HMAS Sydney

The HMAS Sydney (II) was launched 22 September 1934. It arrived in Australia 2 August 1936 and remained in home waters until departing Fremantle in April 1940 where she was part of an escort of a convoy to the Middle East. She parted company in the Indian Ocean and sailed into Colombo Ceylon on the 8 May 1940. In May she sailed for the Mediterranean arriving in Alexandria on the 26 May 1940. There she joined the 7th Cruiser Squadron of the Royal Navy and took part in the bombardment of Bardia on the 21 June 1940.

The vessel returned to Alexandria on the 1 July 1940 sailing on the 7th as part of the covering force for the Malta convoy joining the Mediterranean Battle Fleet. Into action again 9 July, taking part in the first full scale action against the Italian Fleet. She returned to Alexandria on the 13 July 1940 but again was involved this time in a submarine hunt off Crete. The fleet arrived back safely in Alexandria 20 July 1940.

During August 1940, Sydney took part as covering force in the second bombardment of Bardia returning to Alexandria 8 September 1940 where she remained until the 24 September. In October she again operated with the Mediterranean Fleet taking part in the sweep of the Adriatic. November saw her engaged in protecting the convoys to Greece and in operations in the Straits of Otranto. There, a successful attack was made upon an Italian convoy during the hours of darkness on the night of 12/13 November. Convoy operations to Greece and Malta were taken up in December and further stints in the Adriatic and Straits of Otranto with the Mediterranean Fleet. 23 December she put into Malta for a refit and sailed from there on the 8 January 1941.

Sydney left Alexandria for the last time on 11 January 1941 and after convoy duties reached Fremantle on 5 February 1941. After a refit at Garden Island, she took up patrol and convoy duties off the Australian coast under the command of Captain J Burnett RAN. In April 1941 a brief visit was made to Singapore. For the remainder of her career she operated chiefly in Australian waters, with some periods of Indian Ocean escort duties, New Zealand convoys, and a visit to Noumea.

The career of HMAS Sydney came to an end on the 19 November 1941 when it is said to have been sunk after an engagement with the German armed merchant cruiser Kormoran with the loss of her 645 crew. The “Official View” is that the battle between Sydney and Kormoran took place South-West of Carnarvon. However this is disputed as there are those who believe that the German survivors gave a false location of the battle and it has been suggested that ‘the battle took place west of the Abrolhos Islands’ (T Warren Whittaker, OBE, The Search for HMAS Sydney II and HSK Kormoran: 2004)

It has been postulated that the Kormoran did not sink the Sydney but rather a Japanese submarine. This has been hotly disputed and of course runs counter to the official view. Of course, never must we dispute the official view! It still makes interesting reading. I picked this little lot up at a fair and was most pleased to acquire them.

Covers from and to the HMAS Sydney between August 1940 and January 1941. The writer and recipient of the mail was Royce Henry Weller service no 21512, an A/Shipwright VI from Tasmania. He was one of the 645 crew members who went down with the ship.

Fig 1

Posted sometime in August 1940 from Alexandria. It has tombstone ship’s censor cachet which would have been applied aboard the HMAS Sydney. It has been opened by the censor and resealed with a label and a rectangle ‘Passed by Censor 127’ presumably upon reaching Sydney. It has a Sydney Paquebot machine cancel dated 2 Sep 1940 and is addressed to St Kilda Victoria. The postage appears to be overpaid as the rate for 10 grams was 40 mils and the next rate for 20 grams was 70 mils.

Fig 2

Posted on board, probably at Alexandria before leaving for convoy duties to Greece and Malta. It received a navy tombstone censor. Arriving in Sydney it was cancelled with a Sydney Machine cancel 3 Dec 1940. 47 mils postage On the back it has R Weller P.O’s Mess.

‘Postal Orderlies’ Mess?

Fig 3 & 3a

Posted on board, navy tombstone censor. On the reverse there is a faint strike of the small (Chief/Deputy) Field Censor marking which would have been applied in Cairo. Upon arrival in Sydney it was cancelled with a Sydney Paquebot machine cancel 17 Dec 1940 again the postage was 47 Mils.

Fig 4 & 4a

Cover addressed by Weller to himself and franked with $1.07 cents Seychelles stamps issued on chalk surfaced paper 1938. Cancelled Victoria Seychelles 24 January 1941 whilst the vessel was enroute back to Australia arriving in Fremantle of the 5 February 1941. Navy tombstone censor.