SOURCE: The Canberra Times, Thursday December 4, 1941, pages 1 and 2

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Ira Douglas
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ACTIVITY: World War II CASE: GSAF 1941.11.

1 ACTIVITY: World War II CASE: GSAF DATE: Wednesday November 19, 1941 LOCATION: Off Shark Bay, Western Australia NAME: Unknown DESCRIPTION: He was one of the men from the German raider Kormoran sunk by HMAS Sydney. BACKGROUND MOON PHASE: New Moon, November 19, 1941 NARRATIVE: See press clipping INJURY: His leg was bitten by a shark. HMAS Sydney and HSK Kormoran - At Day s End, painting by Ron Scobie SPECIES: Not recorded SOURCE: The Canberra Times, Thursday December 4, 1941, pages 1 and 2 NOTE: HMAS Sydney was a light cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy. On November 19, 1941, she was sunk with the loss of all 645 hands, which represented the greatest loss of life in an Australian warship, and the largest Allied vessel to sink with all hands during the war. After years of searching, the wreckage of the German vessel that sank HMAS Sydney, the auxiliary cruiser Kormoran, was found on March 12, On March 17, 2008, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that the wreck of HMAS Sydney had also been discovered, on the previous day. HMAS Sydney was found 150 kilometres (81 nautical miles) from Shark Bay, Western Australia and 22.6 kilometres (12.2 nautical miles) from the Kormoran. Global Shark Accident File, All rights reserved. This report may not be abridged or

2 BATTLE AT SHORT RANGE Survivors Relate Details PERTH. Wednesday: The German raider, Komoran or Steiremark, flying the Norwegian flag, came within 800 yards of H.M.A.S. Sydney before opening a shattering fire with her six 5.9 guns, according to stories by survivors of the raider who have been picked up off the West Australian coast. Survivors, numbering 320 including two Chinese, related that the engagement occurred at dusk on Wednesday, November 19. The Sydney, although ablaze from amidships to astern, replied with a broadside that accounted for her attacker. The Germans abandoned their stricken ship which, shortly afterwards, blew up. They said they pulled towards the Sydney which was blazing fiercely, but the cruiser disappeared from sight at dusk and the Germans presumed that she sank. The first survivors of the raider were found on the following Tuesday on a desolate beach near Carnarvon, 600 miles north of Perth. Several boat-loads of German sailors were picked up in an intensive air and sea search that followed Drifted for Week: The first batch of prisoners, numbering 46, reached Carnarvon at 4 a.m. on Wednesday last and were placed in gaol under guard. This batch of Germans had the good fortune to land the previous Monday on a strip of sandy beach where water was available. They yarded four sheep, one of which was killed. Survivors, many of whom were suffering from sunburn, showed signs of pleasure at being picked up. The search party, under direction of an RAAF plane, found the second boat-load 15 miles further up the coast at the foot of a rugged cliff. This German party had made a difficult landing through the only opening on a reef which extends along his coastline. Many of them had to be carried up the face of a steep cliff. Planes reported later that a boat load of survivors had been sighted a 150 miles out to sea and a trawler later took them in tow. The trawler also reported than an R.A.N. lifebelt had been recovered about 200 miles from the coast. It also reported one British and two German types of floats and that one German body had been picked up. Patches of oil were also seen on the water. A German lifeboat was sighted on Thursday morning, 100 miles at sea. It carried «* sign painted with red paint on the sail, "No water." When the aircraft flew over the boat for the first time, the men crouched as though in fear of being machine-gunned. Taken Into Custody: On Thursday morning a transport corps, consisting of 12 vehicles, and carrying members of a garrison battalion, reached Carnarvon, relieving the local V.D.C. of guard duties. A naval officer with an Interpreter arrived and arrangements were completed for the transfer of the' prisoners to Fremantle. Nearly 100,000 miles were covered by searching aircraft from Geraldton to Pt. Hedland, and huge areas extending to several hundred miles out to sea. One plane ran short of petrol and had to make a forced landing on the marshy coast of the Gulf. Its crew were picked up. A ship looking for survivors of the Sydney heard cries In the night from 60 Germans packed in a lifeboat, sitting in water up to their waists. When the captain of the ship said he would tow the Germans, one of them replied, "Heil Hitler." This boat-load of Germans had bottles of milk, bully beef and chocolates, but no water. About nine of the men were injured and they were taken on board but the rest were towed into Carnarvon. They were badly sunburned and were continually swamped by the swell. Nearly all prisoners were young men and were released from quarters below deck in groups of four. Most of the prisoners were undemonstrative and obeyed the order to leave the ship and pass Into the hands of the military guard. A young German, whose hands had Global Shark Accident File, All rights reserved. This report may not be abridged or

3 been badly burned, stammered out his appreciation at being rescued in broken English. Leg Bitten by Shark: A second batch of prisoners, numbering about 34, landed from a Stateowned passenger ship. They showed pleasure at reaching land again. It was reported that they had spent nearly a week at sea in an open boat. One man, who was limping, was stated to have been bitten on the leg by a shark. The largest batch of more than 100 prisoners arrived by a vessel which trades to Singapore. They were accompanied by a Chinaman, who was the most jovial. Landings were carried out under strict guard. Three Germans died and were thrown overboard from one of the raider's lifeboats and eventually picked up by one of the ships engaged in the search. The first news of the landing of the German survivors was interpreted as an enemy landing in the little town of Carnarvon, and caused great excitement until the true position was learned.. H.M.A.S. SYDNEY FUND The Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin) issued the following message last night on the establishment of an HJM.A.S, Sydney fund: "I am sure the citizens of Sydney and of the whole of Australia will re spond to the appeal which the Lord I Mayor of Sydney (Alderman Crick) I has launched on an Australian-wide I basis," he said. SOURCE: The Canberra Times, Thursday December 4, 1941, pages 1 and 2 Global Shark Accident File, All rights reserved. This report may not be abridged or.

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