By Molly Magennis
Navy personnel have commemorated the 80th anniversary of the sinking of a ship that served during World War II in Newport this week.
A service was held on March 6 to remember those aboard the HMAS Yarra II, which was sunk on March 4 1942, about 500 kilometres south of central Java by the Japanese navy.
Of the 151 crew members aboard the ship, only 13 survived after spending five days in a life raft.
Commanding Officer HMAS Cerberus, Captain Ainsley Morthorpe, joined descendants of the survivors and HMAS Yarra Association members at the memorial to the ship in Newport to remember those lost as a result of the tragedy.
Captain Morthorpe spoke at the commemoration on behalf of the Commanding Officer of the current HMAS Yarra IV Lieutenant Commander Jason Dawson, who had been called to support Operation Flood Assist in Queensland and NSW.
“He was truly honoured and humbled by your invitation and seeks to do justice to those who served in His Majesty’s Australian Ship Yarra II (U77) on this 80th year of commemoration,” he said.
This service commenced with Vicki Birkhead, granddaughter of survivor Bruce Cairncross, handing over the HMAS Yarra II banner her grandmother had made for the survivors to march under upon their return to Australia.
The banner was held throughout the ceremony by Australian Naval Cadets from Training Ship Voyager in Williamstown.
The current HMAS Yarra IV was built in NSW and was commissioned on March 1, 2003.
