I remembered that when my mom was nice enough to take the family to Australia and New Zealand about five years ago, we took a harbor tour arounf Sudney's harbor and one of the features was the mainmast of the Sydney which is on the side of a hill at Bradley's Head.
How could this be the Sydney's mast when the ship was lost at sea with no survivors?
Did some looking at wikipedia and found out this was the mast of the FIRST HMAS Sydney. It was placed there in 1934. Thios ship was a light cruiser commissioned in 1913 and decommissioned in 1928. Like the second Sydney, it carried eight 6-inch guns.
This ship took part in the RAN's (Royal Australian Navy) first ship-to-ship engagement at the Battle of Cocos in the Indian Ocean in 1914 where it fought the German cruiser Emden. It had been attacking Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean where it captured or sank 30 vessels. A force of 60 Allied ships were looking for it.
Along with the mast, a 105 mm gun is on display at Sydney's Hyde Park.
On Jan. 26, 2007, the RAN decreed that all RAN and foreign vessels would honor the HMAS SYDNEY I when entering the harbor by "piping the mast" where the ship's company would form on the upper deck.
So, That Would Explain IT. --Cooter
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