| Place | Oceania: Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | 135152 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Maker |
Johnston, Eric Charles |
| Place made | Australia: Australian Capital Territory, Canberra |
| Date made | 26 October 1959 |
| Conflict |
Period 1950-1959 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
A Carley float, associated with HMAS Sydney (II) displayed almost continuously since June 1942, ...
Description
A Carley float, associated with HMAS Sydney (II) displayed almost continuously since June 1942, at the Australian War Memorial. The original exhibition label, based on information provided by the Royal Australian Navy, read:
A Carley life float, the sole relic of HMAS Sydney's last engagement. Damaged by machine gun and shellfire, with two empty lifebelts lying in it, this float was recovered from the sea by HMAS Heros 200 miles from Carnarvon on 27 November 1941. HMAS Sydney sank with all hands after sinking the heavily armed German raider Steiermark (also known as Kormoran).
The two life belts mentioned in the original label were not in the Carley float when it was recovered and were never transferred to the Australian War Memorial. The Greek freighter Evagoras found the first life belt at 24°06' S 110° 49' E on 27 November 1941. HMAS Wyrallah found the second at 24°22 S 110° 48E on 28 November 1941. Their association with HMAS Sydney (II) was not established at the time and their location today is unknown.
Memorial Curators and Conservators examined and analysed the Carley float in 1993.Their examination revealed no evidence of any damage by machine gun fire, only damage consistent with naval shell fire. Although this examination was not able to conclusively link the Carley float to HMAS Sydney (II), the time and place of its recovery have led the Australian War Memorial to continue in its belief that the float is associated with HMAS Sydney (II). In 2009, the Australian Defence Force Commission of Inquiry into the loss of HMAS Sydney (II) report asserted: The HEROS Carley float came from SYDNEY (II). It was not subjected to machine-gun fire from KORMORAN or from any other source.
The circumstances surrounding the loss of HMAS Sydney (II) generated much controversy and conjecture. In 2008 the Government funded a search for both ships, which on 12 March 2008 found the wreck of HSK Kormoran approximately 210 kilometres miles off Steep Point, Western Australia, at a depth of 2560 metres. On 17 March the wreck of HMAS Sydney (II) was found lying at a depth of 2468 metres, approximately 21 kilometres to the south of the wreck of the Kormoran.