HMAS Perth in the Battle of Sunda Strait
After service in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and in the Mediterranean, the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth transferred to the Pacific to reinforce the Allied naval forces opposing Japan. With British, Dutch and American ships she took part in the Battle of the Java Sea, a costly action which preceded the Japanese invasion of Java on the night of 28 February to 1 March 1942. Perth and the US cruiser, Houston, attempted to make passage southwards through the Sunda Strait, but encountered a large enemy fleet in Bantam Bay. Both cruisers were sunk by gunfire and torpedoes in the fierce fight which ensued, but not before inflicting considerable damage to the enemy. Perth lost 350 officers and men including her commander, Captain H.M.L Waller, DSO.
- About Dennis Adams
Dennis Adams was born in Sydney but when his father, a marine engineer, retired from the sea the family moved to a sheep farm in Queensland. Stories of adventures at sea gave him a desire to experience life on the oceangoing sailing vessels. When the family visited Sydney Dennis was taken to see the magnificent windjammers enter the Heads – linking Australia with ‘the rest of the world’.
Adams demonstrated that he was a gifted draftsman and when he finished school was accepted as a student at the Julian Ashton School of Art in Sydney. After completing his Art studies, the 20-year-old Adams lived in Sydney and worked as a commercial artist with artists such as William Dobell and Lloyd Rees.
Adams had two desires. One was to continue his art studies at the Royal Academy of Art in London - the other was to sail on one of the windjammers that he had seen entering Sydney Harbour when he was a lad.
By the 1930s many of the windjammers coming to Australia now only visited South Australian ports so in 1935 Adams moved to South Australia and signed on as an ‘able-bodied passenger’ on the Herzogin Cecilie.
Adams, joined the port watch and lived and worked in the fo’c’s’le. He made a pictorial record of life on a windjammer. His quick oil sketches chronicled the crew as they set or reduced sail as well as completing important maintenance tasks on board.
Adams arrived in Falmouth in 1935 with his oil sketches on sail canvas and headed for London to enrol at the Royal Academy of Arts. He spent several years studying art at the Royal Arts School, with its emphasis on life drawing and figurative work.
Iin 1939 Adams returned to Australia on Erikson’s Lawhill. Like when he was on Herzogin Cecilie he made many quick oil sketches of the crew at work on the ship.
On his return to Australia Adams enlisted as a solider in the 18th Battalion and was later seconded to the Department of Home Security for camouflage work. In 1942 he was appointed an official war artist to represent the activities of the Australian and US Navies and the merchant marine in the South Pacific.
After WWII Adams established a career as an artist specialising mainly in maritime and war art. Adams also taught art at the East Sydney Technical College. He completed numerous public works of sculptural art, many in bronze.
In 1989, Dennis Adams was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his contributions to the arts.
- About HMAS Perth (l)
HMS Amphion was the first of three modified Leander Class cruisers built by the Royal Navy that were later transferred to the Royal Australian Navy. HMS Amphion was renamed HMAS Perth. Her main duty was escorting convoys.
More reading
- Additional resources for Dennis Adams
- Additional resources for HMAS Perth (l)
