News-Info-Alerts

Re: Ship with 645 MIAs May Have Been Found

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: November 19, 2003

"New evidence could help find HMAS Sydney
By Tim Clarke

ONE of the world's most renowned shipwreck hunters says he has discovered new evidence that could help find the wreck of HMAS Sydney, 62 years after it was sunk with the loss of its 645 crew.
In Australia's single worst naval disaster, the light cruiser was sunk off the West Australian coast on November 19, 1941, after a gun battle with the German mercantile raider Kormoran, which also sank with the loss of 80 lives.

The deaths of Sydney's crew account for more than 35 per cent of all Australian navy personnel lost during World War II, with the mystery remaining for more than half a century as to how the smaller German vessel managed to sink the cruiser.

On the eve of the anniversary of the battle, David Mearns, whose company Bluewater Recoveries found the wreck of German battleship Bismarck, says he has evidence that could help pinpoint the wrecks.

And Mr Mearns said he now plans to present his findings to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the federal government, and to raise $3.5 million to fund a search for the wrecks.

"I really believe this completely transforms the entire search picture," Mr Mearns told ABC radio.

"Now the search is technically and economically feasible, and I dont think anybody has been able to say that until now.

"For the first time we can give some hope to the surviving relatives of those of those died, and anyone else who has an interest in this battle."

Mr Mearns says he has discovered a new account of the battle from the captain of the Kormoran, Theodore Anton Detmers, made in a dictionary while he was held captive as a prisoner of war in Australia.

Dots placed under letters in the dictionary, which was kept by the captain's nephew in Germany, spell out a first hand account of the position of both ships prior to the battle.

Mr Mearns also says the discovery in London's Royal Naval Historical Branch of accounts from nine survivors from the Kormoran provides more key evidence.

"Before it was not any better than 50-50 chance that you would be able to find Kormoran, and now I would say that the chance has improved to 80 or 90 per cent," Mr Mearns said.

"HMAS Sydney is a little bit lower because we would find Sydney on the basis of first finding Kormoran, so the information for Sydney is not as good."

Mr Mearns says his efforts will now turn to funding a possible search for the wrecks.

"I will be making the RAN and the government aware of what our findings are, and to see if they would like to take this further."

© Sunday Times - Australia"