The Sinking of HMAS Sydney: How Sailors Lived, Fought and Died in Australia's Greatest Naval Disaster

by Tom Lewis

HMAS Sydney was the pride of the fleet during the Second World War. A light cruiser and one of Australia’s main combat vessels. On the 19th November 1941, off the coast of Western Australia, The Sydney engaged in a fierce and bloody battle with the German raider Kormoran.   Following this action, The Sydney failed to return to port. An extensive search and rescue carried out, but the warship had disappeared with all 645 men on board. Whilst the battle lasted little more than an hour, this single ship engagement remains Australia’s greatest naval disaster. More Australian servicemen died in the battle between the German raider Kormoran and the light cruiser HMAS Sydney than perished in the Vietnam War. It was not until 2008 that the wreck was discovered. The passage of time between the sinking and the discovery led to numerous mystery and conspiracy theories, all of which started replacing the truth. Now, with an explanation of how those on board lived, fought, and died, this book tells the full story.

540 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2023

About the author

Dr Thomas Anthony "Tom" Lewis, OAM is an Australian author, military historian, editor, teacher, and former naval officer. An author since 1989, Lewis worked as a high school teacher, and served as naval officer for 20 years, seeing active service in Baghdad during the Iraq war, and working in East Timor.

In June 2003, Lewis was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for meritorious service to the Royal Australian Navy, particularly in the promotion of Australian naval history.

Dr Lewis is the author of 14 books and continues to work on a variety of military history research projects, including acting as Lead Historian for The Territory Remembers, the NT Government's commemoration of 75 years since the first air raid on the NT in 1942.

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

In many ways the title of this work is misleading. It is not so much about the devastating engagement between the SYDNEY and KORMORAN in November 1941 as it is about the fascinating world of Australian naval life during the early decades of the RAN, in particular the inter-war period and then into World War Two. Lewis meanders down many seemingly irrelevant, although interesting, pathways before and after World War Two. I frequently found myself wondering how much of his work had a bearing on the sinking of the SYDNEY. Discussions on Japanese tactics and kamikaze fighters, not used until October 1944 and discussed at some length, had no relevance to the sinking of the SYDNEY; nor does an extended biography of Frederick Purves have a great deal of relevance. Interesting subjects, no doubt, however, not really adding to the subject of the main title. The real action between the SYDNEY and KORMORAN does not get underway until page 350 and then is not a detailed account of the action as much as a discussion of events prior to battle, then after the engagement.

Chapters cover various aspects of naval life and more technical aspects of ship design (cruisers, in particular); the technologies of the day; management of crew; war at sea; the SYDNEY in the Mediterranean; discovery of the SYDNEY and KORMORAN. Tables throughout can be interesting, although several are not as explanatory as they could be. A chapter or two on the debunked controversies, conspiracy theories and nonsense written prior to the discovery of the SYDNEY and KORMORAN in 2008 are particularly interesting.

The bibliography, at 33 pages, is particularly good and a source for further reading. (Gaskell’s North and South is an interesting inclusion!) However, the amount of typographical errors and insertion of random words is astounding. The publisher, Big Sky, should have done a far better job of proofreading and you would hope that subsequent editions would correct the lazy editing. The work also requires an index, which is simply standard.

[Jill]

I didn’t read it all ….. got ‘bogged ‘ down with the many chapters on life in board the ship.
I had hoped it was actually about the battle and the sinking of the ship. Disappointing

[Rosalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
God, this book was boring. It is also mistitled with very little about HMAS Sydney and even less about the final fatal battle between HMAS Sydney the Koromant (most the last 5 chapters). Rather, it was more of a history about life on board WWII naval ships. There was a lot of detail about: diet; daily routine; living conditions; etc. In itself, that’s not a problem, however Tom Lewis wasn’t able to lift the book up out of this technical narrative. In contrast, I have read (and reviewed) Ludovic Kennedy’s excellent book “Pursuit: The Sinking Of The Bismarck”. This book gives us a clear detailed picture of that naval engagement.
Tom Lewis gives very little detail about the battle, there are no maps of where both the HMAS Sydney and the Koromant met and their final resting places. As both ships were found in March 2008, we know their relative positions to each other and it would be possible, especially for a naval historian, to show a possible battle plan for that last encounter. Tom Lewis couldn't seem to be able to decide if this book should have been a general naval history with a mention of HMAS Sydney or a book about HMAS Sydney. Sadly, I think that he failed to do justice to the full drama that was to be the final battle of 2 great ships, HMAS Sydney and the Koromant.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom Lewis is back again - and this book is on my Christmas gift guying list. Brilliantly written and researched.