|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| RAN Leander Class Light Cruiser (Modified) 6,830 Tons 562' 3.875" x 56' 8" x 19' 7" 8 x 6" guns 8 x 4" guns 12 x .50 cal MG 10 x .303 MG 8 x 21" torpedo tubes 1 x floatplane  RAN January 3, 1942  RAN February 1942 |
Ship History Built at His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HM Dockyard, Portsmouth). Laid down on June 26, 1933 as a modified Leander Class Light Cruiser. Launched July 27, 1934 as HMS Amphion sponsored by by the Marchioness of Titchfield. Commissioned June 15, 1936 in the Royal Navy (RN). Completed July 6, 1936 and became the flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, Africa and the 6th Cruiser Squadron until 1938. During early 1939 refitted with her eight 4" Mark V guns replaced by four twin 4" QF Mk XVI dual-purpose guns plus a rotating aircraft catapult and crane for a float plane was added. On June 29, 1939 sold to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). On July 10, 1939 recommissioned as HMAS Perth named for Perth sponsored by by Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. In early August 1939 while in transit from England via New York represented Australia at the World's Fair. While in New York there was a minor "mutiny" over uniforms ashore. Afterwards, Perth departed bound for Australia. Wartime History On September 1, 1939 at the start of World War II Perth was off Venezuela began patrolling for German shipping and escorting convoys. At that time, Perth was the only British or Commonwealth warship in the western Atlantic. On March 2, 1940 in Gatun Lake before transiting the Panama Canal then across the Pacific to Sydney arriving at the end of the month and began a refit at Garden Island that included the installation of a catapult for a floatplane. On April 29, 1942 resumed service for convoy duty off Australia. During November 1940 departs escorting a troop convoy via the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea arriving at Alexandria on December 24, 1940 to relieve HMAS Sydney. In early January 1941 participates in Operation Excess escorting a convoy from Malta to Alexandria. On January 16, 1941 damaged by a near miss bomb that temporarily knocked out power and caused flooding then underwent temporary repairs and resumed patrols between Crete and Greece and returning encountered a sand storm off Alexandria. On February 8, 1940 inspected by Prime Minister of Australia, Robert Menzies and the next day entered dry dock and the catapult was removed and a pair of captured Italian 20mm AA guns were installed. On February 27, 1940 departs escorting destroyers for Operation Abstention on Kastellorizo Island and withdrawal. During March 1940 supported the Allied reinforcement of Greece. At the end of 1940 and was involved in the battles for Greece, Crete, and Syria. During June and July, the ship fought against Vichy French forces in Syria, before she was replaced by HMAS Hobart (D63). In early 1940, returned to Australia for refit, then resumed convoy escort duties until early 1942. On August 12, 1941 returns to Sydney and undergoes a refit at Cockatoo Island but suffered an electrical fire that delayed her for a month. On November 24, 1941 conducts sea trials and returns to duty. On December 12, 1941 departs Sydney for Brisbane. On December 15, 1941 rendezvous with HMNZS Achiles (70) and escort the Pensacola Convoy then escort duty off Australia until the end of January 1942. On January 31, 1942 departs Sydney for Fremantle arriving ten days later. On February 14, 1942 Perth escorts a convoy of empty oil tankers to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) to retrieve as much oil as possible before the Japanese could invade the area. En route, the tankers were ordered back to Australia. On February 24, 1942 Perth departs for Tanjong Priok and proceeds to Surabaya the next day, where she joins the American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) fleet. Battle of the Java Sea On February 27, 1942 around 4:00pm, the Eastern Strike Force spotted a Japanese force bound for Surabaya and began the Battle of the Java Sea. During the engagement, Perth targeted a Japanese cruiser. Battle of the Sunda Strait On February 28, 1942 at 2.30pm Perth and USS Houston arrive Tanjong Priok on western Java and were ordered to escape via the Sunda Strait for Tjilatjap. Before departing, the two warships attempted to resupply, but HMAS Perth departed with only about 20 rounds left per gun left. Sinking History On February 28, 1942 at 10:30pm at the start of the Battle of Sunda Strait, both HMAS Perth and USS Houston (CA-30) were sighted by destroyer Fubuki which quietly shadowed them for the next half hour. At 11:06pm HMAS Perth lookouts sighted Harukaze about five miles off the entrance to Sunda Strait. When challenged she made an unrecognized reply and then sped off making smoke to cover the Japanese transports. Perth immediately turned to starboard and opened fire. A few minutes later Perth spotted, illuminated and opened fire on Fubuki while the destroyer released torpedoes aimed at Perth and USS Houston but missed, and accidentally hit the Japanese transports. As the Japanese destroyers made torpedo attacks on the Allied cruisers they sent an urgent message for assistance from Mogami and Mikuma. Perth exchanged fire with Hatakaze as the other destroyers continued to attack. Light cruiser Natori and her destroyers now joined in the attack but gun fire from Perth and USS Houston was so intense that the Japanese were forced to break off under a smokescreen. At 11.50pm Perth was hit by a shell from Harukaze but sustained little damage while the Allied cruisers continued to exchange fire with the Japanese cruisers. By this point, Perth was low on 6" and her 4" AA were firing star shells and practice rounds to give the appearance the light cruiser was firing. At 11.55pm Perth began to turn towards the Sunda Strait to escape. At the same time Murakumo, Harukaze and Hatakaze all fired torpedoes aimed at her. Perth was hit by four torpedoes over the next 15 minutes. On March 1, 1942 at 12:25am finally sank a few miles north of St. Nicholas Point at the entrance to Sunda Strait. Rescue A total of 328 survived the sinking but five died after reaching shore. The remaining 323 became Prisoners Of War (POW). During captivity, 106 died in captivity including 38 aboard Japanese hell ships. The remaining 218 survived until the end of the Pacific War and were liberated. Shipwreck During 1967, the shipwreck was discovered by an expedition led by Australian David G. Burchell at a depth of 35m / 120' at roughly Lat 05.51.42S Long 106.07.52E approximately three miles north of Saint Nicholas Point on the northwest tip of Java. The described the shipwreck as reasonably intact and recovered the ship's bell that was later donated to Australian War Memorial (AWM). During 2013, the shipwreck was illegally salvaged for scrap metal by Indonesian salvagers using a barge with a crane and used explosives to break up the wreckage. They removed most of the superstructure, forward turrets and forward decking. In December 2013 the salvage was reported but it was believed both Indonesia and Australian governments knew earlier but was not reported due to poor relations due to the Australia–Indonesia spying scandal that same year. During October 2015, USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) with U.S. Navy (USN) divers from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11, Mobile Diving Salvage (MDS) 11-7 began a nine day survey of the shipwreck of HMAS Perth and USS Houston to assess damage from scrapping and potential danger from unexploded ordnance for the U.S. embassy in Indonesia and Naval Historical Heritage Command (NHHC). In May 2017, a team from the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) and Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and the Indonesian National Research Centre for Archaeology (ARKENAS) performed another survey and noted the 6" gun turrets, starboard armor belt and its associated hull plating and the propellers had all been removed and proposed the shipwreck be protected. Display The ship's bell is displayed at Australian War Memorial (AWM) REL/07771. Memorials The crew of the Perth and Houston are memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery with a plaque on McClellan Drive east of Grant Drive. The memorial plaque reads: "In Memory of the Crews of U.S.S. Houston (CA-30) and H.M.A.S. Perth Still Standing Watch in Sunda Straits." References Royal Australian Navy (RAN) - HMAS Perth Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - U.S. Navy Completes Review of Initial Survey Data from World War II Cruiser Wrecksite February 13, 2017 Contribute
Information Last Updated
|
 120'  Photo Archive |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
