By Deanna Corrieri | posted on February 18, 2021
A MEMORIAL service for the HMAS Perth (I) will be held on February 28 to commemorate the brave 681 crew members who served on the ship.
In 1942, HMAS Perth (I), with USS Houston, tried to evade Japanese forces in Indonesia by cutting through the Sunda Strait, however was sunk after four severe torpedo hits.
More than 350 members of the ship’s crew died in the battle.
Around 330 men survived the sinking, but many were captured as prisoners of war, where a further 106 men died.
A small group of survivors who made it to land in a lifeboat, intended on sailing back to Australia, but upon landing in Java were taken prisoner.
The Naval Association of Australia has supported the memorial service for over 20 years, with the TS Vancouver Navy Cadets planning to raise the flag at this years’ service.
NAA Albany Sub-section Vice-President Terri Cartmill said the HMAS Perth (I) crew fought hard to get back home once their vessel was laid to ruin.
“Their first thought was to get back to Australia,” she said.
“It was just that really incredible deep feeling of Australian identity – their one big thought was to get back home.”
At the end World War II, only 229 crew members returned to Australia.
Recognised for their bravery, the sailors were given a hero’s welcome when they made their way back on a warship.
“In recognition of what they’d done, it was determined, ‘yes’, we’ll get a warship out there and we’ll get them on that and bring them back to Australia as sailors, not just on any old ship or airplane,” Ms Cartmill said.
The last surviving crew member of the HMAS Perth (I), David Manning, passed away in 2018.
The Albany memorial service is open to the public and commences at 5.30pm at the St John the Evangelist Church on York Street.
