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This ceremony is held on the nearest Saturday to March 1st to remember the loss of HMAS PERTH on 1st March 1942 in the battle of Sunda Strait.
HMAS PERTH and USS HOUSTON arrived at Tandjung Priok on 28th February after day and night actions off Surabaja. PERTH sailed in company with HOUSTON and Dutch destroyer EVERTSON through Sunda Strait to Tjilatjan. At 2306 a vessel was sighted about 5 miles closer to St.Nicholas Point. It proved to be a Japanese destroyer and was immediately engaged. Other destroyers were sighted to the North and the armament split so as to engage more than one target. The Japanese warships were protecting an invasion colony of approximately 50 ships. During the ensuing battle, PERTH was struck by a number of torpedoes and eventually sank. At the time of her loss, the ship's company totalled 681. 350 Naval personnel (including Captain Waller) and three civilians did not survive the sinking. Those who did numbered 328. Four naval personnel died ashore without having been taken prisoner, and a further 106 died in captivity. Four sailors were rescued from captivity in September 1944 when they were among POWs rescued after the sinking of a Japanese transport. After the end of hostilities, 214 men (211 naval, 2 RAAF and 1 civilian) were repatriated to Austalia.
Contact Email : reception@shrine.org.au
Contact Telephone : 96548415
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