Croozin
Have to agree with you. So much of Australian military history from both world wars and later has been a story of cockups over conspiracy.
Last year I listened to an interview with David Salter. During the interview the memory of what he had seen and suffered came rushing back and the interview had to be halted while he composed himself again. This was over a collision that occurred in 1963 (?).
I stand by my earlier post. I suspect that the Sydney suffered huge damage in the first few minutes of the action including taking one or two torpedo strikes. That she was able to respond with the bridge and fire control disabled speaks volumes for the experience and training of her crew. That she was able to sink the Kormoran is incredible as the Kormoran was not an easy mark. She had similar armament, a well trained crew and at the range the action was fought she would have been a formidable opponent.
The Kormoron survivors reported the Sydney as sailing slowly to the south east, presumably to try and reach Perth. The vessel was on fire and listing. She was not seen again.
If, as reported, the Sydney is missing approximately 25 metres of her bow, this presumably happened later, weakened by the battle damage, especially the torpedos, and in that event she would have sunk within seconds. A lot of her crew would still have been at action stations or damage control. Not a lot would have been on deck. There would have been little chance of getting out if the ship sunk suddenly.
