Shell strikes show HMAS Sydney battle scars (new images from the sunken warship)

PerthNow ^ | 5th April 2008 | Braden Quartermaine

[naturalman1975]

GRIPPING, crystal-clear new pictures of HMAS Sydney reveal the devastating bombardment by the Germans - but are also testament to the heroics of Aussie gunners who never gave up.

Shipwreck investigator David Mearns said the images were remarkable for their clarity and their documentation of the punishment suffered by Sydney and its crew.

"I have studied many historical accounts of the battle between Sydney and Kormoran, but none of these could fully prepare me for the enormous damage withstood by Sydney,'' he said.

One of the new photos shows a cluster of four large-calibre shell hits on Sydney's starboard side.

"The truly amazing aspect of this picture, however, is that each of the four shells -- undoubtedly fired separately, but by the same gun on Kormoran -- all hit within a cluster only 20ft (6m) high,'' Mr Mearns said.

"This image illustrates with terrifying reality the rapidity and deadly precision of the German gunnery.''

Another picture brings to life the courage of a group of Sydney's gunners who fired the shells that sunk the Kormoran.

"The image speaks volumes for the bravery of Sydney's own gunners closed up in `X' turret,'' Mr Mearns said.

"Because Sydney's bridge and director-control tower were destroyed at the start of the battle it is now clear that the men in `X' turret must have been shooting independently in local control.

"Our pictures of `X' turret not only show it pointing forward, frozen in its final shooting position, but they also reveal the turret's two forward hatches swung wide open, possibly to allow better aiming and firing by the gunners inside."

[naturalman1975]

This cluster of four 5.9-inch shell hits within a line 20-feet high clearly demonstrates the deadly precision of the German gunnery.

One of Sydney's port propellers and shafts

A capstan in the centre of Sydney's stern sits elevated above the collapsed main deck with the two bollards in the foreground folded inward because of the same collapse.

The front of the gun housing of "X" turret, credited by the Germans with inflicting the mortal blow on Kormoran.

"A" turret, with its gun housing destroyed and with the foredeck rent back over its twin gun barrels

A deep sea anemone adorns Sydney's main deck.

Sydney's badly damaged compass platform, bridge and remnants of the base of the Director Control Tower.

Areas of Sydney's teak decking remain remarkably intact.

"B" turret showing evidence of a direct hit between gun barrels and damage to turret roof.

Midships kedge anchor.

Port side cradle for aft 27 foot whale boat (missing).

Some of the many portholes visible on Sydney's port side.

Upturned searchlight platform torn away from forward funnel.

Wreckage strewn on top of "Y" turret.

[Old Sarge]

Dang, she got beat to death, and gave back what she got.

Silent Salute, HMAS Sydney!

[naturalman1975]

O Eternal Lord God
who alone spread'st out the heavens
and rulest the raging of the sea
who has compassed the waters with bounds
until day and night come to an end
be pleased to receive into Thy almighty and most gracious protection
the persons of us Thy servants
and the Fleet in which we serve.

Preserve us from the dangers of the sea
and from the violence of the enemy
that we may be a safeguard unto our most gracious Sovereign Lord
King George
and his Dominions
and a security for such as pass upon the seas upon their lawful occasions
that the inhabitants of our Empire may in peace and quietness
serve Thee our God
and that we may return in safety
to enjoy the blessings of the land
with the fruits of our labours
and with a thankful remembrance of Thy mercies
to praise and glorify Thy Holy Name
Amen.

[BenLurkin]

[Dog]

She fought to the end.

[BenLurkin]

[StormEye]

I wonder if that teak wood decking can be reclaimed.

[Larry R. Johnson]

Eternal Father, Strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bid’st the mighty Ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea.

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked’st on the foaming deep,
and calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe’er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee,
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

[Dog]

Huh?

[naturalman1975]

Even if it can be, it won't be.

Sydney has been designated as a war grave.

[DuncanWaring]

Maybe - if ya wanna dive 8000 feet underwater.

[BluH2o]

This picture has the Sydney Bridge in the background.
Back a few years ago, in early January 2004, my wife and I did the Sydney Bridge walk, meaning we walked atop the arching bridge ( called the coat hanger by locals) you see in the background. Kind of cool, except in the waiting room ... prior to the climb, they had a celebrity show case with pictures ... Al Gore & Tipper were highlighted ... having passed thru a few months earlier. Definitely a barf alert moment, except I had already paid the fee ... which, as I recall, was $140.00 (U.S.) per person.

[yarddog]

Seeing that hole right between the guns, those Germans must have been great shots or really lucky.

[indcons]

To all: please ping me to threads that are relevant to the MilHist list (and/or) please add the keyword "MilHist" to the appropriate thread. Thanks in advance.

Please FREEPMAIL indcons if you want on or off the "Military History (MilHist)" ping list.

[Last Dakotan]

Interesting theory posted on the site that the survivors were machined gunned by a Japanese submarine - no lifeboats were found on the sunken ship. Not that the Japanese would have any trouble doing that of course.

[Erasmus]

I didn’t know the Aussies made their warships with such big bridges!

[Elsiejay]

What’s the name and class/type of this ship?

[wrench]

German gunnery was reported to be very accurate. It was not uncommon for german tanks to shoot down fighter aircraft that made the mistake of buzzing their target before their bomb run.

At that time in history, Germans were very disiplined, precise, and took pride in doing their job well. I would imagine happening on a German warship in the middle of the ocean was not an event most Navy men looked forward to.

[Dundee]

This prayer was written by the late Petty Officer H B Shipstone of HMAS SYDNEY - 1941. It is read each year at the HMAS SYDNEY Memorial Service in Carnarvon at the Quobba Memorial, overlooking the ocean where SYDNEY went down.

Let me live, O Mighty Master,
Through this war. Yet if I’m slain
Tasting triumph and disaster
Joy, and not too much of pain
Let me roam the raging waters
For a while to love and laugh
And when I’m beneath the ocean,
Let this be my Epitaph -

There sleeps one who took his chances
In that war-crazed tragic hell
Battled luck and circumstances,
Loved and laughed, but fought and fell
Victor, then he did no crowing
Wounded, then he did not wail;
Cursed and swore, but kept going,
Never let his courage fail.

He was fallible and human,
Therefore loved and understood
By his fellow men and women
Whether good, or not so good.
Kept his spirit undiminished
Had a laugh for every friend,
Fought for freedom till it finished,
Lived, loved, laughed, until the end.

[BenLurkin]

That's the Kormoran. -- the Nazi ship that sunk the Sydney by staging a sneak attack on her.

[xkaydet65]

The Kormoran was a raider. an reconfigured merchantman.He(German ships were masculine)was armed with four 5.9 inch guns an assortment of lesser weapons and several torpedo tubes. She also carried a scout plane. Her weapons were hidden under plywood and canvas cabin structures and were revealed when attacking. It is believed that HMAS Sydney was surprised by Kormoran.Normally a ship with the speed and weaponry of Sydney, 8 six inch guns and 30+ knot speed, to the Kormoran's 19, would have had little trouble dispatching the raider.

One thing is true, the Krauts had excellent naval gunnery. This was true in 1916 at Jutland, in 39 when Graf Spee brutalized HMS Exeter, and in May 41 when Bismarck destroyed HMS Hood.

[Strategerist]

That's the Kormoran. -- the Nazi ship that sunk the Sydney by staging a sneak attack on her.

More the Sydney's captain killed his own crew by stupidly closing too close to the Kormoran.

[Strategerist]

All theories of Japanese involvement at all in the Sydney-Kormoran battle are abjectly silly.

[MinuteGal]

Fascinating stuff.....a multitude of forensic sciences at work under the sea.

Leni

[Last Dakotan]

Well, well you must live in an interesting world were theories you may not like can be dispatched immediately just by calling them “silly”.

[TXnMA]

Amazing photos and spectacular preservation -- but...

I'm afraid I don't agree with the analysis that says that "B" turret took "a direct hit between gun barrels"

I assume they are referring to the circular artifact below the open hatches and slightly to the right of centerline ...

"B" turret showing evidence of a direct hit between gun barrels and damage to turret roof.

I see a similar circular stucture (only encrusted over) on "X" turret...

The front of the gun housing of "X" turret, credited by the Germans with inflicting the mortal blow on Kormoran.

[PAR35]

I see a similar circular stucture (only encrusted over) on "X" turret.

I looked at those for a while earlier this evening. It looks like the one on 'X' didn't penetrate, perhaps because it hit a little lower where the angle would have been different.

[PAR35]

I didn’t know the Aussies made their warships with such big bridges!

It was originally designed and built as a British ship.

[naturalman1975]

I see what you're saying, but the round structure you see in the second image is not in the same location as that in the first image - if it was, I'd think you might be on to something.

But look at this image, which shows the A and B turret of a Royal Australian Navy cruiser of the Second World War -

These turrets did not have a round structure on their face as seen in the image from the Sydney. It is not part of the normal structure.

[naturalman1975]

Ping to my comment on the turrets markings. I think you’re correct.

[Roklok]

You got that right. The Sydney Captain was an idiot for getting to close.

[naturalman1975]

I think both are true - it was a sneak attack, but it succeeded so dramatically because Captain Burnett let it get so close, and it's extremely difficult to think of any plausible, defensible reason he did so.

Sydney was Burnett's first command of a warship. It's easy to believe he just wasn't experienced enough for the task.

If Sydney had still been under the command of Captain (later Vice Admiral) Collins, things might have been very different.

[PzLdr]

Or in 1940, when SCHARNHORST sank H.M.S GLORIOUS. If I recall, SCHARNHORST’S first salvo tore up the middle of the flight deck.

[TXnMA]

I suppose one (or both) of those could have been 37mm hits, but the symmetry, clean edges -- with no paint spalling -- and the near-identical locations made me wonder if they might have been structural features, instead. Unortunately, in the one photo most likely to answer that question

there is a *^*%(& officer standing exactly in the wrong place... ;-(

[TXnMA]

I somehow missed your post earlier. The argument against structural features there is compelling!

In that case, I would say that those must have been two amazingly near-identical 37mm hits. If so, that was all- but-unbelievable accuracy and repeatability!

That is comparable to hitting the ring fingers of the gun hands of TWO people shooting at you with handguns!!!

[TXnMA]

I capitulate! (See above...) ‘-)

[skeeter]

More the Sydney's captain killed his own crew by stupidly closing too close to the Kormoran.

As bravely as the Sydney may have fought, there is no excuse for what happened to her. Light cruisers were built to defeat merchant raiders.

[skeeter]

Something blew the armored panel of the turret housing.

[MediaMole]

The mark on B is significantly darker and larger than the mark on X, which is the same color as the other corroded areas on the lower section of the turret.

The B turret looks like it has a hole from enemy fire. The X turret looks like corrosion that happened to form a circular pattern.

[GATOR NAVY]

This second set of photos is amazingly clear. No evidence of the blurring that effects some of the first set.

[yarddog]

I didn’t realize the Sydney only had eight 6 inch guns which makes it a light cruiser. I think our heavy ones carried 9 eight inch+ guns. Still it should have been a mismatch with the Kormoran only having four 5.9 inch ones and probably far less armor.

[Elsiejay]

My thanks to you, and to BenLurkin. That just didn’t look like a photo of a warship, and evidently this tactic fooled people smarter than I.

[GATOR NAVY]

More photos released here including the upside down bow and the point of impact of the torpedo that blew it off. And a truly amazing photo of some of Sydney's lifeboats.