HMAS PERTH (1) MEMORIAL
Dedicated To
The memorial will acknowledge and honour the members of the ship’s company who:
1. Perished in the Battle of Sunda Strait
2. Survived the battle and attempted to avoid capture
3. Were captured, Imprisoned and enslaved Java,
4. Died as prisoners of war
5. Finally returned to Australia or the United Kingdom
The memorial will also acknowledge the families whose lives were forever changed by the loss of HMAS Perth on 1 March 1942.
The memorial will also acknowledge the USS Houston which was also lost in the Battle of Sundra Strait.
Please read about the Memorial, you can read names of all crew on HMAS Perth 1
There was a strong and lasting friendship between 2/4th and WA survivors of HMAS Perth, including:
BANCROFT, Arthur ‘Blood’ – Ordinary Seaman
BEE, William ‘Bill’ Arthur – Ordinary Signalman Author of ‘All men back, all one big mistake’
FULLER, Norman Frederick – Able Seaman
HARPER, Sydney ‘Syd’ James – Stoker 2nd Class
SKEELS, Frederick ‘Fred’ Gordon -Able Seaman Author ‘Java Rabble: A story of a ship, slavery and survival’
Well known to many was author Ray Parkin who wrote several books about POW life as well as historical books. He was was also talented illustrator.
PARKIN, Raymond Edward – Petty Officer
The Memorial was opened in March 2025.
The Battle in Sundra Strait
and sinking of HMAS PERTH & USS HOUSTON
1 MARCH 1942 OFF COAST OF JAVA
HMAS PERTH
Crew
Below: HMAS Perth on earlier service Mediterranean
HMAS PERTH – AWM
Above: HMAS Perth during Battle at Sundra Straits when HMAS Perth was sunk.
THE SINKING OF
HMAS PERTH & USS HOUSTON IN SUNDRA STRAIT 1942
‘On the night of 27 February 1942, an Allied force of 14 ships, including Perth, engaged Japanese naval forces in the disastrous Battle of the Java Sea. Attempting to prevent the Japanese invasion of Java, 5 Allied ships (3 Dutch and 2 British) were lost in the engagement. Perth and USS Houston were lucky to survive. The Japanese invasion of Java went ahead on the 28th, delayed by just one day.
After surviving the battle, Perth and Houston proceeded to Tanjong Priok. They received orders to continue on to Tjilatjap via the Sunda Strait. Air intelligence had identified a large enemy invasion force north-east of Batavia (Jakarta). however, it was thought that the convoy escort would be unlikely to interfere with the passage of Perth and Houston through the Sunda Strait.
The two Allied cruisers were already low on fuel and ammunition. They encountered the Japanese escort late on 28 February, north of Banten Bay, Java, and immediately engaged.
Perth received its first hit at 11:26pm, followed by 2 more hits in quick succession. Ammunition was reduced to a few 6-inch practice shells and some star shells. Perth’s commanding officer, Captain Hector ‘Hec’ Waller, decided to attempt to force a passage through the strait. He ordered full speed and altered course for Toppers Island.
Perth had barely steadied on course when it was struck on the starboard side by a torpedo at 5 minutes after midnight. A second torpedo hit, prompting Captain Waller to give the order to abandon ship. Perth sank at approximately 00:25am having received two further torpedo hits.
Houston was also struck by several torpedos and sunk shortly after Perth. Of its complement of 1,061, only 368 survived the sinking. A further 77 later died in captivity.
The above information has been copied from Australian Navy for which we thank and acknowledge.
Most of the POWs on Java were sent to work on the Burma-Thai Railway. Please read about Java Parties 4 and 3
HMAS PERTH CREW TAKEN POWS OF JAPAN IN JAVA
Of the 681 personnel aboard, 353, including Captain Waller, did not survive the sinking. Four later died having managed to reach shore on Java, and 106 died in captivity. Just 218 survived to be repatriated to Australia.
In October 1942 survivors from the HMAS Perth were shipped to Singapore, and then to Burma. In October 1942, 385 Australians, commanded by Major L.J. Robertson, left Java on board the Moji Maru; they joined up with A Force on 17 January 1943.
HMAS PERTH men well known to 2/4th include:
Ordinary Seaman ARTHUR BANCROFT
Able Seaman Norman Frederick FULLER
Stoker 2nd Class SYDNEY JAMES HARPER
Able Seaman Frederick Gordon SKEELS
Please read about Java Force 3 and 4.
Please read further the battle of these two ships in the Sundra Strait 1942 at the Warfare History Newtwork
USS HOUSTON
Below: Franklin D. Roosevelt, deep sea fishing on USS Houston.
Below: USS Houston Manila Bay 1940-41
Above: USS Houston – Sundra Strait 1942
Please read further about Tanjong Priok Port, Java 1942