser / Raider) - Introduction

from here click HK Komoran photo and you will have a very good run-down on the ship

let the continued stupidity of over 60 years on this very battle continue ...........

Shots fired over role of HMAS Sydney's captain - National - smh.com.au

Mein Gott what a weekend off the Australian coast

they found her as well, maybe in the near future conclusions can be drawn

Wreckage of HMAS Sydney found off West Australian coast | Herald Sun

Nice info Erich, thanks for the updates.

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"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance." Socrates

Australian WWII ship finally found, ending wartime mystery¤

By ROD McGUIRK

Associated Press Writer

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) _ The wreck of an Australian warship that went down during a fierce World War II battle with 645 men aboard has been found off western Australia, ending an enduring maritime mystery, the prime minister announced Monday.
The wreck of battle cruiser HMAS Sydney was discovered off western Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced Monday. The Sydney sank on Nov. 19, 1941, after a battle with German vessel the DKM Kormoran.
All 645 men aboard the Australian vessel were lost, and its resting place has remained elusive for decades.
The ship was found upright in 2,470 meters (8,100 feet) of water on Sunday, a few days after search crews located the Kormoran, which was disguised as a Dutch merchant ship when it opened fire on the Sydney, kicking off a fierce battle.
Both ships were badly damaged and sank. Of the Kormoran's 397 crew, 317 survived and rowed to the Australian coast in life boats and were taken prisoner.
At a news conference in Canberra, Rudd said the Sydney had been found about 12 nautical miles (14 miles; 23 kilometers) from the wreckage of the Kormoran, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of Perth, the capital of Western Australia state.
Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Shalders, said the find would help determine exactly what happened to the Sydney.
"For 66 years, this nation has wondered where the Sydney was and what occurred to her, we've uncovered the first part of that mystery ... the next part of the mystery, of course, is what happened," said Shalders, speaking at the news conference with Rudd.
Ted Graham, chairman of the Finding Sydney Foundation, the group carrying out the search, said a remote-operated vehicle would be used to further examine the wreckage found on the sea floor for clues about the battle.
The government-funded US$3.9 million (€2.5 million) search for the Sydney began two weeks ago and is headed by U.S. shipwreck hunter David Mearns.
Mearns was involved in finding the wrecks of the British battle cruiser the HMS Hood and the DKM Bismarck, the German battle ship that sank her in the North Atlantic in 1941.
The Sydney weighed in at 6,600 metric tons (7,300 U.S. tons), making it the largest vessel from any country to be lost with no survivors during the war.
The fate of the ship and its crew has remained an enduring mystery, though a parliament inquiry into the tragedy in 1999 accepted accounts by Kormoran survivors that they last saw the ship in flames and heading toward Perth.
Rudd said he had instructed the Defense Department to contact relatives of the sailors who died aboard the Sydney about the find, and described the wreck as a tomb for Australian sailors that would be protected as a sacred site.
"This is over 65 years ago, but pain and family loss even at 65 years removed, is still pain, and very deep pain," Rudd said.
Relatives of sailors who died on the ship welcomed the find as helping to resolve pain caused by not knowing where their loved ones died, or exactly what happened to them.
"I haven't felt the sense of relief, but I've broken down and cried," Barbara Craill, whose father Walter Freer, a 38-year-old gunner, disappeared aboard the Sydney, told television's Nine Network.
Another victim's relative, Debra Malycha-Coombs, whose uncle Walter Leslie Curwood was 23 when he disappeared aboard the Sydney, said the mystery caused enduring pain for the victims' families.
"My mother died over 20 years ago not knowing where he was," Malycha-Coombs told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "I can't tell you how I feel _ it's so many emotions that all I can do is cry."

the ships are covered in the Atlantic forum thread so please read up if you would

Why would the HMAS Sydney be in the Atlantic forum? Should we move the threads pertaining to this ship to the Pacific forum?

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Best Regards,
JW

well that is where I put it as one usually does not think of the Km in the pacific, that is the reason. what I am getting at Jeff is forum members need a review of what has been posted instead of starting up new threads...........make sense ?

I don't understand why this piece of news should be put in the Atlantic threads and that this finding of the wreck had been covered before in that area. I just took this off the AP news wire at my office a while ago today. Are you saying that the wreck had been found before and that this piece of news is dated?

Yes.

I'll find the two and merge them. Maybe tomorrow, though, as it is well past my bedtime.

nevermind, I'll do it now.

__________________
Best Regards,
JW

Meant to have Erich title to be the thread title. Otto could you adjust the title thread?

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Best Regards,
JW

Good move and thanks. You're right. I didn't think to check the Atlantic threads because the wreck was found in the Pacific.

Yeah isn't great that they found those 2 Aussie warships I am thrilled, a guy came in today who also likes ww2 and we talk for ages about it, plus it was all over the radio and the news

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They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We shall remember them. Lest We Forget

Thought this would be approriate

HMAS Sydney

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They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We shall remember them. Lest We Forget

Modified LEANDER-Class cruiser ordered under the 1932 Estimates from Swan Hunter at Newcastle upon Tyne on 10th February 1933 and laid down on 8th July that year. Although launched as HMS PHAETON on 9th October 1934 as PHAETON this was changed in 1935 to SYDNEY after the decision to transfer her to the Royal Australian Navy. Build was completed on 24th September 1935 and she commissioned that day for RAN service.

(* Awarded by next HMAS Sydney) September Deployed with RAN Western Force based at Fremantle for trade defence in Indian Ocean.

October Deployed on patrol duty off NW Australia for interception of commerce raiders.
to
November

December Escorted troop convoy carrying 2nd Australian Imperial Force on passage to the Middle East
until relieved by HM Australian Cruiser ADELAIDE on 12/12/39.
Passage to Sydney for routine docking.
15th Under refit in Sydney.

January Resumed operational duty on completion.
11th Escorted military convoy US2 with HM Australian Cruiser AUSTRALIA from
to JervisBay arriving on 12/1/40.

February
6th Relieved HMAS AUSTRALIA as Western Force cruiser for Trade Defence duty off
Western Australia.

March Trade defence and interception duty in continuation.

April
1st Transferred to East Indies Station.
19th Deployed with HM Australian Cruiser ADELAIDE and HM Battleship RAMILLIES for
Trade defence and convoy escort duty.
28th Detached to join military convoy US3 for Indian Ocean passage.

May
1st Detached from US3 to take passage to Singapore to refuel.
8th Arrived at Colombo and Joined Squadron.
12th Sailed to rejoin US3 but ordered to return to Colombo prior for transfer to 7th Cruiser Squadron
in Mediterranean Fleet.
18th Passage to Aden.
22nd Joined HM Cruiser GLOUCESTER and HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE for passage through
Red Sea.
26th Joined Squadron at Alexandria.

June Carried out exercises and worked-up with HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER, ORION, NEPTUNE
and LIVERPOOL of 7th Cruiser Squadron..
(Note: CinC Mediterranean had arranged extensive programmes of exercises in anticipation of
the entry of Italy into hostilities.)
12th Deployed for an offensive sweep and reconnaissance off North African coast and inAegean Sea.
21st Bombarded Bardia with French battleship LORRAINE, HMS NEPTUNE, HMS ORION and
HM Destroyers DAINTY, DECOY, HASTY and STUART (RAN).
28th Deployed with Squadron and joined by HM Cruisers CALEDON and CALCUTTA for the
cover of convoys in Aegean Sea.
Engaged Italian destroyers attempting to attack a convoy and sank Italian ESPERO.
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D. Macintyre and Naval Staff History (HMSO - 2002).

July
6th Deployed to covered Aegean convoys.
7th Transferred to provide cover passage of Convoys MS1 and MF1 from Malta with ships of
Squadron andHM Australian Destroyer STUART.
8th Under Italian air attacks.
9th Took part in Battle of Calabria during which Italian Fleet disengaged.
(For details see above references).
18th Carried out Anti- submarine sweep and shipping search with HM Destroyers ILEX,
HERO and HASTY in Gulf of Athens.
19th In action with HM Destroyers HYPERION and HAVOCK against 2 Italian cruisers
on passage between Tripoli and Leros. Cruiser BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI was
sunk by the destroyers.
Engaged and hit BANDE NERE which then withdrew.
Return fire damaged one funnel slightly. (For details see above references).
27th Joined HMS NEPTUNE to meet HM Battleships MALAYA, WARSPITE,
RAMILLIES and H M Aircraft Carrier EAGLE.
Came under air attack.
28th Intercepted and sank Greek tanker ERMIONE.

August Deployed with 7th Cruiser Squadron in eastern Mediterranean.
28th Covered Fleet units during bombardments of seaplane base in Gulf of Bomba and
Bardia harbour.
30th Part of Force "F" for cover of passage of HM Battleship VALIANT, HM Aircraft
Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY from Gibraltar
to join Fleet at Alexandria and also passage of convoy MB to Malta (Operation HATS).

September
1st Remained with convoy MB when it was threatened by Italian major warships, which
withdrew when Fleet units responded.
For details see above references).
3rd Adopted disguise of Italian cruiser and bombarded airfield at Scarpanto with
HMS ORION, HM Destroyer DECOY and HM Destroyer ILEX.
In action with E-Boats sinking one and damaging another.
6th Routine docking at Alexandria.
24th Patrolled off Cyprus and covered HM Netlayer PROTECTOR near Beirut.
28th Deployed with Fleet units to cover passage of HMS GLOUCESTER and HMS LIVERPOOL
taking troops to Malta
30th Patrolled off Malta.

October
1st Detached with HMS ORION to bombard airfield at Stampalia in Dodecanese.
9th Deployed with Fleet to cover passage of Malta convoy MB6.
25th Carried out Aegean sweep including Dardanelles area and supported convoys with
HMS ORION, H M Destroyer JERVIS and HM Destroyer JUNO.
28th Patrolled with HMS GLOUCESTER, HMS ORION and HM Cruiser YORK off Crete during
Italian invasion of Greece.
(For details of naval operations in Greece and Crete see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett and Naval Staff History).

November
5th Embarked troops and stores for passage to SudaBay with HMS AJAX.
7th Joined Fleet to cover Malta convoy MW6 and transfer of HM Battleship BAHRAM.
HM Cruiser BERWICK, HM Cruiser GLASGOW and three Fleet destroyers of Force
"F" from Gibraltar to join Fleet (Operation COAT).
11th Detached with HMS AJAX, HMS NUBIAN and HMS ESKIMO to join HMS AJAX in
offensive sweep in Adriatic and a bombardment of Valona.
12th Night attack on Italian convoy off Brindisi sinking four ships and damaging an escort.
Rejoined Fleet west of Crete.
15th Embarked troops and made fast passage to Piraeus at 30 knots with HM Cruisers BERWICK,
HMS GLASGOW and HMS YORK.
25th Covered transit of HM Battleship RAMILLIES, HMS BERWICK and HMS NEWCASTLE
to western Mediterranean and the transit of HM Cruisers MANCHESTER and
SOUTHAMPTON with 3 Fleet destroyers in Force "F" from Gibraltar to join Fleet.
(Operation COLLAR).
26th Covered HMS EAGLE during air strike on Tripoli.

December Based at SudaBay for convoy defence and interception of Italian convoys.
17th Offensive sweep in Adriatic and covered Convoy MW2 with Fleet units.
(Operations MC2 and MC3).
20th Detached from covering duty and returned to Suda Bay.
23rd Under refit in Malta (Mileage steamed in 1940 - 60,000).
30th Relieved by HM Australian Cruiser PERTH in 7th Cruiser Squadron and released from
Mediterranean Fleet for return to RAN.

January
8th Passage to Alexandria escorted by HMAS STUART.
12th Sailed from Suez for Sydney.
24th Diverted at Seychelles to search for the German commerce raiders ATLANTIS and
PINGUIN reported NW of islands.

February Resumed passage to Sydney

March Under refit in Sydney.

April On completion deployed for Convoy escort in Australian waters.
14th Embarked delegation for ABDA conference and took passage to Singapore.
18th Passage from Singapore to Australia.

May Escorted troop convoy from Fremantle to SundaStrait and returned with single
empty ship.

June Escorted convoy from Sydney to Fremantle.

July Deployed on escort of convoys between New Zealand and Australia.