# Wreck of HMAS Sydney found **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594 "2008-03-16T23:39:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/1 "2008-03-16T23:39:17Z")
There have been various announcements over the years that the wreck of the Sydney has been found, but this [latest one](http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23387660-2,00.html) seems to have more of an aura of authenticity to it, with both the Prime Minister and the Head of the RAN jumping on the bandwagon. The [HMAS Sydney](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Sydney_%281934%29) went down with all hands off the Western Australian coast in 1941. Her sinking was the worst ever loss of life for an Australian naval ship and the source of the wreck has been an enduring mystery. ---
**Author:** ![DellieM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@DellieM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DellieM)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/2 "2008-03-17T09:13:14Z")
_the Prime Minister and the Head of the RAN jumping on the bandwagon._ I’m glad it’s been found - however Kevvie’s hijacking of the news made me want to vomit in my lap. So did the ‘binge drinking’ drive to take scrutiny off the carer’s allowance debacle (not to mention changes to the deeming laws). Don’t you think he looks like Mr Sheen? ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/3 "2008-03-17T10:45:59Z")
For the sake of a closing chapter to that tragic story, it’s good the wreck has been located – but I also hope it’s left in peace as the last resting place of so many (the _Titanic_ wasn’t). Time will tell. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/4 "2008-03-17T10:49:42Z")
There are strict war grave laws here (see the recent reporting of the relatively shallow water site of one of the Japanese submarines in sydney waters). There’s bipartisan support for leaving the site alone. Also, it’s two kilometres down. No problem. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/5 "2008-03-17T10:51:57Z")
That’s good to know, **TheLoadedDog**. Reassuring that the scavengers might not have such a field day. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/6 "2008-03-17T10:52:50Z")
Gosh that was quick. I was just reading in the rag this **morning** that the wreck of the German ship had been located, and there were ‘hopes’ that the Sydney might be located in due course. I never thought ‘due course’ would be but a few hours later! :eek: It’s wonderful news, closure for a lot of families and as **Icey** said, I too hope that the wreck is able to rest in peace. I imagine they PTB will try to remove as many bodies as possible to allow identification, but apart from that, I hope the area is nominated as a permanent heritage site to prevent divers and looty-hicks from frigging around with the remains. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/7 "2008-03-17T10:57:00Z")
It’s not like you can bung a fence around it though. One would hope that reputable diving/treasure hunting outfits would abide by the rules, but there’s always rogues out there who’ll try anything on if they can. Two klicks down is not a major hurdle if the bootie is something that can be sold on the black market for many hundreds of k$. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/8 "2008-03-18T12:59:35Z")
[QUOTE=kambuckta] I hope the area is nominated as a permanent heritage site to prevent divers and looty-hicks from frigging around with the remains. [/QUOTE] If a diver can go down to it and come back with some booty, he deserves it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/9 "2008-03-18T13:09:20Z")
I would doubt there would be any remains by this time, would there? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/10 "2008-03-18T15:36:17Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] I would doubt there would be any remains by this time, would there? [/QUOTE] I really doubt it. Seabottom critters would have done their thing long ago. I hope the site is respected as a war grave, too, but that shouldn’t prevent properly-monitored scientific/historic dives to determine how the ship was lost, if possible. This is very good news. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/11 "2008-03-18T15:50:30Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] I would doubt there would be any remains by this time, would there? [/QUOTE] No, the remains would be entirely gone by then. There are still some questions that need answering about the _Sydney_, in particular the accuracy of the German account of the battle. The official RAN account contradicts sources cited elsewhere (in particular by saying that _Sydney_ brought to bear all of her guns and tubes before _Kormoran_ struck her false colours), but there are very explicit details that could be confirmed by an examination of the wreckage. If verified, facts such as Captain Burnett’s almost immediate death, would explain much about what transpired. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/12 "2008-03-18T19:25:15Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] I really doubt it. Seabottom critters would have done their thing long ago. I hope the site is respected as a war grave, too, but that shouldn’t prevent properly-monitored scientific/historic dives to determine how the ship was lost, if possible. This is very good news. [/QUOTE] Leather objects tend to remain, though, right? Shoes and belts. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/13 "2008-03-18T19:59:03Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] If a diver can go down to it and come back with some booty, he deserves it. 😉 [/QUOTE] Yeah, unless you’re Aquaman or something, you aren’t going down there without a submersible. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wreck-of-hmas-sydney-found/441594/14 "2008-03-18T21:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=Cerowyn] There are still some questions that need answering about the _Sydney_, in particular the accuracy of the German account of the battle. The official RAN account contradicts sources cited elsewhere (in particular by saying that _Sydney_ brought to bear all of her guns and tubes before _Kormoran_ struck her false colours), but there are very explicit details that could be confirmed by an examination of the wreckage. If verified, facts such as Captain Burnett’s almost immediate death, would explain much about what transpired. [/QUOTE] Yes, it would be interesting to get the details of what really happened. At least it must give some sense of closure to the relatives of the crew who died. My father (who was 13 at the time of the sinking) used to tell me about what a huge psychological blow it was at the time throughout the country when so many men were lost at once. He remembered his mother crying when the news was announced on the radio. Even now, when you visit the War Memorial in Canberra and see row after row of the names of the men who died, there are often one or two people there weeping.