SINKING OF THE AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 178, 22 April 1924, Page 8

SINKING OF THE AUSTRALIA

A MOVING SCENE COMMONWEALTH FLAGSHIP’S IMPRESSIVE END r BATTLECRUISER “BURIED” WITH HONOURS (From the Special Correspondent of the “Sydney Morning Herald.” on board the cruiser Brisbane.) H.M.A.S Australia, the former flagship of tho Royal Australian Navy, was sunk 24 miles outside Sydney Heads, due east, on the afternoon of Saturday, April 12. With the Australian flag flying at her bow and the white ensign at the stern she sank in a little more than 21 minutes. A thunderous Royal salute was given by H.M.A.S. Brisbane as tho Australia rolled right over and then plunged stem first into the deep. The sinking provided one of the most deeply impressive scenes in Australian history.

Shortly after half-past 2 o’clodk, amidst tense silence, a long, sullen roar rose from tha Australia. Like some sad lament. Ink© a threnody, it rang out across the sea. Smoke poured from the funnel. The old ship, with a list to port, was dying. A gaping hole had been blown in her hull. Ever so gradually she heeled over. The sea seemed reluctant to bring within its embrace this once proud ship, until a hatchway touched the waterline. Then the water rushed in, and the end was quick. The Australia turned completely over, and plunged stern first into the deep. In 21} minutes from the time of the explosion she had disappeared. 'There was no whirling suction of waters. Tlie sea just swept calmly over her. Under a perfect Australian sky, on a calm summer sea, and with the ships of the Royal Australian Navy alongside her, the old flagship had been delivered eternally to the waters of the Pacific. She was no more. The Pacific, in which she drove Von Spec eastwards to Coronel —and to tho Falklands—is her Valhalla, just as the sea has been the last resting place of so many great ships. Australia will probably never again witness such a deeply-stirring scene as the sinking of the old flagship. Here, on the vast stage of the Pacific, the scene left tho impress of sadness bej'ond articulation. It was impressively simple. A great silence swept the scene, a silence that could be almost felt, as the old ship rolled gradually over. There were no pompous speeches. There was no music. There was only a tense '■deuce, r.nd behind it tho subdued emotion, that the scene called up, as tho ship took her final plunge. The men at the three pounders on the Brisbane gave a thunderous Royal salute of 21 guns, an airman cast on to the calm waters, at the spot where tho Australia went down, a simple wreath, and the old ship was left to tho companionship of tho sea. It was tho simple, yet deeply impressive, passing of a ship which had filled a great and honoured place in our national life. Tho passing away of the great ship, like the passing of great men, had left upon those who beheld the scene the consciousness of a sad void. Of the flotsam and jetsam that sunken ships give up there was practically nothing. Tho sea just passed placidly over her as she gracefully dived into tho deeps. And, like pilgrims that had come to bow their heads at tho passing of a great figure, the ships of the Royal. Australian Navy turned in stately, single filo towards home in the setting sun. In manifold and fitting forms will the sinking of the Australia be perman.cntly recorded as a reminder to us of the "place that she occupied in our life, of the incalculable debt that we owe to her, for on the Brisbane not only an army of Pressmen and photographers recorded the scene, but artists surrounded by bluejackets were also at work. Here was being recorded one of those events which holp to make for a nation an historic past. An Impressive Cortege. H.M.A.S. Brisbane, under Captain Feakes, headed the Australia out through the heads and to sea. It was at Middle Head that the Brisbane picked her up. Four tugs—the Heroie, the Heroine, the Champion, and the St. Olaves —were straining at her. What a sad picture the old Australia made, with the golden sun looking down upon her from a cloudless sky, as the tugs shapeci her course for the heads through which she was to pass for the last time. It was an early hour, but through the glasses could be discerned many people on the headlands, gazing upon the ship. One or two small craft also camo out to witness her passing. She was only the husk of a’once great thing. Her twelveinch guns alone suggested the once powerful instrument she was. There were her funnels, her bridge, her after deck, and her smaller guns as well. But all about her was the unmistakable impress of something rendered impotent and useless.

Commissioned Gunner Soper, who was with her squadron during the war, looked across at her from the Brisbane. “I never thought I would attend her funeral,” ho remarked. The minds of others on the Brisbane were taken over the past; an affection, as for some human thing, welled up, as four fussy tugs dragged the old ship slowly out. Captain Feakes bad seen her launched, and now be was to see her die. Commander Lilians, of the Brisbane, had served for four and a half years in the old ship, at whose burial he was to be present. Not a few others of the personnel of about 500 on the Brisbane looked out upon the Australia with the feeling that they were saying farewell to an old and trusty friend.

On the bridge of tho Australia, and on the structure immediately beneath it, there could be seen through tho glasses great masses of wreaths —a beautiful picture in the shimmering glow of the early morning sun. The last tributes of representative bodies and individual citizen?, iirny went down with her. It was shortly before 8 a.m. when tho Brisbane passed, through the Heads. Behind her, with funereal slowness, and some distance off, camo the Australia. The tugs at last pointed her towards the heads, and she camo slowly through. One tug was straining at her right ahead, another was on the port side-, and another on the starboard bow, a.nd other was on the port quarter, She had a slight- list to port- The old. ship was helpless.

She could be seen, through the smoke from the tugs that hung over her like a great pall, drifting end swaying about like some drunken thing of the sea. The little tugs were constantly manoeuvring her along her final course. She seemed almost reluctant to leave the heads and go out to sea. She was malting little or ro progress; she was just swaying about from side to side. At 9 a.m. the heads were still clearly in view; the Brisbane was only two or three miles away from them, and right in the rear were the four tugs, battling with what was the once proud flagship of the Rcs<l Australian Navy, and, during the war, tho flagship of the Second Battle Cruiser Souadron. The massive ship that at the surrender of the German fleet had led the starboard division < f tho British ilset was now being dragged to her doom by four relatively insignificant tugs, and was being covered with their grimy smoke. The old ship did not seem to like it. When looking at her from the Brisbane, there was then unmistakable feeling that she did not want to go. So slow was her progress, so much bother was she giving the tugs, that tho lines on the Brisbane were all prepared in case the ship finally had to take her in hand. Can you see the picture P It was almost inexpressibly sad. Then the Brisbane got cn the Australia’s port bow. The tugs had altered their positions; two of . them were now ahead of her, straining at her. Delhi Salutes Her. Through the morning mist, at about a quarter past 9 o’clock, H.M.B. Delhi, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Sir Hubert Brand, RearAdmiral commanding the Ist Light Cruiser Squadron, could be faintly seen inside the heads. She was speaking to the Brisbane by signal flash. Behind the Delhi were the British light cruisers Danae, Dauntless, and Dragon, on their way to Brisbane. It made a wonderfully impressive piccuring round her. Approaching the see tare. Now lying about two miles in the rear of the Brisbane was the Australia. almost a shadowy shape under the pall of smoke of the tugs labouring round her. Approaching the scene were the British, light cruisers, majestic, stately ships in the clear sunlight, and. on the blue sea.. The Delhi and another of the British, light cruisers came up on th© port side of the Australia, and tho two other light cruisers on the starboard side. The men of the Brisbane stood at attention alongside the four three-pounders, and then there flashed out from tho Delhi a Roval Salute of. 21. guns. The Delhi, as she majestically passed. was saluting tho Australian flag flyino from the old Australia. Ihe flagship of the. British light cruisers was paying Britain’s last respect to an old worthy of the sea. If the Australia had been able ro speak, she would have returned the salute. But she was voiceless. She was helpless. So the Brisbane spoke for her. She rattled out, at five second intervals, 21 booming, thunderous guns from her broadsides, as officers and men aboard stood, sternly at attention. The Australia dragged her weary length away in the rear. and. the British lio-ht cruisers passed by in stately line ahead, finally shaping a course north, and disappearing. The Brisbane was travelling only at about 4 knots. A long way behind. her still was the Australia, enveloped in smoke. Then the stage was re-cast for another brilliant picture. The flagship of the Royal Australian Navv,

H.M.A.S. Melbourne, in which the Prime Minister (Mr. Bruce) was a guest for the ceremony, the Adelaide, the flotilla leader, Anzac. flving for tlio first time the new Navy Board fla< r , and having on board the members of the Navy Board, and the Stalwart came into the scene. All round tho Australia was the friendly touch still of the navy which she had ornamented. Several large steamers crowded with sightseers were also there to nay their last respects. The Australia was not to go down unhonour-, Tho End. It was five minutes past 2 o’clock when, at a spot 24 miles from the Heads, due cast, and at 150 fathoms, tho tugs cast off their lines from the Australia. Round her were the ships of tho Roval Australian Navy, and behind them the sightseers on the crowded steamers. Bluejackets in two boats from tho. Brisbane went alongside tho Australia, to bring back the ’officers and men. who were on board the old flagship, thus making tho final preparations for her burial beneath the sea. Two aeroplanes droned overhead. Suddenly tho decks of the Australia looked to be completely deserted until the Few officers and men finally remaining on board were again seen emerging from doors and moving about with quick steps. On the decks of the Brisbane and the other ships everyone stood at attention; all eyes were fixed on ihe doomed ship. Her last moments had El ln°tliat scene there was something deeply stirring. A signaller semaphored from the Australia. It was 19 minutes past 2 o’clock. “Will open seacocks when second boat leaves the Australia, the mesrun. , q n-t Then came the final message, at 2.dl p.m. It read:— n “Everything is open. The last men—Captain A. G. Cranford. R.N., Cautain-in-Charge, New South Wales, Engineer Commander ± ■ E McNeil R.A.N.. Engineer Manager, Garden Island, and Commander R. C. Garria. R.A.N.. of H.M-A S. Marguerite —were leaving the Australia. She was alone, rolling helplessly with a list to port as a great explosion shook her, and as Captain Cranford, wavinn- his hand in signal clambered over her side, the last to leave xx r ’ A hole had been blown m tho bottom of the hull for’ard. Smoke rose from her funnel. It suggested her expiring gasp. Gradually'her list became more pronounced. There was a rumble and a roar as she staggered over, and loose fittings were swept into the seaThe men on the Brisbane manned tho guns for the final plunge. But tlie old ship seomed in no hurry about it She was going to her death gracefully and in a manner becoming a 'rreat ship- Ever so gradually she staggered over. Afore fittings went with a crash into the sea. For five minutes there was hardly a move m C Then the end came. The sea poured like a cataract into a gaping hatchway on the deck. Round the lemainin<T funnel rose a great cloud of black soot. There was a long. wailing rumble, and then a roar, and she turned completely over. Only her bottom showed above water, like some monster of the deep, and then that disappeared too as she dived gracefully out of sight, stern first. It. was nine minutes to 3 o clock. A great column of water shot up from her on on? side, and on the other side the sea spouted up and made impressive cascades. A. sharp salute of guns at five second intervals was fired bv the Brisbane. From the crowded steamers came a volley of cheers.

The Australia was no more. She disappeared in quicker time than was anticipated- A charge of guncotton had been placed for’ard. for tho purpeso of blowing a hole in tho bottom. Steel plates had been placed against the open ends, of the valves in the bottom of tho ship, the plates being kept in position by “shores,” or wcoden beams. Weights were dropped on these “chores” covering the

valves, and the plates were displaced. Thus, with the watertight compartments all destroyed, the sea quickly enveloped her.