1. Commemorative Ceremony-- The RAN (Royal Australian Navy) will place a plaque and a wreath at the site. A National Memorial Service is planned in Sydney April 24th. Australian authorities are also working with the German government in commemorating the Kormoran.
2. Armaments and Battle-- The Sydney was hit 50 times by the Kormoran's 5.9 inch guns before returning fire. Overall, it had 150 hits. A torpedo struck her early in the battle doing major damage to the bow. My thought is that this probably had a big part in the fast sinking.
3. Special Cameras-- were flown in from Norway to examine the wreckage.
4. Wreckage Site Predicted in 1991-- Two professors predicted correctly where the wreckage would be found back in 1991 after going through 70 accounts given by the Kormoran's survivors.
5. Another National Commemoration-- is planned for November 19th to commemorate the 67th anniversary of the battle.
5. Father Died on Sydney-- John Owen of Ashtonfield watched his father sail away on the Sydney 66 years ago at age 6. He never saw his father again.
He always wondered why the Kormoran was able to sink the Sydney.
Word of his father's death was delivered by a PMG boy ( Post Master General). He handed the letter to John's mother, and, without a word, got on his bicycle and rode away.
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