Home > HMAS Sydney (1934)
The second HMAS Sydney was a modified Leander-class light cruiser laid down by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Limited at Wallsend-on- Tyne, England on 8 July 1933 as HMS Phaeton, purchased by the Australian Government in 1934 and renamed in memory of the earlier Sydney. She was launched 22 September 1934 by Mrs S. M. Bruce, wife of Australian High Commissioner to Britain and commissioned at Portsmouth on 24 September 1935.Her crowning glory was achieved on 19 July 1940Events January-February January 5 FM radio is demonstrated to the FCC for the first time. January 6 World War II: Mass execution of Poles, committed by Germans in the Poznan, Warthegau. January 12 World War II: Russia bombs cities in Finland. February 2 F, in the battle of Cape SpadaThe battle of Cape Spada was a naval battle of World War II fought in the Mediterranean off Cape Spada, the north-western extremity of Crete on 19 July 1940 An Allied squadron commanded by Captain J. Collins in the light cruiser HMAS Sydney together with in the Greek Islands. With a British destroyer squadron in company, she met the two high-speed Italian light cruisers Giovanni delle Bande Nere and Bartolomeo Colleoni . In the running battle which followed, Bartolomeo Colleoni was wrecked and later sunk by destroyers' torpedoes. Only the very high speed of Giovanni del Bande Nere saved her from a similar fate. While serving in the Mediterranean, Sydney was also credited with the sinking of the Italian destroyer Espero and shared honours in the sinking of the destroyer Zeffiro during the battle of CalabriaThe Battle of Calabria also known as the Battle of Punta Stilo was a naval battle between ships of the British Royal Navy and the Italian Regia Marina that occurred just to the east of the "toe" of Italy ( Calabria) on 9 July 1940. Both sides claimed vict.
Sydney engaged the German auxiliary cruiserIntroduction Auxiliary cruisers were merchant ships taken over for conversion into a vessel armed with cruiser-size guns, and employed either for convoy protection against true cruisers, or for commerce-raiding missions, where its appearance was used to t KormoranThe German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran (HSK-8, Schiff 41, Raider G) was a warship used in World War II. It was built by Germaniawerft of Kiel and originally launched on September 15, 1938 as the merchant ship Steiermark of the Hamburg-America Line. Renamed west of Shark BayShark Bay is a World Heritage Listed nature reserve situated on the north west coast of Western Australia. It is home to about 10,000 Dugongs sea cows . At Hamelin Pool in the south of the bay, living microbes still building stromatolites are similar to t, Western Australia, 19 November 19411941 is also the title of a Steven Spielberg movie made in 1979 see 1941 (film). Events January January 6 Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivers his Four Freedoms Speech in the State of the Union Address. January 10 Lend-Lease is introduced into the United St. Sydney was lured in too close by the Germans disguise and surprised when it opened fire. Kormoran was damaged in the ensuing battle and had to be scuttled. Survivors from Kormoran reported that Sydney was last seen, heavily on fire and down by the bows, as a burning glow on the horizon. The ship and her 645 crew were never seen again. This was the greatest loss of life in an Australian ship.
Sydney
