Remembering H.M.A.S. Sydney

HMAS Sydney was a battle-hardened Leander-class light cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy. Her sinking by a disguised German warship in November 1941 represents the greatest ever loss of life in an Australian warship and the largest vessel of any country to be lost with all hands during the Second World War. All 645 officers and crew went down with the ship.

The 645-strong crew on board HMAS Sydney in 1941
The mystery surrounding the loss of the Sydney was finally put to rest on 12 March 2008, with her re-discovery at the bottom of the Indian Ocean 112 nautical miles off Steep Point, Western Australia.

Today at a service of remembrance, the bells tolled 645 times for HMAS Sydney.