Category: Royal Australian Navy: Cruisers

The author's father was a Petty Officer in Perth, lost when she was sunk in 1942. This attempt at a definitive history of the ship is in part based on his surviving wartime diary.

Australia had a notable fighting record, especially in the Pacific war and this is fully recorded. Limited edition of 1,000 copies. A second edition was published in 1988 (ISBN: 0959977252).

Canberra was sunk in the Battle of Savo Island after much hard wartime service, as described in this biography of the ship. Limited edition of 1,000 copies. A second edition was published in 1991 (ISBN: 0959977236).

After much hard service in the Mediterranean she was overwhelmed in gallant action against the Japanese. Limited edition of 1,000 copies. Reprinted in 1998 in A4 format with additional illustrations.

Sets out successfully to expand and replace Payne's earlier history with new material and new research. The author is a former CO of the cruiser's namesake Perth II.

An early account of her career and last gallant fight by a crew member.

An early attempt to describe her career and tragic fate.

From coded transmissions, personal accounts, forensic evidence and records of naval movements, Samuels reconstructs the grim events of 19 November 1941 when the Sydney was destroyed by the Kormoran. His investigations claim to expose top level manipulation in Washington and London to bring Japan and America into war.

Another attempt to explain the career and enduring mystery end of the cruiser. An exciting popularised account.

A biographical dictionary of the lost crew members full of family reminiscences.

A good history which focuses on the crew and has a very substantial section on their experience as POWs.

A cheaply produced but useful account of the main events in her career.

One survivor's story of his escape from the sinking of HMAS Perth, evasion of the enemy in Java and survival until eventual capture. The book is not cross-referenced and is highly subjective.

Possibly the most exhaustive survey of the evidence. A revised edition was published in 2002. ISBN: 1591140668.

Yet another attempt to set the record straight. Good research in the relatively recently opened archives tends to support the official view of the tragic sinking.

WALLER, John. Two Ships: They Stand Watch in Sunda Strait. 176p., bibliog., illus., index. Seattle: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012. ISBN: 146647985X.

The author’s father captained Perth when she and USS Houston were sunk in battle with Japanese forces. Of fairly limited value.

WELLINGTON, George. H.M.A.S. Shropshire in Battle (ACT Chapter, Naval Historical Society, No.14). 20p. [Canberra] : Naval Historical Society, ACT Chapter, [1983]. ISBN: 0909153175.

A short reproduced typescript. It consists largely of contemporary diary records from the lower deck covering her service in the RAN from late 1942 onwards.

AUSTRALIA. Parliament. Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. Report on the Loss of HMAS Sydney. xxvi, 192p. [Canberra]: The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1999. ISBN: 0642258724.

Yet another attempt to get at the truth of this disaster.

SKEELS, Fred. The Java Rabble: A Story of a Ship, Slavery and Survival. viii, 151p., illus. Perth: Hesperian, 2008. ISBN: 0859054195.

Skeels joined the navy in 1941 at the age of eighteen, and a year later was in the great battles of the Java Sea and Sunda Straits in which the Perth and its allies were sunk. Held in the Japanese death camps until the war’s end, he was shipped as a slave labourer from Java to Malaya, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and finally Japan.

MURRAY, Allan A.  HMAS Australia: Last of Her Luck. (Men and Ships at War, Book 5). 67p., illus. [n.p.]: Family Murray Trust, 2018. ISBN: 9781973123545.

The fifth and final volume in this family history series records the wartime career of the cruiser until her luck ran out. Also records the service of the author’s great uncle who served as an Able Seaman.

SKEELS, Fred. Java Rabble: a Story of a Ship, Slavery and Survival. viii, 151p., illus. Carlisle, W.A. : Hesperian Press, 2008. ISBN 9780859054195.

The story of the sinking of HMAS Perth and its aftermath as experienced by one of the survivors.

MEARNS, David L. The Search for the Sydney. [viii], 264p., bibliog., illus., index. Sydney, NSW: HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN: 9780732288891.

A profusely illustrated coffee table style book which offers an excellent account of how the wreck of the Sydney was finally discovered and the mystery of her sinking solved after almost seventy years.

SUMMERRELL, Richard. The Sinking of HMAS Sydney: A Guide to Commonwealth Government Records (Guide 3). 190p. Canberra: Australian Archives, 1996. ISBN: 0642344124.

This Guide describes all Commonwealth government archival records that are known to exist on the loss of HMAS Sydney. As well as describing the records in the official record collections of the Australian Archives and the Australian War Memorial, the Guide describes those records still held by the Department of Defence and records held by the Australian War Memorial in privately donated collections. Contains original letters. Revised editions were published in 1997 and 1999 and it was made availanle on-line in 2010 https://www.naa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-06/research-guide-the-sinking-of-hmas-sydney.pdf

Formal End of War; H.M.A.S. Shropshire; Battle of Surigao Strait. 2,3,5p. [Canberra], Naval Historical Society of Australia, A.C.T. Chapter, [1983]. ISBN: 9780909153182.

Three essays describing the service of HMAS Shropshire, including her presence at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay and her part in the Battle of Surigao Strait.

AUSTRALIA. Parliament. Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. (Defence Subcommittee) Reference: Circumstances of the Sinking of HMAS Sydney. Official Hansard Report. [4], [pp.317-398]. Canberra: The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1998.

A transcript of the evidence given to the committee by ten experts and relatives of the deceased on Friday 1st May 1998.

A thorough formal report on the records which exist.

A history of the cruiser transferred to the RAN to replace Sydney.

An analysis of a Carley float shows that the case for it being from Sydney is not proven.

He went to war with Perth in 1940 and survived her sinking and Japanese POW camps.

Yet another attempt to solve the mystery. Focuses on meteorological data, tides and currents.

The story of the attempts to survey Perth and USS Houston and to recover memorabilia. Casts some light on the sinkings and their aftermath.

A comprehensive account.

The author set himself the difficult task of tracing most of the key German survivors of the famous sea battle, who were scattered all over the world. He was strongly criticised at the time for approaching the Kormoran survivors to document their reminiscences because, as one critic put it: "Why ask them anything about it? They are only going to give you lies." Years later, once the Sydney-Kormoran wrecks were discovered in the depths of the Indian Ocean, and interest was revived, the author's research was proven to be invaluable.

After successful service in the Mediterranean, Sydney was sunk in action with the raider Kormoran. This operational history concentrates on her service in WWII.

The fascinating story of W.E.A Freer, Able Seaman and Gunner on HMAS Sydney (II), based on his letters home to family.

Canberra was sunk while covering the Guadalcanal landings as part of a joint Allied but largely US force.

Really a set of raw materials for a lecture. Contains track charts, lists of ships and men, ship plans, and chronologies.

Another and scholarly attempt to solve the mystery of Sydney's fate. He produces a damning account of other conspiracy theorists and settles for the most plausible explanation of a tragic ship to ship action. A new paperback edition was published in 1998 in which the author has a substantial new preface which responds to later research and to comment on the first edition.

A pamphlet with a miscellany of contemporary photographs, reminiscences, and current views on the tragic loss of the cruiser.

Hore goes back to the archives and the original documents to provide probably the definitive account of the action. Partly as a result of his work the wrecks of Kormoran and Sydney have been discovered and the veracity of contemporary German accounts confirmed.

A logbook-cum-diary which concentrates on her war career. At least two further editions had been published by 1979.

A brief review of the battle, which raises the issue of whether she was hit by "friendly fire."

Loxton was a midshipman on Canberra when she was sunk at Savo. A thorough review of the evidence casts doubt on previous findings and myths and suggests Canberra was sunk by "friendly fire." Excellent research. A second edition was published in 1997 (ISBN: 1864482869).

Since it was last sighted just before Christmas 1941 following a battle with a German raider, the fate of the Sydney has been Australia's most enduring maritime mystery. Then on 16 March 2008 her wreckage was discovered. This beautifully illustrated and concise book tells the remarkable story of the life, tragic loss and the rediscovery of the Sydney.

Another conspiracy theorist makes the well-argued case against the official view. Stronger on speculation than fact.

The author, whose father was Navigator when Sydney was lost, delves deeply into the fog of war to find a large number of unanswered questions. He then selectively uses evidence to develop a hypothesis involving a Japanese submarine in the sinking. Interesting research but shaky conclusions.

Covers a period of tumultuous action in the Med.

A former AB of her crew gives a full and detailed account of her career in the RAN, where she saw very active service in the Pacific.

Attempts to ascertain the possible and probable causes of the mysterious loss of HMAS Sydney in 1941.

Yet another attempt to unravel the mystery.