STATEMENT BY MB CURTIN

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23588, 16 March 1942, Page 5

STATEMENT BY MB CURTIN

CANBERRA. March 13, Announcing the loss of the Perth and the Yarfaj' the Prime Minister (Mr J. Curtin) "said there was no news of any survivors,' but it was possible that some members of the crews had managed to reach shore or had been picked up by other ships. 1 Mr Curtin said that the enemy claim that the Perth had been sunk was made some days ago. At that time, however, the Naval Board had no information to substantiate it. The position then was that the Perth fought successfully and was unharmed in the battle in the Java Sea. She had * returned to a Javanesfe port after the battle. From that port she reported to the Naval Board, from personal ' observation during the battle, on the severe losses inflicted on the enemy by the Allied forces. Subsequently the Perth and v the Yarra had sailed from Java for an Australian port. They had not arrived and nothing having been heard from them, it must therefore be presumed that the ships had been lost. The Perth, which was built jh 1934, was of 6980 tons, and had a complement of 683. The Yarra was built in 1933. She was of 1060 tons, and had • complement of 151.