soc.history.war.world-war-ii

On Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:03:11 -0400, Alan Stevens
wrote:

>On Mar 17, 11:09 am, "YMC" wrote:
>>
>> News report claim that the wreck of the HMS Sydney and Kormoran has been
>> discovered.
>>
>> http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/03/17/1205602238554.html
>>
>> The cruiser was sunk by a German raider, the Kormoran, apparently in a
>> surprise attack.
>>
>> There were no survivors from the Australian cruiser.
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Royal_Oak_%2808%29
>
>833 out of 1234 in harbor at Scapa Flow. Thats what happens when you
>are caught with your pants down.
>
>The problem for Sydney were multiple -
>
>The watertight doors probably weren't closed.
>
>The lifeboats were shot up by Komoran's anti-aircraft guns. Not as a

Looking at the track of the vessels, based on the German evidence, and
not something they would have wanted to lie about, they would have
been able to shoot up the lifeboats and life rafts only one ONE SIDE
of the Sydney.

Which leaves the ones on the *opposite* side more or less intact.

And, since it is generally agreed that the Sydney didn't sink right
away, there would *possibly* have been time to construct expedient
liferafts ... now, the Germans didn't see her sink or actually hear an
explosion, but they seem to agree that they saw burning from over the
horizon for many hours later. Of course, that could have been from
burning wreckage well after the Sydney sank, and it may have sunk so
unexpectedly that no-one survived even with the possible preparation
of expedient rafts.

Which still leaves the lifeboats and rafts on the opposite side of the
vessel probably intact.

Phil

Author, Space Opera (FGU); RBB #1 (FASA); Road to Armageddon;
Farm, Forge and Steam; Orbis Mundi; Displaced (PGD)
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Email: aspqrz@pacific.net.au