The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (PA1819) Able Seaman James Hearle Martin, HMAS Sydney (II), Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Sharon Bown, the story for this day was on (PA1819) Able Seaman James Hearle Martin, HMAS Sydney (II), Second World War.

PA1819 Able Seaman James Hearle Martin, HMAS Sydney (II)
KIA 20 November 1941

Today we remember Able Seaman James Hearle Martin and the ship’s company of HMAS Sydney (II).

James Martin was born in Adelaide on 8 March 1919, the first son born to Frank and Edith Martin. Growing up in the suburb of Woodville, he attended Woodville School before taking up an apprenticeship at General Motors Holden.

When war was declared, Martin was living in the northern suburb of Prospect with his wife Harriett. He enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve on 31 August 1940 and was briefly posted to the newly commissioned naval depot HMAS Torrens, in Port Adelaide, as an ordinary seaman before being sent to HMAS Cerberus in mid-September. Cerberus was the navy’s training establishment some 70 kilometres south of Melbourne, on Western Port Bay. Martin remained at Cerberus for several months before being posted to HMAS Penguin, the navy’s depot in Sydney Harbour, staying aboard the Kuttabul, at the end of February 1941. Just over a month later, on 2 April, Martin was posted to HMAS Sydney, recently returned from its celebrated time in the Mediterranean.

For much of the year Sydney was engaged in escort duties that took the cruiser to the Netherlands East Indies, Singapore, Noumea, Auckland, and Suva before returning to Western Australian waters. Martin was promoted to able seaman at the end of June.

A modified Leander class light cruiser, Sydney was armed with eight 6-inch guns and was the pride of the Royal Australian Navy. Built in England, the cruiser was commissioned into the RAN in 1935. There was a mixture of ages and experiences in Sydney’s company.

On 19 November, Sydney was steaming back to Fremantle, having escorted a troopship part of the way to Singapore. At about 4 pm the cruiser spotted a suspicious merchant ship and decided to investigate. By 5.30 pm, Sydney had almost drawn alongside the vessel which suddenly revealed its true identity as a German raider.

Hoisting the German naval ensign, the Kormoran opened fire with its guns and torpedoes. Its first salvo slammed into Sydney’s bridge. The Australian cruiser returned fire, but Kormoran’s second and third salvos again hit Sydney’s bridge and amidships. The cruiser’s three main turrets, “A”, “B” and “Y”, were soon out of action, but “X” turret kept up fast and accurate fire that hit the raider’s funnel and engine room. Sydney was hit by a torpedo between “A” and “B” turrets. Mortally damaged and ablaze, Sydney turned away from the raider but continued to fight, using its secondary armament and torpedoes.

Kormoran was also burning. At 6.25 pm its captain gave the order to abandon ship. As the German sailors evacuated their stricken vessel, they watched the Australian cruiser, now only a distant glow on the dark horizon, disappear into the night.

By midnight, Sydney was gone, lost with all hands – 645 men in all – including James Martin, who was just 22 years old.

Today, James Martin is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial in Britain. His name is also listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Able Seaman James Hearle Martin, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Karl James
Historian, Military History Section