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CDRE
Bob Trotter with the former Deputy Prime Minister
Tim Fischer at the launch of The Finding Sydney Fundraising
campaign.
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The
search for HMAS Sydney II got off to a good start late last
month whenformer Federal MP, Tim Fischer officially launched
the Finding Sydney Foundation’s fundraising campaign.
The launch took place at a function at Western Australian
Maritime Museum. Foundation spokesman, CDRE Bob Trotter
(Rtd) said the initial response had been very pleasing.
“By the end of the evening some $17,000 had been either
received or pledged,” he said.
“The subject had attracted considerable interest amongst
the public and media throughout Australia.”
HMAS Sydney II was lost with all 645 officers and men on
November 19, 1941 off Western Australia following a battle
with the German raider Kormoran.
Apart from some very minor debris, no traces of the ship
or any of her ship’s company have ever been found.
It remains Australia’s largest loss of life in a naval battle.
In
launching the appeal Tim Fischer enthusiastically encouraged
all Australians to contribute.
“This is a much needed appeal,” he said.
“The whereabouts of HMAS Sydney II and all those young Australians
is unfinished business for Australia that must be closed
off in the lifetimes of the surviving families.”
The “flagship” for the search for the ship is HMAS Sydney
Search Pty Ltd a not-for-profit company that is the trustee
for the Finding Sydney Foundation.
It is a group of Australian volunteers with no direct ties
to HMAS Sydney II and is driven by the wish to locate the
vessel and honour those lost.
CDRE Trotter who is the CEO of the company said “finding
Sydney II is an Australian story in support of grieving
Australians and it is a task that falls to all Australians.
“The foundation was established to enable Australians to
meet this challenge.
“It is the reason why prominent Australians like Tim Fischer,
Professor Geoffrey Blainey and RADM David Holthouse are
patrons.”
Members of the group have been studying for many years the
question of where the wreckage is likely to lie.
The group’s research and analysis has established a search
area in deep water, from 1000 to 2500 metres, based generally
on co-ordinates of 26S, 111E, southwest of Carnarvon and
pretty close to the original deduction made after interrogation
of the survivors of Kormoran.
The area that is able to be searched will depend on the
money raised. The greatest probability of success comes
from the widest area which the group expects to cost about
$3.5 million.
