User:Lofty D

Whilst waiting to march off in Sydney on Anzac day this year I rhetorically posed the question to a couple of former shipmates (not verbatim, as I do not want to offend)" How did the Captain of the Sydney lose his entire crew and ship to the "Kormoran?". One of the men addressed, a survivor of a major peacetime naval disaster who had lived in Germany for a couple of decades, proceeded to enlighten me. He had attended the 50th anniversary of the action in Hamburg in 1991 and spoke to several survivors from the "Kormoran". They all told him the same story.

"Sydney" approached "Kormoran" closed up at action stations, but as she drew level the crew were stood down. They had left their gun turrets and were standing on the upper decks waving to the crew of the supposedly friendly ship when the "Kormoran" commenced firing. The fact that the "Sydney" crew were able to get some shots away is tribute to their discipline and courage but the initital fire would have enormously effected their ability to fight the ship.

I have never read or heard this part of the story before but at that moment it all seemed so clear. "Kormoran" survivors when interviewed have always stated the Dutch flag was struck and the Nazi ensign unfurled (taking a time of 8 seconds) but nothing was said of the state of preparedness of the "Sydney".

A mistake was made on the bridge of the "Sydney" and a fine crew and ship died. Such a terribly sad story for all involved but why has this story never seen the light of day?