HMAS PERTH (I) MEMORIAL 

Artist’s concept, project description, and symbolism: 14^th April 2018.

Project Purpose:

To design a Memorial which commemorates the loss of HMAS Perth (I), dedicated to the lost Crew, the survivors who were imprisoned; enslaved in prisoner of war camps and those who finally returned to Australia bearing the scars of their suffering for the duration of their lives.

 Also, especially to the families of these men, whose lives were changed forever, by the circumstances of this tragic ‘Incident of war’.

CRITERIA:

• To create a special space of contemplation and reflection within a memorial setting.

• To develop the area to its full potential with regard to its function as a sacred site of remembrance, while having the capacity to fulfil its current function as a museum/hall of memory.

• To create elements and features which will embody all the necessary symbolism and commemorative aspects for this Memorial, to fulfil its function as a Memorial to the 681 crewmen of HMAS Perth (1) and their families.

• To express particularly the concept of loss and suffering in relation to this terrible tragedy.

• To create a place suitable for ceremonial occasions, commemorative events, flag raising, wreath laying, in order to facilitate both public and private remembrance.

• To create a design suited to the existing site and structures, at Navy League HQ, East Fremantle, while allowing for the difficulties of the location with regard to the exigencies involved with integrating new and old infrastructure and services.

• To allow this space to be utilised comfortably and with suitable access in relation to all age groups and physical abilities.

• To develop the existing function of the site as an informative area with enhanced narrative elements which serve as educational instruments for the Navy League and Navy Veterans; the Sea Cadets and the general public of all ethnic backgrounds, children and overseas visitors.

• To incorporate symbolic as well as narrative features.

• To include the names of all those who served on HMAS Perth (1) for her final voyage.

Artists Concept Statement:

The design of the HMAS Perth (I) Memorial is based on an emotional response on the part of ourselves, the artists, within an extremely practical methodology that seeks to blend both the existing structures and our dramatic development of these into a cohesive entity, that will serve as a fitting memorial to commemorate this major historical tragedy in the history of Western Australia – but crucially, to also represent the whole of Australia, from whence these men (and their families ) emanated: 681 in total, for that fatal last voyage.

Our approach then, is two-fold: to encapsulate and express the horror and pain of this tragedy and to do so, on a site that has physical restrictions and a pre-ordained purpose: that of a museum containing the salvaged and memorabilia relating to HMAS Perth (I) along with an active Sea Cadets ’ training ship’ and meeting place, for many veterans and their connections.

In that regard, it is a special site in many ways and although ‘modest’ in its current form we have taken great care to preserve its value as a site of historic relevance, enhancing and updating to current 21^st Century standards.

The memorial also seeks to commemorate and honour this site as the home of the first Sea Cadets of Australia.

The Memorial is comprised of:

A dramatic glass- walled ‘ship’s prow’ shaped space which is the central symbolic focus and ‘monumental manifestation’ of HMAS Perth (1).

This structure is essentially a simple ‘space frame’ that extends the existing museum building, while also expanding the area to enable more memorabilia and information to be stored and displayed. The design of this structure is based on the prow of the ship, emphasizing the connection with the actual HMAS Perth (1), while also disguising, as it were, the underlying building and transforming it thereby into a total entity, with strong powerful lines thrusting up from the base, which is formed as a double stepped area following the lines of the prow in a triangular arrangement. This glass ‘ prow structure’, will provide a vast canvas into which can be embedded myriad photographs telling the story of Perth (I) and her tragic downfall in dramatic focus. These glass walls will be constructed in ‘fused ceramic glass’ comprised of two laminated layers of 12mm thick glass sheets into which the images and text relating the history and fate of the Perth will be fused with ceramic inks, under extremely high temperature.

The general visual colour ‘mood’ of the images will be grey – blue as most of the photographs coming from this historic period will be Black & White and we feel that this water-like colour cast would be most symbolic and appropriate.

Lighting at night will create a mysterious blue hue which will serve to heighten the dramatic effect.

The images in the glasswork can be viewed and accessed from inside and out, thus enabling not only the dedicated visitors, but the casual observers and passers – by to fully engage and appreciate the Memorial.

At the apex of the ‘Prow’ a flagpole will be inserted, providing a link with the Perth while also serving as a solemn visual reference for ceremonial and memorial occasions and thus emphasizing the memorial aspect of the existing museum. 

‘Wreath Laying Ceremonies’

A ships propellor for wreath laying, mounted on a compass rose base designed in gray and black granite for ceremonial occasions in front of the Wall of Remembrance.

 ‘Wall of Remembrance’:

At the right hand entrance into the memorial/museum is a wall of remembrance bearing the names of the entire ship’s company. This will form an solemn area of contemplation’, with each name engraved into highly polished black granite, to emphasize the solemn purpose of this place of remembrance.

‘Title Wall’:

We have addressed the wall to the west of the central ‘Memorial’ and created an entrance ‘Title Wall’ faced with polished black granite. This wall will contain all the insignia and text describing the Memorial, in one place. 

‘USS Houston Remembrance’:

Also remembered, is the USS Houston who fought along side the HMAS Perth and was also tragically lost in the battle of Sunda Strait.

‘Landscaping’:

Rather than traditional lawn or grassed areas, the entire memorial site will be paved in a refined, architectural treatment using 20mm thick, non-slip, flamed surface granite. This durable and low-maintenance stone finish is not only a practical choice for public safety and longevity, but also enhances the solemn dignity of the space.

Two contrasting shades of grey granite will be used, carefully selected to harmonize with the existing architecture while subtly evoking the hues of ‘Navy Grey’—the signature colour of naval vessels. These tonal variations will help define the space, guiding movement and creating visual rhythm, while also serving a symbolic function: light and dark working together, echoing the interplay of shadow and reflection on a ship’s hull at sea.

This restrained palette allows the granite to act as a canvas for the memorial’s sculptural and illuminated glass elements, ensuring they remain the emotional and visual focal point. The stone itself, however, adds to the narrative—it speaks of endurance, of the maritime environment, and of the enduring strength and discipline of those who served.

The decision to eliminate lawn also reflects a conscious effort to preserve the meditative quality of the space. Without the distraction or seasonal maintenance requirements of grass, the site becomes an unbroken contemplative plane—quiet, timeless, and resolved.

Creative Inspiration

Introduction:
The following statement by the artists outlines the creative and conceptual inspiration behind the HMAS Perth (I) Memorial. It explores not only the emotional intent behind the design, but also the profound scientific realities that shape how we see, remember, and honour those who served—and those who were lost.

The creative inspiration behind the design of a memorial such as this is deeply layered—an intricate fusion of visual, cultural, historical, and emotional elements, all distilled into a structurally engineered form. It is, in essence, a synthesis of art, memory, emotion, and science.

Our vision is to create a spiritual temple in memory of the men lost on HMAS Perth (I)—a sacred space in which the visitor becomes a kind of pilgrim. Upon entering, they are not merely observers, but are figuratively and physically drawn into the Memorial itself. This intensely emotive experience—of becoming immersed in glowing images of the ship and her crew—is overwhelming in its immediate, tactile intensity. In that moment, the visitor becomes part of the crew, a silent witness to their life and times, almost as if they were truly on board.

This profound effect is made possible through the mysterious and beautiful properties of light and glass, which we explore in a visionary fusion of art and science—a synthesis we believe to be unique in memorial design.

Our concept for the HMAS Perth (I) Memorial goes far beyond the purely physical. As its creators, we feel it is essential to share how this convergence of disciplines—artistic and scientific—inspired our approach to memorialisation.

When one prints a photograph onto a flat surface, the eye perceives it through a basic optical process: photons—the subatomic particles that comprise light—bounce off the image and into the retina, where the brain interprets light and shadow. This is the fundamental mechanism by which we ‘see.’

However, when we print that same image onto glass, a far more complex and fascinating interaction occurs. In our vision for the HMAS Perth (I) Memorial, we embrace the quantum properties of photons—engaging not just light and form, but space, time, and memory. The transparent medium allows photons not only to reflect back to the eye but also to pass through and continue their journey—traveling beyond the artwork, beyond the atmosphere, and into the vastness of the Universe. These massless particles, created in unimaginable numbers within the Sun every second, travel at the speed of light and may continue their journey for eternity.

A poetic—and scientific—consequence of this is that the photons passing through our memorial carry with them the images held in the glass. These images are not static; they radiate outward in all directions on electromagnetic wavefronts, potentially forever.

Even more extraordinary is the phenomenon known as quantum entanglement. At the subatomic level, particles like photons that originate in close proximity can become entangled. This means they remain connected, in a state of shared information, regardless of the distance between them—even across billions of light years. Modern physics has confirmed this “spooky action at a distance,” as Einstein once called it. It is real, measurable, and profoundly mysterious.

Our vision is to draw the visitor into this quantum vortex, making them not passive viewers but active participants in the function of the Memorial. As they stand before the images of the Perth’s crew—also captured in glass—their own reflections join the scene. In that moment, they too are entangled in memory. Their image, carried by the same stream of photons, joins that of the fallen. The observer becomes, in a deeply symbolic way, part of the crew.

This is not fanciful poetry—it is grounded in the most successful theory of physics ever devised: quantum mechanics. Without it, there would be no radio, no lasers, no computers, no GPS. One of its core principles is that energy cannot be destroyed, and therefore, the information imprinted on that energy cannot be destroyed either.

From this, we draw a breathtaking conclusion: that every moment of life aboard HMAS Perth (I)—every smile, every footstep, every breath—was recorded at a quantum level, and has been radiating outward into the Universe ever since 1942.

It is our hope that the images embedded in this memorial—radiating in tandem with those ancient photons—might one day, somewhere in the cosmos, meet the light of the original crew. That they might travel together, side by side, forever.

And so, we send this message—a message in a glass bottle—into the quantum sea: to the men of HMAS Perth (I), to let them know that they are not forgotten.

Lest we Forget.
Charles Smith OAM & Joan Walsh Smith OAM
Smith Sculptors