Timeline
1914 November 9
HMAS Sydney (I)
sinks the German raider Emden
1933 July 8
Construction of HMAS Sydney (II) begins in Newcastle England
1934 September 22
HMAS Sydney (II) launched
1935 September 24
HMAS Sydney (II) commissioned
1936 August 2
HMAS Sydney (II) arrived in Australia
1940 April–May
HMAS Sydney (II) sailed to Colombo and on to the Mediterranean sea
1940 May
Bombardment of Bardia: HMAS Sydney (II) destroyed enemy destroyer
1940 July 7
Battle of Calabria: HMAS Sydney (II) fought
1940 July 18
Battle of Cape Spada: HMAS Sydney (II) destroyed two enemy cruisers
1941 February
HMAS Sydney (II) returned to Australia and a heroes’ welcome *
1941 November 11
HMAS Sydney (II) sailed from Fremantle escorting Zealandia to the Sunda Strait
1941 November 17
HMAS Sydney (II) turned Zealandia over to the Durban for further escort to Singapore
1941 November 19
5.00pm HMAS Sydney (II) encountered unknown ship in the Indian Ocean, 120 nautical miles west of Shark Bay
5.35pm unknown ship sends a message using alias Straat Malakka
6.15pm HMAS Sydney (II) less than a mile distant from unknown ship
6.30pm unknown ship revealed to be German HSK Kormoran, opened fire with all armaments hitting Sydney
5.45pm HMAS Sydney (II) fired torpedoes, which missed
6.00pm HSK Kormoran fired torpedo, missing the Sydney
6.25pm HSK Kormoran fired last shot at range 11,000 metres
10.00pm distant glare and flickerings as HMAS Sydney (II) disappeared
1941 November 20
12.35am HSK Kormoran exploded and sank
1941 November 23–25
HSK Kormoran survivors picked up in life boats by various ships and on land. Royal Australian Navy alerted to Sydney’s disappearance Search commenced
1942 The 'Unknown Sailor' found in a liferaft at Christmas Island
2002 2002–2006
David Mearns and Western Australian Museum, Royal Australian Navy and Finding Sydney Foundation began talks about finding the HMAS Sydney (II)
2008 March 12
5.30pm wreck of the HSK Kormoran found
2008 March 16
11.03am wreck of the HMAS Sydney (II) found
| Image | Caption | Copyright Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 1914 | HMAS Sydney (I) | Image courtesy of the Sea Power Centre – Australia |
| 1933 | Launch of the HMAS Sydney (II), 22 September 1934 | Image courtesy of HJ Watson Collection Western Australian Museum |
| 1934 | Launch of the HMAS Sydney (II), 22 September 1934 | Image courtesy of HJ Watson Collection Western Australian Museum |
| 1935 | HMAS Sydney (II) Bow on view | Image courtesy of Sea Power Centre – Australia |
| 1936 | HMAS Sydney (II) starboard side view | Image courtesy of Sea Power Centre – Australia |
| 1940 (i) | Port side view of white Sydney | Image courtesy of Sea Power Centre – Australia |
| 1940 (ii) | Smoke billows from a ship | Image courtesy of Sea Power Centre – Australia |
| 1940 (iii) | HMAS Sydney (II) crew attend to the torpedo deck | Copyright the West Australian (newspaper), No Survivors publication |
| 1940 (iv) | The crew of HMAS Sydney (II) posing through the damaged forward funnel | Copyright the West Australian (newspaper), No Survivors publication |
| 1941 (i) | HMAS Sydney (II) crew march through Perth, Western Australia in 1936 * | Copyright the West Australian (newspaper), No Survivors publication |
| 1941 (ii) | HMAS Sydney (II) in Perth, Western Australia | Image courtesy of Sea Power Centre – Australia |
| 1941 (iii) | HMAS Sydney (II) port side with Walrus overhead | Image courtesy of Sea Power Centre – Australia |
| 1941 (vi) | Lifeboat containing German survivors | Image courtesy of Battye Library |
| 1942 | Christmas Island | Copyright the Western Australian Museum |
| 2002 | David Mearns is chosen | Sunday Times: November 12 2006 |
| 2008 (i) | 5.9 inch gun situated in No. 2 hold, trained 135deg to starboard | Photographed by David Mearns, Copyright of Finding Sydney Foundation Ltd |
| 2008 (ii) | Shell exit hole in mild steel plate. Possibly wreckage from A turret | Photographed by David Mearns, Copyright of Finding Sydney Foundation Ltd |
* image of 1936 march displayed, copyright of image from 1941 pending.
Educational HMAS Sydney (II) website sponsored by the North West Shelf Shipping Service Company Pty Ltd
