HSK Kormaran Found of Western Australian Coast

[Udet]

All these enigmas surrounding the loss of the HMAS Sydney seem confusing.

I do not know much about this battle except for some basics: a light cruiser and an armed merchant in disguise crossing paths in some distant location off the West Australian coast, a fast exchange of fire and torpedoes, both vessels go down, the bulk of the German crew survives, none of the Australian crew were ever seen again.

What about the opinions and statements of the Kormoran´s commander and the rest of the crew? For the remainder of the war they were POWs -in Australia all the time?-, so it is reasonable to assume Australian authorities had plenty of time to interrogate the German prisoners.

I can deal with the fact there are certain enigmas that might never be solved with regard to this particular battle since all they have is the version of only one of the sides involved but...what is it that the Germans revealed? Is there any information available here?

Do not take this as an inflamatory statement but could this be another case of the allies concealing information? I am sure it is difficult to accept the fact a vessel that was built as light cruiser, with the armor scheme and armament for a vessel of the class, went down in battle against another vessel that was not designed as warship.

How did Australian naval authorities process the information revealed during
the interrogations of the Kormoran´s crew?

Given the circumstances i believe the Germans who were part of this battle should be considered the main source for information that might let the world know what happened or to at least come as close as possible to the actual facts surrounding the battle. Examining the recently found wrecks could also be of help for sure, but i hope the Australians have not dismissed their statemts off hand. There is nothing the ~650 Australian officers and sailors who perished can add to the investigations.

I sympathize with the Australian and German families and relatives who finally get to know where their parents, husbands and friends rest.

[timshatz]

I think the Germans didn't know anymore than they told. They last saw the Sydney sailing away, fires on the maindeck and down by the bow. They were probably more worried about saving themselves than what happened to the Sydney after she sailed out of reasonable sight. They were sinking, not moving and just wanted to survive.

Doubt there is any coverup in this one, just an unknown about the ship. There were several ships that happened to during the war that were unknown until after the war. USS Jarvis, USS Pope, USS Pilsbury. All disapeared without a trace, only the Pope having any survivors that came home.

And the German Navy had any number of Subs that went out and just disappeared without a trace. Almost common.

What is unusual about the Sydney is the size of the ship and the number of the souls onboard. But the fact that she disappeared after a shootout with a raider is not all that strange.

[Erich]

there is NO coverup in the slightest, the govts are trying their best to protect the living vets-German as well as the Families from both sides serving on the Sydney/Kormoran.

enjoy more from the 18th of the month : 18th March 2008 Report - Latest Search Reports

reality is the co-ordinates that Detmers had placed in his after action report captured by the Aussies actually was the position and close to where the HK went down plus though only from the HK's surviving crew - seeing the Sydney on the horizon and then lost ........... the ships crew that discovered the Hk and then used those map placings to determine an approx where the Sydney was lying..........wha la, presto, found

[Udet]

Erich:

So they had Detmers report of the battle indicating the coordinates all the time?

[Vassili Zaitzev]

Sorry I'm late, but I'm glad they found the Sydney. I read an article in a WW2 magazine about the battle, and wondered what happened to the ship.

To those lost in the battle.

[Erich]

Udet................YES, they interviewed every one of the HK's survivors and truthfully due to the point of action there is of course different opinions on how the battle proceeded...........of course many of the HK's crew were below deck and did not get up on top till the abandon ship was ordered while the HK Kormoran was on fire with the Mines on-board about ready to blow which she did after the crew got off and away.

Detmers wrote his memories down in his book "Raider Kormoran" in which I am trying to find a decent copy. Obviously it is his own version of the events of the ship and the final battle with the Sydney but it is what humanity has at it's disposal. There is a truckload of information in the Australian archiv's

[The Basket]

Read a brilliant book on the German Raiders...ah the Atlantis and the Pinguin...one of the captains was tried for war crimes...Ruckteschell of the Widder...nasty piece of work.

Well some people believe the Germans killed the Sydneys crew in the lifeboats but there was never proof of this. Just rumour. The fact that no crew of the Sydney survived is rare but not unique.

The German crew were POWs in Australia until 47 and were well treated.

The Sydney got so close to the Kormoran that the crew of the raider.could use machine guns and anti aircraft weapons to kill the topdeck crew. It was a massive mistake to be so close to an unknown vessel and the Germans simply couldn't miss.

[Wildcat]

Gents, see here forthe first pics of the Sydney!
3rd April 2008 Report - HMAS Sydney II First Photographs - Latest Search Reports

[smg]

thats preaty kool

[Denniss]

April 2008 - Posts - Latest Search Reports

They released several new ROV images including the first shots of Kormoran.

[Emac44]

And just a note. With the finding of HMAS Sydney just last month and a Month before ANZAC Day. Aussies have another reason to remember our fallen on ANZAC Day. HMAS Sydney as been found. A time to remember the Crew of the Sydney who have been absent and missing for far too many years. And to these brave Sailors who have never left our thoughts and memories. Welcome Home at long last. We have held a place for you, as you left us as a Nation in a void for far too long that needed to be filled. For the families of these Sailors THERE is closure at long last.

LEST WE FORGET
WELCOME HOME HMAS SYDNEY