R O Y A L A U S T R A L I A N N A V Y

MINUTE

PRSCOI 02/09

BRIEF FOR THE HMAS SYDNEY (11) COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

HMAS SYDNEY (11) BRIEF BY LCDR P.M. RUSSELL, RAN, NAVIGATION FACULTY HMAS WATSON

Background

1. The Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of HMAS SYDNEY (11) carried out a detailed examination of all merchant ship cards from World War I1 which are held at the Seapower Centre in Canberra. The merchant ship cards record all inward and outward movements of all merchant ships from Australian Ports. In total 8,742 cards were examined. The examination of the merchant ship cards enabled a plot of merchant ships around the site of the engagement between SYDNEY and HSK KORMORAN to be reconstructed as at 1600 on 19 November 1941.

2. Initially 15 ships were identified by the Commission. The names of these ships and the distances from the assumed position of KORMORAN first sighting SYDNEY at 1600H 19 Nov 1941 (25" 54'S, 111" 20' E) is set out below:

ASTORIA 515nm BRAMORA CHARON GEORGE M. EMBIRICOS KOOLAMA LIMERICK MERULA THEPSATRI NAWA TROJAN STAR WANGANELLA ZAANLAND CAPE OTWAY CENTAUR TROCAS UCO

427nm 921nm 1 l78nm 338nm (in port Onslow) 764nm 386nm 300nm 788nm 1275nm 14490nm 9 8 8nm N.A. 900nm (1500H) 137nm (1803H)

The 1600H position is based on the noon position for KORMORAN detailed in the German after action report as 26' 34' S 11 lo E on a course of 025" at 11 knots.

Navigation Faculty Tasking

3. The Navigation Faculty at HMAS WATSON was asked to provide a check of the workings conducted by the Commission of the positions of the merchant vessels considered to be in the region on the 19 November 1941. LCDR Ben Hissink, RAN and LCDR Peter Russell, RAN conducted this task and compiled the following chart indicating the ship positions as requested. A copy of these charts has been submitted both on paper and electronically sepcor.

DAILY MOVEMENTS, HMA SHIPS AND AUXILIARIES, AUSTRALIA STATION

Recorded by: 1939-1954 Navy Office, Department of the Navy (-38)

Quantity: 0.6 metres Location: NHS

Daily movement forms recorded the daily location and movements of each vessel on the Australia Station as well as HMA Ships abroad. The forms were completed in typescript and were headed Daily Movements HMA Ships andAuxiliaries Australia Station. The movement forms are arranged in chronological order, in bound in volumes.

Volume: 1 November-31 December 1941 The entries in this volume against HMAS Sydney beginning Tuesday 4 November 1941, reflect the convoy duty on which the ship was engaged during her last month.

Thur 6 Proceeding t o Fremantle

Fri 7 -Sat 8 Escorting Zeolondio to Fremantle

Sun 9 Escorting Zealondio t o Fremantle - Expects t o arrive AM 9th Nov

Mon 10 Fremantle

Tue 11 Fremantle - Anticipates departing today escorting Zeolondio - Returns PM 19th Nov or AM 20th Nov

Wed 12 Sailed Fremantle 1340H/11 escorting Zealandia

Thur 13 -Wed 19 Escorting Zealandia to Sunda Strait

Thur 20 Returning to Fremantle from escorting Zealandia

Fri 21 Returning to Fremantle from escorting Zeolandio

Sat 22 - Mon 24 Returning to Fremantle from escort duty

Tue 25 -Wed 26 Overdue Fremantle from escort duty

5 . SYDNEY was transiting from the Sunda Strait back to Fremantle. Charts in use during this voyage would have included:

a. BA 941 A and B (Sundra Strait rcgion);

b. BA 748 A and B (Indian Ocean Northern and Southern Portions);

c. BA 1056 Cape Cuvier to Champion Bay including Shark Bay;

d. BA 1033 Champion Bay to Cape Naturalisite, including Swan River; and

e. Entry Charts to Fremantle (77, 112, 113, 122).

6. Images and charts for this period available have been sourced from the Australian Hyrdographic Office and a low res image of BA 1056 and 947a are attached at annex A to this brief. If copies are required please contact LCDR Russell for further information.

7. The positions indicated on the AUS series of charts were complied utilising the following documents provided by the Commission of Inquiry and Navigation Publications:

a. Admiralty Distance Tables I n d i a n Ocean (1978 Edition);

b. Admiralty Ocean Passages for the World (1973 Edition);

c. Admiralty Sailing Directions Australian Pilot Vol 1 (NP13 2005 Edn);

d. Admiralty Chart 5126(11) Routing Chart Indian Ocean (November):

e. Norie's Nautical Tables (Port Locations); and

f. Merchant Shipping cards for the vessels. As provided for by the Commission for the vessels detailed above. Further investigation in to these cards by LCDR Russell to understand their use and contents found that:

i. These cards were used by the Naval Control of Shipping (NCS) section. On the 27 Aug 1939 the NCS system was activated with the call up of 350 members of the RANVR. The duties of these officers included the supervision and plotting of all shipping movements, the issuing of route instructions, collecting ships' data and reporting movements via a system known as VESCA Reporting (VESCAR).

. . 11. In discussion with John Penyman (Senior Naval Historian - Sea

Power Centre) NHS hold a copy of a publication "Mercantile Movement Section - Trade Division Navy Office" This reference for the period describes in depth the use of the merchant shipping cards, recording the movement of trading vessels. The volume held focuses on the SW Pacific Region but does provide background information on the system for example

... 111. These cards are coloured so as to indicate the registration of the vessel.

1. Buff - Australian Registered vessels;

2. Red - British Registered vessels; and

3. Green- Foreign Registered vessels,

8. The positions that have been calculated using the merchant cards by the Inquiry and checked by the Navigation Faculty using the references stated above all take into account that these ships transited in a more or less direct route between ports as per normal peace time sailing routes. All the Admiralty publication charts and tables used assume a direct and or shortest route

9. During war time operations the sailing routes and passages of merchant ships was a closely guarded secret as extensive losses of shipping were being encountered across the world. Between 1939-41 the Naval Control of Shipping System played a crucial part in neutralising German surface raiders that were dispatched to plunder the Indian Ocean and SW Pacific trade routes. In order to reduce the loss of shipping merchant ships were instructed to follow specific routes to and from ports via per determined way points. Below is an example of the Principal East coast Convoy Routes for 1942-43 as an example.

10. The National Archives hold several files which contain key information as the actual routes and positions of vessels. Some of these files included:

a. Routing instructions - procedure to be followed;

b. Naval control service routing;

c. Routing of British & allied ships sailing independently;

d. Method of routing to be used by naval control service staff & routing

officers;

e. Merchant vessels directed to Fremantle for routing instructions;

f. Navigation (sailing and routing instructions) Order; and

g. Director of Naval Intelligence - control of shipping in Australian waters

11. These files were sourced and searched by the Commission and assisted in the understanding and picture compilation of Merchant Shipping Operations during the 1939-41 period. Pertinent information from these files aided in the reconstruction of the merchant shipping plot created by Naval Control of Shipping (NCS) and signalled to Fleet Units during November 1941. The signals sent by NCS we titled Ships Intelligence Messages (SIM). Copies of these signals were found in the files, from National Archives, provided by the Commission for the period 30 October 1941 to 24 November 1941. It was with these signals that a more accurate assessment if SYDNEY was expecting or had been informed by NCS of a merchant vessel or track in the vicinity of the engagement area for the period was able to be reconstructed.

12. These signals were a string of numbers that were sent to ships, encoded, that provided predicted locations and movement of Merchant ships in the Australian station as controlled by NCS. It is from these signals that a plot of merchant vessels, within the operating area of a ship could be created. This signal was sent routinely at a minimum of twice daily at approx 05002 and 17002 every day. An example of a signal is contained below. The SIM was broken into two parts (Part I and 11). Part I contained vessels in Areas A, B and C while Part I1 contained vessels in D, E and F. This was done so that a ship in area C only needed to action the part I1 of the signal. Upon receipt of the signal the information was decoded and was able to be plotted for reference.

iv. The final number in the set - 6 - represents the direction of transit of the vessel. The table below represents each number and its direction allocation:-.

Due But Not yet Arrived at Position 000" -045" 045' 0 9 0 " 090" - 135" 135" - 180" 180" 2 2 5 " 225" 2 7 0 " 270' -315" 315" 3 6 0 " Course Unknown

v. In summary the group 310 411 206 indicated that the Merchant ship ASTRORIA was in position 3 1 South 104 East on a course of 225" - 270"

c. Once a vessel has been decoded it movements and path was cross checked to against its Merchant Card and the Ports Movements signal sent by the Naval Boards daily, and daily signals from the Naval Board detailing specific vessels routes and travel details.. An example of the signals with routing instructions and Port movements are attached at annex D and E.

d. This exercise was conducted for the SIMs focusing on the period 18 November 1941 to 19 November 1941 for regions "D" and "En. Results for this decoding, with some assistance from Commission staff, is attached at annex C and has been electronically submitted to the Commission.

14. Australia Station for reporting purposes. The Australian Station was divided up into a six regions and given a letter designator (A through F). The co-ordinates of these areas were contained in A.C.B. 214. This detailed the Western Australia coast as region "D" and " E with the line separating the two at 24' South.

15. Once the SIM's had been decoded a plot of the vessels for the period 18-19 Nov 41 was completed by LCDR Russell on various charts depicting the positions, movement of the vessels of concern in areas " D and " E . Copies of these charts were submitted to the Commission in a paper and electronic form and two examples are attached at annexes F and G.

16. In addition to the SIM plotting additional charts were produced for the Commission indicating the

a. positions survivors being found and locations of floats and other objected from the battle, attached at annex H; and

b. a chart of the transit of SYDNEY from the Sundra strait to Fremantle for the period 03-07 October 1941 attached at annex I.

ANNEX B TO SYDNEY (11) COI BRIEF DATED 29 MAY 09

MERCHANT VESSEL PLOT NUMBERS SPEADSHEET

Track No 1

1

1 0

15

24

24

39

45

45

52

53

57

64

65

96

118

124

129

130

149

256

1040

1042

1043

1045

1053

1057

1058

1061

1063

1093

1097

1098

1099

1106

1107

1110

1112

1114

1116

1117

1118

1119

Vessel Name AAGTEKERK

ABIGHILADAMS

ADULA

AGNES

AG RA

AGATHA

ABRAM S H E W m

AJAX

A.C. RUBEL

ABIGAIL S. DUNNIWAY

AB HAMMOND

ADA REHAN

AEKAY

ACONCAGUA

ADMIRAL COLE

ABlEL FOSTER

AASE MAERSK

ADMIRAL HALSTEAD

BASILEA

BAR-EA-MUL

ADMIRAL NULTON

ANTELEON

ARGOSY LEMAL

KOOLIGA

ACADIA

ADELFOTIS

ADELONG

AEON

AGE

LAWHILL

ANTEN

ANTIGONE

ANTIOPE

ARAKOON

ARAMIS

ARKABA

AROSA

AROONA

ASCANIUS

ASHBY ASIA

ASPHALION

ASTORIA

ATHEL REGENT

ATHINA LIVANOS

ATUTA MARU

AUSTRALIA STAR

AUSTRALIND

AUTOLYCUS

AWATEA

AYMERIC

ADMIRAL DAY

ANTILOCHUS

ARDENVOHR

ATLAS ADMIRALYS. WILLIAMS

AXlOS

ANTINOUS

ATLANTIC

ANNA N GOULANDRIS

AQUlTANlA

ASPASIA NOMIKOS

ANNA ODLAND

ADRASTUS

ATHLONE CASTLE

BABINDA

BAHREIN

BARALABA

BAROSSA

BARWON

MISSING BEATUS

BEDUIN

BEIGNON

BELLAMBI

BELTANA

BENLEDI

BENMOHR

BENVRACKIE

BENWWIS

BERGALIA

BERING

BERWICKSHIRE

BEULAH

BlDELlA

BIRCH BANK

BIRCHGROVE PARK

BLACK OSPREY

BOMB0

BONALBO

BOPPLE

BORGESTAD

BOSWORTH

BRAMORA

BRAND

BRAnDAL

BRISBANE MARU

BRIGHTON

BRISBANE STAR

BRITISH AVIATOR

BRITISH CONFIDENCE'

BRITISH FORTITUDE

BRITISH GUNNER

BRITISH INTEGRIN

BRITISH DILIGENCE

BRITISH FREEDON

BRITISH JUDGE

BRITISH RESOLUTION

BRITISH SINCERIN

BROADWAY

BRYAN MOOR

BULLAREN

BULYSSES

BUNDALEER

BURANDA

BURWAH

BATORY

BEAU

BOlSSEVAlN

BRITANNIA

BRITISH JUSTICE

BEACON LIGHT

BRITISH GRENADIER

BRONNOY

BRITISH GENIUS

BRITISH COURAGE

BRONXVILLE

BRAJARA

BENAL BANACH

BOSCHFONTEIN

BRUNSWICK

BONTEKOE

BULIMBA

BENGALEN

BANTAM

BRITHA BRITISH DUCHESS

BRITISH SAILOR

BENMACDHUI

BLOEMFONTEIN

BINTANG

BENGLOE

BEN NEVlS

BLITAR

BEN LOMOND

BRASTlGl

BELKA

BENGKALIS

BELLEROPHON

BERUBI

CABARITA

CAGOU

CAITHNESS

CALDARE

CANBERRRA

CAPE OTWAY

CENTAUR

CHARON

CLAN COLQUHOUN

CYCLE

CANOPUS

CYCLOPS

DlLGA

DOEPEL

DUNTROON

MISSING ECHUNGA

MISSING

ESKBANK

FlONA

GENOTA

GEORGE M LIVANOS

GEORGE M EMBlRlCOS

GORGON GI FNSTRAE

HERMION

IRON KlNG

THOR 1

KARITANE

KATOOMBA

KlNG NEPTUNE

KIN1

KINTORE

KOGYO MARU KOMATA

KOOKABURRA

KOOLAMA KOOLINDA

KOOMILYA

KOORINGA KUROW

VALENTIJN

VEN DER LlJN

VAN NECK

MISSING LARGS BAY LIMERICK

WAR SlRDAR

LOWANA WESTERLAND

MISUNG MAETSUYCKER MISSING

MASULA

PORT JACKSON MERNOO

MERULA

ABRAHAM CLARK MOMBA

AGWlPRlNCE

VERA MISSING

MISSING MISSING ABNER DOUBLEDAY

ADABELLE LYKES

NORDES

ABNER NASH

NUOUA

MISSING MISSING ABRAHAM LINCOLN

OMBlLlN

M I S I N G PEEBLES

PlRl ADONIRAM JUDSON

MISSING

UKI

Ml?%?NG M I S I N G

MISSING QUERIMBA RANGKlKl

REYNELLA

MISSING TRINITY BAY DREDGE

MISSING

STENSBY SARPEDON

SALLAND

TALABOT TAMBUA

TAMPA

TANDA TARANKAKI

TARIFA

TAROONA TASMAN

WARRIOR

TATUTAKE MARU TEESBANK

TEKOA

TEMERAIRE TENERIFFA

TENYO MARU

TEST BANK THALAnA

THEMONI

THEMISTOCLES THERMOPYLAE

THESEUS

THISTLEG LEN THORNLIEBANK

THORDIS

THORSHOV THORSHAVET

THORSTRAND

TlEL BANK TlGRE

TIHUKU MARU

TIME TINANA

TIRADENTES

MISSING TIRANNA

TISNAREN

TlTANlA TOKYO MARU

TOLGA

TOLKEN

TOLTEN TONCARIRO

TOORAK

TOORIE TORRENS

TOULOUSE

TOURAINE TREBARTHA

TRIONA

TREDlNNlCK TREFUSIS

TREGENNA

TREMODA TROPIC SEA

TRENTBANK

TRESILLIAN TREVWELLARD

TRIADIC

TRISATER TRICOLOR

TROCAS

TROJA TROJAN STAR

TUDOR

TUNCURRY TURAKINA

TULAGI

TUSCAN STAR TUNGSHA

NNDAREUS

TEDDY TEGELBERG

TREVAYLOR

TORVANCER THESPATRI NAWA

THEOFANO LIVANOS

TAWAKI TOMISLAV

TRIENZA

TOYOOKA MARU TRITON

TJIKARANG

TANIMBAR TARAKAN

TYOKO MARU

TANTALUS TWEED BANK

TROlLU5

2896 TIJUCA

2897 TOSARI 2898 TEUCER

2898 MISSIMG

2899 MlSSlNB 2900 TJlKANDl

2901 TJIBESAR

2904 TONSBERG FJORD

2904 W11551hlG 2905 MISSIN6 2925 UGANDA 2928 ULMARRA

2929 ULOOLOO

2930 ULYSSES 2932 UDDEHOLM

2933 USSURl MARU

2934 UCO 2935 UNDAUNTED

2937 UNlCOl

2944 VARDAAS 2945 VELMA

2946 VELOX

2947 MISSING 2949 VICTORIA C I N

2950 VlNNl

2951 VlLLE DAMIENS 2953 VINEMOOR

2954 VOLSELLA

2955 VINELAND 2956 VlTO

2958 VAN OVERSTRATEN

2959 VAN CLOON 2960 VINCENT

2967 WAlKOUAlTl

2969 WAIMARAMA 2970 WAIOTAPU

2971 WAlOTlRA

2973 WAIPAWA 2974 WAlPlO

2975 WAlPORl

2976 WAlRANGl 2977 WAIRUNA

2978 WAITAKO

2979 WAIWERA 2980 WALLARAH

2981 WANAKA

2982 WANDANA 2983 WANGANELLA

2983 MISSING

WANNON

WARD

WAREATEA

WAR KRISHNA

WAROONGA

WARRAWEE

W.B. WALKER

WEAR

WEARPOOL

WEIRBANK

WESTERN QUEEN

WEST HARSHAN

WESTMORELAND

WILLIAM MACARTHUR

WARREEN

3020

3021

3023

3024

3090

3299

3378

3389

3401

5293

0006a

0007A

0016a

UNK

WEST HONAKER

WANGl WANGl

WELTEVREDEN

WEST CRESSY

ZAALAND

AFRICAN PRINCE

AALSUM

ABIQUA

AFGHANISTAN

MISSING

ADMIRALCHASE

ADMIRAL WlLEY

AGAPENOR

AlKATERlNl

Signal Date Time Group: - 05202 18 Nov 41

AREA D Number of vessels in area 9

SIM

826

419

515

524

011

127

020

520

328

AREA E Number of vessels in area 11

SIM

1 200 528 028

2 161 012 254

3 113 227 127

4 103 323 597

5 093 023 267

6 103 422 387

7 082 922 533

8 103 518 49 2

9 103 5 14 703

10 221 329 345

11 181 613 438

Lat

37

35

34

33

30

35

25

26

28

Lat

20

16

11

10

09

10

08

10

10

22

18

Long

128

114

115

115

110

091

100

105

113

Long

105

110

132

133

130

134

129

135

135

113

116

ANNEX C TO SYDNEY (11) COI BRIEF DATED 29 MAY 09

Ship

2639

1951

1528

2449

1120

2723

2074

2037

2878

Ship

2802

1225

2712

2359

2326

2238

2253

1849

1470

29 34

1343

Course

6

4

1

1

6

2

7

7

4

Vessel

MISSING

KOORINGA

DUNTROON

PlRl

ASTORIA

SARPEDON

MISSING

LIMERICK

THESPATRI NAWA

Course Vessel

8 TIRADENTES

4 BRAMORA

7 MISSING

7 OMBlLlN

7 MISSING

7 VERA

3 MISSING

2 MISSING

3 MISSING

5 U co 8 CHARON

Signal Date Time Group:-1740z 18 Nov 41

AREA D Number of vessels in area 12

AREA E

SIM

827

827

526

619

411

524

428

811

320

820

527

328

Number of vessels in area 13

SIM

1 231 329

2 180 428

3 181 012

4 151 020

5 151 613

6 142 713

7 102 912

8 103 027

9 082 823

10 082 829

11 103 122

12 103 122

13 103 123

Lat

367 38

477 37

397 37

513 36

934 35

49 1 32

784 30

206 30

377 25

747 25

233 35

593 33

Lat

345 23

028 18

254 18

244 15

438 15

226 14

928 10

127 10

268 08

47 3 08

533 10

387 10

597 10

Long

128

128

125

116

114

115

114

108

103

098

095

083

Long

113

104

110

110

116

127

129

130

128

128

131

131

131

Ship

2736

2747

2639

1951

1193

2449

2878

1120

2037

2074

2723

2859

Ship

2934

2802

1225

2024

1343

1322

1292

2712

2326

2947

2253

2238

2359

Course

7

7

7

3

4

1

4

6

7

7

3

3

Course

5

8

4

4

8

6

8

7

8

3

3

7

7

Vessel

SALLAND

TALABOT

MISSING

KOORINGA

BELTANA

PlRl

THESPATRI NAWA

ASTORIA

LIMERICK

MISSING

SARPEDON

TROJAN STAR

Vessel

uco TIRADENTES

BRAMORA

LARGS BAY

CHARON

CAPE OTWAY

BRITISH SAILOR

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

VERA

OMBlLlN

Signal Date Time Group:-062lz 19 Nov 41

AREA D Number of vessels in area 14

1 240

2 25 1

3 311

4 359

5 338

6 321

7 362

8 361

9 361

10 372

11 372

12 372

13 321

14 321

AREA E

SIM

120

329

611

827

628

628

226

711

919

717

527

427

624

615

Number of vessels in area 14

S I M

1 249 620 747

2 170 228 027

3 191 112 254

4 181 120 244

5 142 613 229

6 113 617 997

7 103 322 533

8 093 029 47 3

9 083 018 803

10 072 815 74 3

11 093 023 597

Long

101

113

116

098

086

116

122

117

119

127

125

124

116

116

Long

09 6

102

111

111

126

136

133

130

130

128

130

Ship

2037

29 34

1120

2723

2859

2878

2639

1193

1951

1755

2747

2736

2449

1528

Ship

2074

2802

1225

2024

1322

1799

2253

2947

1880

1574

2359

Course

7

5

6

3

3

0

7

3

3

7

7

7

0

0

Course

7

7

4

4

9

7

3

3

3

3

7

Vessel

LIMERICK

U co ASTORIA

SARPEDON

TROJAN STAR

THESPATRI NAWA

MISSING

BELTANA

KOORINGA

HERMION

TALABOT

SALLAND

PlRl

DUNTROON

Vessel

MISSING

TIRADENTES

BRAMORA

LARGS BAY

CAPE OTWAY

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

OMBlLlN

09 129 2238 7 VERA

08 128 2712 7 MISSING

07 129 1292 7 BRITISH SAILOR

Signal Date Time Group:-1654z 19 Nov 41

AREA D Number of vessels in area 13

SIM

411

227

928

329

521

119

926

911

517

127

711

127

628

SIM

020

028

112

120

417

413

823

925

015

118

229

522

Long

104

102

089

113

115

121

119

119

125

121

127

121

116

Long

100

100

111

111

114

154

128

129

130

131

132

135

Ship

1120

2723

2859

29 34

2150

1951

2639

1193

1755

2747

1180

2736

2878

Ship

2037

2802

1225

2024

1718

1322

2359

2520

1574

1880

2947

2253

Course

6

3

2

4

4

3

7

3

7

7

7

7

0

Course

7

7

4

4

5

9

7

3

3

3

3

3

Vessel

ASTORIA

SARPEDON

TROJAN STAR

U co MERULA

KOORINGA

MISSING

BELTANA

HERMION

TALABOT

BAROSSA

SALLAND

THESPATRI NAWA

Vessel

LIMERICK

TIRADENTES

BRAMORA

LARGS BAY

GLENSTRAE

CAPE OTWAY

OMBlLlN

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

MISSING

ANNEX D TO SYDNEY (11) GO1 BRIEF DATED 29 MAY 09

ANNEX E TO SYDNEY (11) COI BRIEF DATED 29 MAY 09

ANNEX G TO SYDNEY (11) COI BRIEF DATED 29 MAY 09