Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

CDR Gregory:

I saw in the news today that HMAS Sydney has been found, as well as Kormoran.

I guess "congratulations" is not exactly the right word, but I have no doubt that you and the Naval Historical Society have been important in pushing the research and inquiry forward both at the public and private level. The families and friends of the crew have been brought a bit closer to closure.

You better than most will know this, although time will tell, the discovery of the wreck may also clear the name of the officers and crew of Kormoran. If that is the case, it will provide closure to those families as well.

On a somewhat broader note, your work and writing are always of great interest to me, and I appreciate your efforts.

Thanks - As we say at Texas A & M, "Gig 'Em"

Greg Taggart
College Station, Texas

(see "Was Voltaire, like so many AMC's, just outgunned/outranged?" from Greg)

Greg,

Thank you for your thoughts and comments about finding the wrecks of both Sydney and Kormoran, it must be a huge relief for all the families involved.

I must say I was suprised to learn that Sydney is largely intact, with the fact that no crew member survived, I expected to find she had blown up, and pieces of her wreckage would be strewn over the ocean floor, but not so. Her bow seems to have fallen off, due I would think to the ship collecting a torpedo from Kormoran under A or her forward turret.

Some years ago I marked on my large Times Atlas a position where I thought Kormoran might have sunk after her crew scuttled their vessel, I then drew a 10 mile arc to the South East from that datum, and marked my idea of where Sydney might lay. I added her depth as 2,500 metres.

When I plotted the true position for Sydney, I was 14 miles out in my latitude estimation, and 8 miles in my longitude, the estimated depth was close, she sits upright on her bottom at 2,678 metres. So I felt quite pleased with myself, nothing like self satisfaction!!

Greg, my thanks also for your kind words about AHOY, it is very pleasing when anyone takes the time to comment on my ramblings, good or bad, and I appreciate your remarks.

With kindest regards to you in Texas.
Mac. Gregory.

see "Kormoran and the Sinking of Sydney"

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