Modified LEANDER-Class cruiser ordered under the
1932 Estimates from Swan Hunter at Newcastle
upon
Tyne on 10th February 1933 and laid down on 8th July that
year. Although launched as HMS PHAETON on 9th October 1934, this was changed in 1935 to SYDNEY
after the decision to transfer her to the Royal Australian Navy. Build was completed on 24th September 1935 and she
commissioned that day for RAN service.
1 9 3 9
September Deployed
with RAN Western Force based at Fremantle for trade defence in Indian Ocean.
October Deployed on patrol duty off NW Australia
for interception of commerce raiders.
to
November
December Escorted
troop convoy carrying 2nd Australian Imperial Force on passage to the Middle East
until relieved by HM Australian
Cruiser ADELAIDE on 12/12/39.
Passage to Sydney for routine
docking.
15th Under refit in Sydney.
1 9 4 0
January Resumed operational duty on completion.
11th Escorted military convoy US2 with HM Australian
Cruiser AUSTRALIA from
to Jervis Bay arriving on 12/1/40.
February
6th Relieved HMAS AUSTRALIA as Western Force cruiser for
Trade Defence duty off
Western Australia.
March Trade defence and interception duty in continuation.
April
1st Transferred to East Indies Station.
19th Deployed with HM Australian Cruiser ADELAIDE and HM Battleship RAMILLIES for
Trade defence and convoy escort duty.
28th Detached to join military
convoy US3 for Indian Ocean passage.
May
1st Detached from US3
to take passage to Singapore to refuel.
8th Arrived at Colombo and Joined Squadron.
12th Sailed to rejoin US3 but ordered to return
to Colombo prior for transfer to 7th Cruiser Squadron
in Mediterranean
Fleet.
18th Passage to Aden.
22nd Joined HM Cruiser GLOUCESTER and HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE
for passage through
Red Sea.
26th Joined Squadron at
Alexandria.
June
Carried out exercises and worked-up
with HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER, ORION, NEPTUNE
and LIVERPOOL of 7th Cruiser Squadron..
(Note: CinC
Mediterranean had arranged extensive programmes of exercises in anticipation of
the entry of Italy into hostilities.)
12th Deployed for an offensive
sweep and reconnaissance off North African coast and in
Aegean Sea.
21st Bombarded Bardia
with French battleship LORRAINE, HMS NEPTUNE, HMS ORION and
HM Destroyers DAINTY,
DECOY, HASTY and STUART (RAN).
28th Deployed with Squadron and joined by HM Cruisers
CALEDON and CALCUTTA for the
cover of convoys in Aegean Sea.
Engaged Italian destroyers attempting to attack a convoy and sank
Italian ESPERO.
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D. Macintyre
and Naval Staff History (HMSO - 2002).
July
6th Deployed to covered
Aegean convoys.
7th Transferred to provide cover passage of
Convoys MS1 and MF1 from Malta with ships of
Squadron and HM Australian Destroyer STUART.
8th Under Italian air attacks.
9th Took part in Battle
of Calabria during which Italian Fleet disengaged.
(For details see
above references).
18th Carried out Anti- submarine sweep and shipping
search with HM Destroyers ILEX,
HERO and HASTY
in Gulf of Athens.
19th In action with HM Destroyers HYPERION and
HAVOCK against 2 Italian cruisers
on passage between Tripoli and Leros. Cruiser BARTOLOMEO
COLLEONI was
sunk by the destroyers.
Engaged and hit BANDE NERE which then withdrew.
Return fire damaged one funnel slightly.
(For details see above references).
27th Joined HMS NEPTUNE to meet HM Battleships
MALAYA, WARSPITE,
RAMILLIES and H M Aircraft Carrier EAGLE.
Came under air attack.
28th Intercepted and sank Greek tanker ERMIONE.
August Deployed with 7th Cruiser Squadron
in eastern Mediterranean.
28th Covered Fleet units during bombardments of
seaplane base in Gulf of Bomba and
Bardia harbour.
30th Part of Force "F" for cover of
passage of HM Battleship VALIANT, HM Aircraft
Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY from Gibraltar
to join Fleet at Alexandria and also passage of convoy MB
to Malta (Operation HATS).
September
1st Remained with convoy MB when it was threatened
by Italian major warships, which
withdrew when Fleet units responded.
For details see above references).
3rd Adopted disguise of Italian cruiser and
bombarded airfield at Scarpanto with
HMS ORION, HM Destroyer DECOY and HM
Destroyer ILEX.
In action with E-Boats sinking one and damaging another.
6th Routine docking at
Alexandria.
24th Patrolled off Cyprus and covered
HM Netlayer PROTECTOR near Beirut.
28th Deployed with Fleet units to cover passage
of HMS GLOUCESTER and HMS LIVERPOOL
taking troops
to Malta
30th Patrolled off Malta.
October
1st Detached with HMS
ORION to bombard airfield at Stampalia in Dodecanese.
9th Deployed with Fleet
to cover passage of Malta convoy MB6.
25th Carried out Aegean sweep including Dardanelles area and supported convoys with
HMS ORION, H M
Destroyer JERVIS and HM Destroyer JUNO.
28th Patrolled with HMS GLOUCESTER, HMS ORION
and HM Cruiser YORK off Crete during
Italian invasion of Greece.
(For details of naval operations in Greece and Crete see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli
Barnett and Naval Staff History).
November
5th Embarked troops and stores for passage
to Suda Bay with HMS AJAX.
7th Joined Fleet to cover
Malta convoy MW6
and transfer of HM Battleship BAHRAM.
HM Cruiser BERWICK, HM Cruiser GLASGOW and three Fleet
destroyers of Force
"F" from Gibraltar to join Fleet
(Operation COAT).
11th Detached with HMS AJAX, HMS NUBIAN and HMS
ESKIMO to join HMS AJAX in
offensive
sweep in Adriatic and a bombardment of Valona.
12th Night attack on Italian
convoy off Brindisi sinking four
ships and damaging an escort.
Rejoined Fleet
west of Crete.
15th Embarked troops and made fast passage to
Piraeus at 30 knots with HM Cruisers BERWICK,
HMS GLASGOW and
HMS YORK.
25th Covered transit of HM Battleship RAMILLIES,
HMS BERWICK and HMS NEWCASTLE
to western Mediterranean and the transit of HM Cruisers
MANCHESTER and
SOUTHAMPTON with 3 Fleet
destroyers in Force "F" from Gibraltar to join Fleet.
(Operation COLLAR).
26th Covered HMS EAGLE during air strike on Tripoli.
December Based at
Suda Bay for convoy defence and interception of Italian convoys.
17th Offensive sweep in
Adriatic and covered Convoy MW2 with Fleet
units.
(Operations MC2
and MC3).
20th Detached from covering duty and returned
to Suda Bay.
23rd Under refit in Malta (Mileage
steamed in 1940 - 60,000).
30th Relieved
by HM Australian Cruiser PERTH in 7th Cruiser Squadron and released from
Mediterranean
Fleet for return to RAN.
1 9 4 1.
January
8th Passage to Alexandria escorted by HMAS STUART.
12th Sailed from Suez for Sydney.
24th Diverted at Seychelles to search for the German commerce
raiders ATLANTIS and
PINGUIN reported NW of islands.
February Resumed
passage to Sydney
March Under refit in Sydney.
April On completion deployed for Convoy
escort in Australian waters.
14th Embarked delegation for ABDA conference and
took passage to Singapore.
18th Passage from Singapore to Australia.
May
Escorted troop convoy from Fremantle
to Sunda Strait and returned with single
empty ship.
June Escorted
convoy from Sydney to Fremantle.
July
Deployed on escort of convoys between
New Zealand and Australia.
August Escorted convoy from Sydney to Auckland and returned to Sydney via Suva.
September
4th Escorted Convoy US12A from Australia to Colombo and returned independently.
22nd Escorted Convoy US12B
from Melbourne to Sunda Strait.
Returned independently.
October Local
convoy defence in continuation.
November
11th Escorted troopship ZEALANDIA from Fremantle
on passage to Sunda Strait.
17th After relief by HM Cruiser DURBAN returned independently.
18th Diverted to search
for German raider KORMORAN.
19th Intercepted KORMORAN 300 miles off Western
Australia and closed when identity given was
known to be incorrect.
(Note: there have been a number of queries about these last two entries, but it has not been
possible to identify the original source.)
Soon after first exchange of fire shells from the enemy
ship hit Bridge structure and damaged
the main armament fire-control
director.
Fires were started and although guns had to be used in
Local Control obtained several hits on
KORMORAN.
The raider fired two torpedoes. one
of which hit forward. SYDNEY was disabled and unable
to move or to fight effectively.
Fires became uncontrollable.
Owing to the extent of damage inflicted by SYDNEY the enemy ship was abandoned
after
scuttling charges had been set.
The resultant explosions caused extensive fires that soon
reached magazines.
KORMORAN then disintegrated.
315 survivors were later rescued and taken to Australia where they became POW.
HMAS SYDNEY was last seen ablaze and it is assumed she
sank with no survivors.
Some wrecked life rafts were found a few days later. (Casualty List
-
note on casualties)