Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know that there are a few friends of Dorothy on the opposition benches! My question is to the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel. Will the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel update the House on the HMAS Sydney II commemorative services planned for 19 November?

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just happen to have something that you will be interested in! I thank the member for Fremantle for her question. She has been able to provide me with from Beaconsfield Primary School a commemorative plaque which reads: ‘A souvenir of action between HMAS Sydney and Bartolomeo Colleoni resulting in the sinking of the Italian cruiser.’ As far as I am aware, this is the only such souvenir, though there may be others. In the context of my discussions over the last few months this is the only item that I have seen actually from the Sydney and we understand it to be a part of the funnel damaged in that battle with the Colleoni off Cape Spada in Crete on 19 July 1940. I want to thank the member for Fremantle and also the member for Brand for bringing this to my attention. The member for Brand, of course, hosts Fleet Base West at Stirling in Western Australia and has a significant interest in this issue.

More importantly, on the 11th of the 11th 67 years ago HMAS Sydney II departed Fremantle. She departed Fremantle escorting the troopship Zealandia. On 17 November she transferred that responsibility to the British ship Durban and she was to have returned to Perth on 20 November, and we know that she never arrived. She was sunk by the German raider HSK Kormoran on 19 November, with the loss of 645 crew.

You recall that after searching for this vessel earlier this year there was a national commemorative service at St Andrews in Sydney on 24 April. On 16 April a small ceremony off the Anzac had been held over the site of the sinking of the Sydney. Next week on 19 November there will be a series of national events. One of those will be at the Geraldton War Cemetery, where we will lay to rest a sailor believed to have come from the HMAS Sydney II, whose remains were exhumed from Christmas Island. After significant efforts at DNA testing family members of crew members from the Sydney, we have yet to identify this person. However, he is to be buried at the war cemetery in Queens Park on the 19th at Geraldton. Significantly, on that day we will be holding on board HMAS Manoora, over the site of the HMAS Sydney II, a service which will be for family members of the Sydney. Two hundred and eighty family members will be on board for this service. The City of Geraldton-Greenough will also host their annual sunset memorial service at the Dome of Souls at Geraldton on the 19th.

On 27 October I advised all members of a series of national events including ones to be held here in Canberra, in Sydney, in Brisbane, in South Australia and in Fremantle. I would encourage members to attend if they possibly can. I would also advise that the member for Brand is very active in this area. He is organising a display at his community stall on the 15th and 16th in addition to the commemorative service and presentation planned for 19November. This is a very important memento of Australian history and I would encourage members when they are contemplating the sinking of the Sydney and the loss of those 645 souls to understand the bravery with which those men served and the honour that they have brought to this nation.