I have been researching (among other topics) HMAS Sydney's loss for over 14 years. I have attended the Senate Inquiry in 1997/98 and the Commission of Inquiry held recently. I have to say that without doubt the images displayed by the Finding Sydney Foundation received from David Mearns, are NOT of HMAS Sydney II. In fact, they are of several different ships at least four of which can be named, while others can be shown to be of different classes of ships. Even the extremely poor sonar image can be easily identified as either a battleship or pocket battleship (most likely the Bismarck) because of the hull shape, completely different to that of the sleek long narrow hull of a light cruiser. Among the images studied by the Defence, Scientific and Technical Organisation and the Royal Institute of Naval Architects, where they have provided precise measurements, one particular image shows the boot-topping, top of the armour, scuttles and the upper deck in one image. The measurements show beyond all doubt that there is a full deck missing, from boot-topping to upper deck only eight and a half feet whereas it should be at least 16 feet. There are over 200 pages of examples of mistakes in the images including the proof that the identification of both ships has been faked. The 08KO identification for the Kormoran cannot be correct because the ship was originally built as Steiermark two years before Kormoran was named. Likewise the only identification for the Sydney are the badges on the ship boats on the seabed. Oddly enough these badges do not exist in naval heraldry. Badges were required to be approved by the Admiralty Badge Committee, and each ship had its individual badge. The badge shown is the wrong one, wrong colours, wrong placement on the boats etc. Mearns, Lt Perryman, Peter Hore have were all involved in the search and have published books or reports with the correct badge, but different to those depicted on the boats. It is simply a matter of copyright. For books and badges, copyright was no problem but to fake the badges on the boats was a different story so non-existant badges have been added and this can be clearly seen in the way the badges are badly photo-shopped onto the boats. There are many more mistakes, so many in fact, that is has become a game now by many people to spot the errors, and there are plently of them. Stealing a ship's badge is like someone stealing your dead wifes' wedding ring. James Eagles ex-RAN 196-69 Brisbane Queensland
welcome to the forum James. First and foremost we are a place of providing information and discussion about WW2 and then any related subject. Second, we do take a dim view of any kind of negative view of individuals without solid evidence. I have just read your post, and whilst i find it highly interesting, it does appear that your phrasing appears to have been made in anger. Could you possibly give us some background to this, as I pertain it is to the discovery of HMAS Sydney, but what you are saying does sound somewhat inflammatory. Could you lay out what you are saying in a more academic way? A massive block statement like that does not help others to respond easily or clearly. And as much as I love flame wars, moderating them can be a pain in the nether regions if people get themselves all cross wired. As i say welcome tot he forum, and I hope you intend to stick around as you obviously know your naval subject very well, and as a Birder i do need someone to level me out to sea level at times
Hi Kitty Sorry to have been so long in replying. So far I have issued over 22 papers on various aspects of the wreck images of both HMAS Sydney II and HSK Kormoran. The Sydney images are made up of at least five different ships which can be identified by name. The Kormoran wreck is actually the HSK Michel. SV Geosounder surveyed the area south of Yokohama some time back prior to the Sydney search. That wreck lies in relatively shallow water less than 200 ft deep. If you study the image of the Sydney on the upper deck you will see green marine plant growth, impossible at that depth. If you want more I can send you anything of the papers I have written and am in the process of preparing it all for the Australian War Memorial who are presently displayng the images on their website. Jim
