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HMAS Sydney and HSK Kormoran – Possible and Probable Search Areas

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Author
and
Subjects
WWI operations
Tags
Ship sinking, SS Aquitania, Kormoran
RAN Ships
Publication
March 1994 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

It may be apposite for the relevant bodies to examine the use of wind-driven current under off-shore conditions where the sea surface current and other Coriolis force effects.

Relevant factors considered were:- (a) weather conditions at the time of the action between SYDNEY and KORMORAN about 1800 on 19 Nov. 41; (b) sea surface current; (c) ship drift; (d) mean difference of navigating charts; (e) the Leewin current; (f) wind; and (g) wind-driven current.

In the approximate position supplied by KORMORAN survivors, it is unclear from the secondary descriptions of the survivor’s reports whether they were referring to point of contact or point of loss, a factor which would add another 11 nautical miles to the error, assuming that the officially accepted account of the engagement is correct.

Also taken into account was the subsequent recovery of KORMORAN survivors by AQUITANIA on 23 November and that relationship to drifting rafts and other objects. If sailpower is discounted, the track of AQUITANIA must fall on or near the position of the wrecks, simply because the raft was drifting ‘up’ AQUITANIA’s track.

In summary, the analysis supports the conclusion that SYDNEY and KORMORAN met in the Sunda Strait to Cape Leeuwin track, and that the wrecks therefore lie on or near the track.

It is clear that an exhaustive analysis has been pursued upon which the future search for KORMORAN then SYDNEY will be based. Further, that the project will require a continuing and demanding effort involving much expertise. We look forward to its eventual success.

Table 6
Summary of site, search, debris and wreck information for Titanic and Bismarck and Sydney

Parameter Metric Titanic Bismarck Sydney
Year(s) 1980-85 1988
Depth metres 3785 4700 800-2500
Area:
Landslide km 2 nil 1.9
Debris km 2 1.7 5.2
Slope ratio 1 in 1000 1 in 15-20 1 in 50 4
Search Area km 2 500 4 484 4200 – 7100
Search Time days 48 20 ?
  1. Estimate based on Ballard (1989)
  2. Estimate based on Ballard (1990)
  3. 1985 search only.
  4. Average value based on slope of edge of continental shelf

[Ed: Footnotes included in the Original Report have not been included in the Review.]

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