The West Coast Eagles faithful will be encouraged on Friday to pause and remember the sacrifices made by crewman who were victims in Australia’s biggest maritime tragedy.
Since 2010 the Eagles and Sydney Swans have competed for the HMAS Sydney II Trophy, recognising Sydney as the home port and Western Australia as the final resting place of a vessel that has a lasting connection to both States.
Friday, November 19th marks the 80th anniversary of HMAS Sydney II being sunk about 210km off the WA Coast near Shark Bay, north of Geraldton.
Celebrated for her successful battles in the Mediterranean, where she famously sank the Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni, HMAS Sydney (II) and her crew of predominantly young men received a hero’s welcome on her return to Australia in February 1941.
She was then tasked with escorting troopships to South East Asia, following an Indian Ocean route along the west coast of Western Australia.
It was on the return of one of these voyages that she encountered the German raider HKS Kormoran that was disguised as a Dutch merchant vessel, used the element of surprise and sank HMAS Sydney II, with all 645 crew perishing.
The Kormoran was also sunk in the intense battle, but 318 of its 390 personnel survived.
The HMAS Sydney II Trophy was donated to the West Coast Eagles and Sydney Swans by the Finding Sydney Foundation and has been the centrepiece of matches between the clubs since 2010.
HMAS Sydney lay on the bottom of the ocean floor until the wreck was discovered on March 16, 2008 by the Finding Sydney II Foundation.
For the last 11 years West Coast and Sydney have honoured the memory of those sailors through the presentation of the HMAS Sydney II Commemorative Trophy.
The trophy displays Sydney's distinct badge, campaigns and battle honours in polished bronze on a jarrah base and backboard.
The Finding Sydney Foundation also provides a perpetual best on ground trophy, based on the casing of a 76mm shell fired by the HMAS Sydney IV.
The Western Australian Museum is marking the 80th anniversary of the 1941 disaster with the display of Deep Light: Illuminating the Wrecks of Sydney and Kormoran at the Museum of Geraldton and WA Museum Boola Bardip.
The poignant exhibition features remarkable underwater images of the wrecks and excerpts of interviews with families of those who were lost.
Both wrecks were eventually located in 2008, 200km west of Shark Bay at a depth of 2,500m.
The discovery and inspection of the wrecks helped shed light on one of Australia's most enduring maritime mysteries.
In 2015 the Western Australian Museum and Curtin University, with vital assistance from DOF Subsea, the Commonwealth Government, GMA Garnet and other supporters, returned to the wrecks and captured stunning underwater images that revealed much about the fate of the ships.
Deep Light is on display at the Museum of Geraldton from November 19, 2021 until February 13, 2022. An exhibit and moving 3D film of the wrecks named From Great Depths is also permanently on display at the Museum.
The WA Museum Boola Bardip is displaying the same exhibition until February 2, 2022 but includes 3D short film Fire on the Water, which uses the images to portray the encounter and final events of the World War II battle off Shark Bay.
Entry to both exhibitions is free.
