Hundreds attend sunset commemoration service for 84th anniversary of HMAS Sydney II at Geraldton memorial

A sunset service was held on Wednesday in Geraldton commemorating the 84th anniversary of the loss of HMAS Sydney II and its 645 crew.

With a view over the ocean that claimed those 645 sailors, hundreds of locals paid their respects along with current and former service personnel, dignitaries and community groups.

Petty Officer Sebastian Munro led the TS Morrow Navy Cadets catafalque party with parade commander Spike Jones along with piper Terence Jones leading the veterans march. The welcome to country was done by Donna Ronan.

Director of the Australian War Memorial Matt Anderson gave the main address quoting Ernest Hemingway’s famous words: “Every man has two deaths, when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name”.

Mr Anderson went on to outline the details of the tragedy, told from the perspective of stoker Eric Beatty — one of 103,000 names on the Australian War Memorial’s honour roll — who joined HMAS Sydney II from his hometown of Fremantle when World War II broke out in 1939.

On the afternoon of November 19, 1941, the HMAS Sydney II was off the Carnarvon coast heading south towards Fremantle when she encountered and then received a distress signal from what was claimed to be the Dutch merchant ship Straat Malakka.

After approaching, the vessel responded by decamouflaging and opening fire on the Sydney, now revealed to be the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran in disguise. A battle ensued and by midnight both ships were lost beneath the waves — 318 of the Kormoran’s 399 crew survived the encounter, but all 645 souls on board the Sydney were lost.

In 2008 the wrecks of the Sydney and Kormoran were located 2468m below sea level 290km south-west of Carnarvon. Both wrecks were placed on the Australian National Heritage list in March 2011

Wednesday’s memorial included a haunting performance of Waiting — an ode to the waiting woman, immortalised in bronze at the memorial site — by the Geraldton Senior High School vocal ensemble. The ceremony closed with a wreath laying, prayer and the Last Post followed by a minute’s silence.

In a final tribute as the sun fell beneath the waves, flares were released and cannon shot fired over the harbour to commemorate that fateful evening 84 years ago.