Project News | HMAS Perth I Memorial

HMAS Perth (I) display at the Albany Maritime Festival

July 12, 2021 by David Nicolson

Albany’s Princess Royal Fortress put on a display commemorating the loss of the HMAS Perth (I) and the USS Houston. It used the banners recently acquired by the Foundation and models of the Perth and Houston built by Gerry Westenberg. We have curator David Theodore to thank for making this possible. The display are is quite small but it was well presented and gave the Foundation yet another opportunity to spread the word.

The annual Church service to commemorate the loss of HMAS Perth(I) and USS Houston at the Battle of Sunda Strait.

March 8, 2021 by David Nicolson

A service was held at the St John the Evangelist church in Fremantle on Sunday the 28th of February to remember those lost on HMAS Perth(I) and USS Houston, those who died in the POW camps and those who returned home after the war. The service was presided over by the Rector of Fremantle, Patrick King with the US Consul General, representatives from the City of Fremantle, HMAS Stirling, the United States Navy, relatives of the survivors and numerous service organizations also in attendance.

Patrick King, the Rector of Fremantle reads the service .

Colin Bancroft announces those laying the wreaths.

Captain Lawton, CO of HMAS Stirling does the reading.

Captain Lawton lays a wealth in front of the model of HMAS Perth(I) and the banner showing the the ships’ battle honours.

CMD Chris Cleverger representing the United States Navy laying a wreath.

Trevor Vincent laying a wreath on behalf of the HMAS Perth Memorial Foundation.

CMD Nagle, Captain of HMAS Perth(III) lays wreath on behalf of the Royal Australian Navy.

Standing to attention during the playing of ‘tapps’.

Launch of the HMAS Perth(I) exhibition.

March 9, 2021March 8, 2021 by David Nicolson

On the 27th on February 2021, the HMAS Perth(I) Memorial Foundation Inc., in conduction with the City of Perth, put on a display to commemorate the loss of the Perth and the Houston at the battle of Sunda Stait in March 1942. Over 50 people attended the launch which was opened by the Governor of Western Australia, Kim Beazley AC. Over the next week 300 people visited the display which included artifacts and paintings on loan from the City of Perth, items of interest from the HMAS Stirling museum, models of the ships involved in the actions and a set of 9 banners and a video produced by the Australian National Maritime Museum which provided the complete story of those tragic events

Mike Bailey, Chair of the HMAS Perth(I) Memorial Foundation.

Kim Beazley AC, Governor of WA officially opens the exhibition.

The Governor and Mike Bailey examine the model of the proposed HMAS Perth (I) Memorial designed by Charles Smith and Joan Walsh-Smith

The Governor chatting with Colin Bancroft whose father, Arthur ‘Blood’ Bancroft was one of the few from HMAS Perth(I) to return to Australia.

A painting of HMAS Perth under fire during the Battle of Sunda Strait above a banner showing its battle honours.

Commander Nagle, the newly appointed Captain of HMAS Perth(III) signing the visitor’s book.

The Governor spending some time with Mike Bailey, second from the left, LCMD Chapman and Captain Lawton, both from HMAS Stirling.

CPO Bill Prince from HMAS Stirling looks on as the Governor is first to sign the visitor’s book.

Jim O’Neill, project manager for the proposed memorial with Robert Waller, grand son of Captain Hec Waller who went down with his ship, the HMAS Perth(I) on March the first, 1942.

Five models of the ships lost in the battles of the Java Sea and Sunda Strait.

They were on loan from an exhibition of models built by Gerry Westenberg being held at the Fremantle Shipwreck Museum .

The Nedlands Yacht Club Annual HMAS Perth Regatta

March 8, 2021February 24, 2021 by David Nicolson

CMDR Nagle, the new Captain of HMAS Perth(III) chatting with LCDR Chapman, also from the Perth, and Jim O’Neill the project leader for the proposed HMAS Perth(I) memorial.

Colin Bancroft, son of the late ‘Blood’ Bancroft one of the few survivors of the HMAS Perth(I) pointing out his father on the Roll of Honour produced by the Nedlands Yacht Club.

From the left, Peter Javis, President of the HMAS Perth(I) National Association (WA), LCDR Chapman and CMDR Nagle of HMAS Perth(III), Jim O’Neil of the Memorial Foundation and Mike Bailey, Chairman of the Memorial Foundation.

Gerry Westenberg with his model of the HMAS Perth(I)

From the left, Mike Bailey from the Foundation, Captain Gary Lawton and Peter Javis from the Foundation.

From the left, Captain Lawton, Robert Waller, grandson of the late Captain Waller of the HMAS Perth(I) and CMDR Nagle, Captain of HMAS Perth(III)

David Gainer, the US Consul General for WA addresses the attendees for the HMAS Perth regatta held at the Nedlands Yacht club

Peter Javis in his capacity as the President of the HMAS Perth National Association reads the Ode

Captain Lawton inspects the Guard of Honour put on by the Australian Naval Cadets

A minutes silence in acknowledgement for those lost from the HMAS Perth(I) and the USS Houston at the Battle of Sunda Strait, March 1942

HMAS Perth (I) Exhibition

February 23, 2021February 17, 2021 by adminsal

HMAS Perth(I) Exhibition

HMAS Perth(I) Exhibition to be held in the City of Perth Town Hall under croft which be open to the public on the 28^th of Feb., 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th of March – Times 10.00am to 4:00pm to commemorate the loss of the Perth(I) and USS Houston at the Battle of Sunda Strait in 1942.

The HMAS Perth(I) Memorial Foundation with the help of the City of Perth are putting on this exhibition to promote the proposal of building a memorial to those lost during the battle, those who died in captivity and those who returned after the war.

The following will be the main attractions….

A model of the proposed memorial to be built on Riverside Road, East Fremantle.
Artefacts and paintings of the Perth (I) provided by the City of Perth and the HMAS Stirling museum.
Eight banners describing the Battle of Sunda Strait.
Large scale models of all five ships of the ABDA force that were sunk by the Japanese during this period including the HMAS Perth(I) and the USS Huston.
Naval book display by Boffins book shop.

Gallery: