END OF CANBERRA

Southland Times, Issue 24829, 22 August 1942, Page 5

END OF CANBERRA

Attack In Pitch Darkness

(Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.)

(Rec. 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 21. Heavy enemy broadsides struck the cruiser Canberra during the night of the action in Solomon Islands waters on August 9 and the ship sank some hours later. Vivid stories of the action and the heroism of many members of the crew, are told by survivors. In the darkness below decks surgeons and their assistants worked desperately amid the wreckage to treat the wounded and give what aid they could to the dying. The crew of the Canberra stayed with the ship until it became obvious that nothing more could be done. Most of the lifeboats were unusable, but two destroyers came alongside just as dawn was breaking and many of the crew escaped by ropes slung from the Canberra to the destroyers. The Canberra was attacked by a Japanese force in pitch darkness about 1.45 a.m. The first Japanese salvoes hit the bridge, mortally wounding Captain F. E. Getting. At the same time the 4-inch gun deck was hit and most of the guns put out of action. Captain Getting, despite his wounds, refused medical attention until the doctors had attended to all the ratings. Mortally wounded, he sat on a stool on the ship s bridge directing final operations. For three days before the night of the attack the Canberra had been on patrol as part of a naval covering force. Each day she and her companion ships were attacked by Japanese bombers which came over 40 and 50 at a time. The Canberra was not hit by any of

these attacks. Often the Japanese bombers were dispersed by American fighters before reaching their targets. Some 600 survivors who reached an Australian port were mostly wearing American Army uniforms. There were moving scenes when they came ashore and were greeted by their wives, mothers and sweethearts, who had waited hours to meet them.

A small Japanese warship fired star shells to illuminate the Canberra as a target for the bigger Japanese ships in the background, according to the story of one survivor. The enemy fired salvoes and torpedoes at the Canberra. A Japanese cruiser opened fire at 2000 to 3000 yards range. The ready-use magazines were set alight and the ship must have blown up but for the heroism of the crew, who removed the ammunition and dumped it over the side. All the survivors pay tribute to the work of the three ships’ doctors, who risked their lives to save others and give assistance to the wounded and dying by the aid of torchlight. At a sort near the scene of action an Allied lospital ship took aboard 70 of the more seriously wounded men. One of the ship’s officers said it was very difficult to give a clear picture of the action because of the rapidity with which it occurred. It was bad luck the Canberra had been hit. Some of the survivors were in the water for several hours before being rescued. They told how sharks rubbed against their rafts and were belted off with paddles.