The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
A group of bearded members of HMAS Perth. Left centre is Leading Seaman George Frederick "Moggy" Catmull of Abbotsford, Vic; the second to the right of him is 18905 James Duncan Cooper and bottom right hand is Pat Hannon. On the night of 28 February 1942 the Australian cruiser HMAS Perth, together with the USS Houston, encountered a large Japanese force near Batavia (now Jakarta). By chance, the two cruisers had met the Japanese invasion force assigned to western Java. A fierce five hour fight ensued until, out-numbered and out-gunned, HMAS Perth was sunk at about 12.25 am on 1 March after being struck by five torpedoes and a number of shells. The Houston, still fighting but ablaze, was also hit by torpedoes and sank shortly afterwards. Catmull was one of hundreds of men lost when the Perth was sunk. Of the Perth's company of 686, only 218 (including one civilian and two RAAF personnel) were ever to return to Australia; the remainder were killed during, or soon after the action, or died as prisoners of war. Captain H M L 'Hec' Waller DSO and Bar was lost with his ship.
Informal portrait of Captain Hector Macdonald Laws 'Hec' Waller DSO RAN, smoking a pipe on the bridge of HMAS Stuart. Captain Waller, took command of HMAS Perth on 24 October 1941. On the night of 2
Informal outdoor portrait of Sub Lieutenant (Sub Lt) Albert Leonard Ball, HMAS Perth. Sub Lt Ball was killed in action on 1 March 1942. On the night of 28 February 1942 the Australian cruiser HMAS Pe
Studio portrait of S4505 Able Seaman (AB) Sydney Clarence Glossop of Merrylands, NSW. Glossop enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy on 30 August 1940. Following training at HMAS Cerberus he was tra
Informal portrait of 16506 Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Roland Robertson Hubbard, RAN, of Deniliquin, NSW, who enlisted on 5 May 1925. He was killed in action on 1 March 1942, whilst serving aboard HMAS
The ship's bell from the United States Navy light cruiser, USS Houston. The USS Houston and HMAS Perth were both sunk in a night action in the early hours of 1 March 1942 when they encountered the Ja
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 B
