Port bow view of HMAS Canberra sinking, taken from one of the United States (US) destroyers, ...

Port bow view of HMAS Canberra sinking, taken from one of the United States (US) destroyers, probably USS Blue or USS Patterson, both involved in the rescue of RAN sailors from HMAS Canberra. HMAS Canberra was built at Clydebank, Scotland, and arrived in Sydney, NSW, on 16 February 1929. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, HMAS Canberra completed several cruises and operations in home and Pacific areas. After January 1940 she assisted with the escort of troop convoys towards the Middle East and later to New Guinea, Malaya and Java. During 1941, HMAS Canberra took part in searches for German raiders and survivors from ships which had been attacked before reverting to the Australian station. On 17 June 1942, Canberra with US Task Force 44 took part in offensive sweeps in the Coral Sea and in July was part of the escort for the great US armada which was preparing to invade the Solomon Islands. During the Battle of Savo Island, HMAS Canberra and the US heavy cruiser USS Chicago, screened by the destroyers USS Patterson and USS Bagley, were engaged in protecting transports unloading US marines and supplies at Guadalcanal Island. Surprised by a force of Japanese cruisers and destroyers, HMAS Canberra, in a night action, was repeatedly hit with shells and torpedoes, starting fires which quickly got out of control. It was necessary to abandon the ship which sank later in the morning. This desperate, short-range combat in which HMAS Canberra, opposed to heavy odds, fought back, was broken off in less than fifteen minutes. HMAS Canberra and USS Chicago formed the southern group of the protecting forces, and the cruisers USS Vincennes, USS Quincey and USS Astoriam screened by the destroyers USS Helm and USS Wilson, the northern group. The latter group was surprised by the same Japanese force on 9 August 1942, and in the ensuing battle three US cruisers were sunk in an action lasting only thirty minutes. Although an Allied naval defeat, the immediate consequences of this cruiser battle was the retirement of the enemy force, without any attack on Allied transport who were unloading soldiers and supplies on the beaches of Guadalcanal Island..