HMAS PERTH MEMORIAL 

Construction starts on the commemorative wall, the first phase of the HMAS Perth (I) Memorial.

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Preparing the ground for the memorial wall.
Digging the trench for the footings.
Foundation Chairman Mike Bailey and committee member Bob Mummery checking out the slab and reinforcing rods for the commemorative wall.
A good view of the first stage of the wall which will support the granite tablets.
Memorial project leader Jim O’Neil checking over the construction so far.

The HMAS Perth (I) Exhibition is opened by the Lord Mayor of Perth, Basil Zempilas

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BAE Systems were a major supporter of the Foundation Exhibition this year. The model ships were built by Gerry Westenberg.
Chairman of the Foundation, Mike Bailey gave the opening address in front of a banner with 216 names of the crew of the HMAS Perth (I). The banner was created by Lucy Bromwell, the membership coordinator for the Nedlands Yacht Club. The printing was paid for by the office of Hon Lisa O’Malley MLA.
Mike Bailey, the Chairman for the HMAS Perth Memorial Foundation Inc.
The Lord Mayor of Perth, Basil Zempilas opening the exhibition.
The Lord Mayor of the City of Perth with a small selection of the guests at the opening of the exhibition.
From the left, the Hon. Dan Caddy MLC, Cmd Bret Dowsing, (RAN Retd.) and Rob Waller listening to the opening address.
The Lord Mayor of the City of Perth in front of the banner with 216 name of the crew of the HMAS Perth (I).
Mr Jules Moore representing BAE Systems presenting a cheque to Mike Bailey as the Chairman of the HMAS Perth (I) Memorial Foundation Inc.
Cmd Tony Nagel, Captain of HMAS Perth (III) accompanied by two sailors examining artifacts of HMAS Perth (I). These items will soon be transferred to the Foundation for safe keeping.
From the left, Mike Bailey, Foundation Chairman, Cmd Bret Dowsing, Bob Mummery from the Foundation, Cmd Tony Nagel, Captain of Perth (III) and Jim O’Neil, project leader for the HMAS Perth (I) Memorial.
The Bell Ringers who provided a special ringing dedicated to the crew of the HMAS Perth (I).

Press release 16 March-HMAS Perth(I) Exhibition

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Press release: HMAS Perth(I) Exhibition

Location.  City of Perth Townhall under croft, corner of Hay and Barrack Street.

Dates.  Open to the public on the 4th, 5th, 8th and 9th of March.

Tickets.  Free entry.

Contact.  David Nicolson, email. dcnicolson@gmail.com.  Ph 94484987

Web page.  www.hmasperth1memorial.com.au

The HMAS Perth(I) Memorial Foundation Inc. will be holding an exhibition to commemorate the HMAS Perth(I) and the USS Houston which were lost at the Battle of Sunda Strait in March 1942.

The exhibition will be opened on the 3rd of March by the Lord Mayor of Perth, Basil Zemplis for invited guests.

This free exhibition will be held in the City of Perth Town Hall under croft and will be open to the public on the of 4th, 5th, 8th and 9th March from 10am to 4pm. 

The HMAS Perth(I) Memorial Foundation, with the help of the City of Perth, are putting on this exhibition to promote the proposed building of a memorial to those lost during the battle, those who died in captivity and those who returned after the war.  

Featured will be a model of the proposed memorial to be built on Riverside Road, East Fremantle, artefacts and paintings of HMAS Perth (I) provided by the City of Perth, exhibits on loan from the  HMAS Stirling museum and large scale models of all five ships sunk by the Japanese during the Battles of the Java Sea and Sunda Stait. 

Banners and video presentation will tell the story of this tragic loss.

A new addition to the commemoration event this year there will be the ringing of the bells from the Bell Tower following the official opening at 1.30 on the 3rd of March.  Eight bell ringers will perform a quarter peal of a Grandsire Triple which will last for 47 minutes. A second quarter peal will be rung on Saturday 5 March at midday, so that the bells can be heard by members of the public attending the exhibition. (More information on the history and reasons for the bell ringing can be provided if required.)

David Nicolson

16-2-2022

HMAS Perth (I) display at the Albany Maritime Festival

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Albany’s Princess Royal Fortress put on a display commemorating the loss of the HMAS Perth (I) and the USS Houston.  It used the banners recently acquired by the Foundation and models of the Perth and Houston built by Gerry Westenberg.  We have curator David Theodore to thank for making this possible.  The display are is quite small but it was well presented and gave the Foundation yet another opportunity to spread the word.

 


 

The annual Church service to commemorate the loss of HMAS Perth(I) and USS Houston at the Battle of Sunda Strait.

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A service was held at the St John the Evangelist church in Fremantle on Sunday the 28th of February to remember those lost on HMAS Perth(I) and  USS Houston, those who died in the POW camps and those who returned home after the war.  The service was presided over by the Rector of Fremantle, Patrick King with the US Consul General, representatives from the City of Fremantle, HMAS Stirling, the United States Navy, relatives of the survivors and numerous service organizations also in attendance.

Patrick King, the Rector of Fremantle reads the service .

 

Colin Bancroft announces those laying the wreaths.

 

Captain Lawton, CO of HMAS Stirling does the reading.

 

Captain Lawton lays a wealth in front of the model of HMAS Perth(I) and the banner showing the the ships’ battle honours.

 

CMD Chris Cleverger representing the United States Navy laying a wreath.

 

Trevor Vincent laying a wreath on behalf of the HMAS Perth Memorial Foundation.

 

CMD Nagle, Captain of HMAS Perth(III) lays wreath on behalf of the Royal Australian Navy.

 

Standing to attention during the playing of ‘tapps’.

     

Launch of the HMAS Perth(I) exhibition.

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On the 27th on February 2021, the HMAS Perth(I) Memorial Foundation Inc., in conduction with the City of Perth, put on a display to commemorate the loss of the Perth and the Houston at the battle of Sunda Stait in March 1942.  Over 50 people attended the launch which was opened by the Governor  of Western Australia, Kim Beazley AC.  Over the next week 300 people visited the display which included artifacts and paintings on loan from the City of Perth, items of interest from the HMAS Stirling museum, models of the ships involved in the actions and a set of 9 banners and a video produced by the Australian National Maritime Museum which provided the complete story of those tragic events

Mike Bailey, Chair of the HMAS Perth(I) Memorial Foundation.

 

Kim Beazley AC, Governor of WA officially opens the exhibition.

 

The Governor and Mike Bailey examine the model of the proposed HMAS Perth (I) Memorial designed by Charles Smith and Joan Walsh-Smith

 

The Governor chatting with Colin Bancroft whose father, Arthur ‘Blood’ Bancroft was one of the few from HMAS Perth(I) to return to Australia.

 

A painting of HMAS Perth under fire during the Battle of Sunda Strait above a banner showing its battle honours.

 

Commander Nagle, the newly appointed Captain of HMAS Perth(III) signing the visitor’s book.

 

The Governor spending some time with Mike Bailey, second from the left, LCMD Chapman and Captain Lawton, both from HMAS Stirling.

 

CPO Bill Prince from HMAS Stirling looks on as the Governor is first to sign the visitor’s book.

 

Jim O’Neill, project manager for the proposed memorial with Robert Waller, grand son of Captain Hec Waller who went down with his ship, the HMAS Perth(I) on March the first, 1942.

Five models of the ships lost in the battles of the Java Sea and Sunda Strait.

They were on loan from an exhibition of models built by Gerry Westenberg being held at the Fremantle Shipwreck Museum .

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The Nedlands Yacht Club Annual HMAS Perth Regatta

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CMDR Nagle, the new Captain of HMAS Perth(III) chatting with LCDR Chapman, also from the Perth, and Jim O’Neill the project leader for the proposed HMAS Perth(I) memorial.
Colin Bancroft, son of the late ‘Blood’ Bancroft one of the few survivors of the HMAS Perth(I) pointing out his father on the Roll of Honour produced by the Nedlands Yacht Club.
From the left, Peter Javis, President of the HMAS Perth(I) National Association (WA), LCDR Chapman and CMDR Nagle of HMAS Perth(III), Jim O’Neil of the Memorial Foundation and Mike Bailey, Chairman of the Memorial Foundation.
Gerry Westenberg with his model of the HMAS Perth(I)
From the left, Mike Bailey from the Foundation, Captain Gary Lawton and Peter Javis from the Foundation.
From the left, Captain Lawton, Robert Waller, grandson of the late Captain Waller of the HMAS Perth(I) and CMDR Nagle, Captain of HMAS Perth(III)
David Gainer, the US Consul General for WA addresses the attendees for the HMAS Perth regatta held at the Nedlands Yacht club
Peter Javis in his capacity as the President of the HMAS Perth National Association reads the Ode
Captain Lawton inspects the Guard of Honour put on by the Australian Naval Cadets
A minutes silence in acknowledgement for those lost from the HMAS Perth(I) and the USS Houston at the Battle of Sunda Strait, March 1942