PSYC20007 Lecture 2: PSYC20007 Lecture 2
10 May 2018
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Lecture 2
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- In WWII roughly two years after the German invasion of Poland and about 20 days
before the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour.
- Pictured here is the HMAS Sydney in Sydney Harbour in February 1941. Built 1933 on
Britain's Tyneside and purchased a year later by the Australian navy for use as a light
cruiser. Length 171 metres, maximum width 17 metres, displacement 7200 tons,
maximum speed 33 knots (61 kph). Sides are camouflaged with broad stripes first
applied in 1940. When war began in 1939, HMAS Sydney was sent to the Mediterranean
and achieved outstanding success. It became the navy's best and most famous ship.
- On December 23rd 1940, the Kormoran left Germany and sailed to the Indian Ocean,
sinking eleven merchant ships along the way.
- (HMAS = His Majesty's Australian Ship. HSK = Hilfskreuzer or auxiliary cruiser.)
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- Sydney was tasked with escorting the troop ship Zealandia for some of its journey to
Singapore but was relieved by the HMAS Durban at Sunda Strait which separates the
Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java
- Sydney was en route from Sunda Strait to Fremantle when contact was made with
Kormoran, which was disguised as a merchant ship. Sydney followed and gradually
closed in on Kormoran, challenging the vessel continuously using her signal lamp, while
closing the distance between the two ships. At the time, merchant vessels were known
to be slow to respond to signaling, and the Germans exploited this knowledge.
- At 1800 hrs, to further the deception, Kormoran oadast a QQQQ suspiious ship
message, feigning a cry for help in the name of Straat Malakka. By 1815 hrs ,Sydney
was less than a mile distant from the Kormoran. Both ships were steering west-south-
est at aout kots. “igalig ith flags ad flashig light, the “de asked Whee
oud. The Kormoran eplied, Bataia. The uial oet ae he Sydney
hoisted a to flag sigal eaig the lettes IK, the to ete lettes of Straat
Malakka’s four-letter secret identification signal. The Germans could not interpret, so
signaling in plain language the Sydney asked “ho ou seet sig. With oealet
of his vessel's true identity no longer possible, and with the advantage of surprise,
Detmers ordered the Dutch colours to be struck, hoisted the German naval ensign and
opened fire with all armament at approximately 1830 hrs.
- All of the Korora’s armament was brought to bear on Sydney, concentrating on her
bridge, torpedo tubes and anti-aircraft batteries. With a second round of fire, Sydney hit
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the Korora’s funnel and engine room whilst further artillery went over the ship. The
Kormoran fired two torpedoes, one striking under Sydey’s turrets and the other
passing close ahead of the ship. The Sydney, crippled and on fire, steamed slowly to the
south returning sporadic fire, still receiving steady hits from the Kormoran. Until
approximately 2300 hrs, all that was seen was a distant glare then occasional flickering
until midnight, when all trace of the Sydney disappeared.
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Document Summary
In wwii roughly two years after the german invasion of poland and about 20 days before the japanese bombing of pearl harbour. Pictured here is the hmas sydney in sydney harbour in february 1941. Britain"s tyneside and purchased a year later by the australian navy for use as a light cruiser. Length 171 metres, maximum width 17 metres, displacement 7200 tons, maximum speed 33 knots (61 kph). Sides are camouflaged with broad stripes first applied in 1940. When war began in 1939, hmas sydney was sent to the mediterranean and achieved outstanding success. It became the navy"s best and most famous ship. On december 23rd 1940, the kormoran left germany and sailed to the indian ocean, sinking eleven merchant ships along the way. (hmas = his majesty"s australian ship. Sydney was tasked with escorting the troop ship zealandia for some of its journey to. Singapore but was relieved by the hmas durban at sunda strait which separates the.
