Attack Attack on Sydney Harbour

hmas kuttabul following japanese attack

despite blackout order, garden island floodlights remained on until 00:25. 5 minutes later, m-24 fired first of 2 torpedoes; delayed firing second torpedo several minutes midget submarines lose longitudinal stability after firing torpedo. historians divided exact paths of torpedoes relative chicago, although agree cruiser intended target. both torpedoes missed chicago, while 1 torpedo may have passed close perkins starboard bow. 1 of torpedoes continued underneath dutch submarine k-ix , hmas kuttabul, hit breakwater kuttabul tied against. explosion broke kuttabul in 2 , sank her, , damaged k-ix. attack killed 19 royal australian navy , 2 royal navy sailors, , wounded 10. explosion shook residences in area , damaged garden island s lights , telecommunications. other torpedo ran aground on eastern shore of garden island without exploding. m-24 dived , moved leave harbour.

the unexploded torpedo @ garden island several days after attack

a crossing on indicator loop recorded @ 01:58 believed midget submarine entering harbour, although later analysis showed reading indicated outbound vessel , therefore represented m-24 s exit. m-24 did not return mother submarine, , fate remained unknown until 2006.

ships ordered make open ocean. chicago left anchorage @ 02:14, leaving sailor behind on mooring buoy in haste depart. bombay, whyalla, canberra, , perkins began preparations depart.

just before 03:00, chicago leaving harbour, lookouts spotted submarine periscope passing alongside cruiser. @ 03:01, indicator loop registered inbound signal; m-21 re-entering sydney harbour after recovering attack 4 hours previously. hms kanimbla fired on m-21 in neutral bay @ 03:50, , @ 05:00, 3 auxiliary patrol boats—hmas steady hour, sea mist, , yarroma—spotted submarine s conning tower in taylors bay. patrol boats had set depth charge fuses 15 m (49 ft), , when sea mist passed on submarine had submerged , dropped depth charge, had 5 seconds clear area. blast damaged m-21, inverted , rose surface before sinking again. sea mist dropped second depth charge, damaged 1 of 2 engines in process , prevented making further attacks. steady hour , yarroma continued attack, dropping seventeen depth charges on believed visual sightings , instrument contacts of midget on next 3 , half hours. @ point during night, crew of m-21 killed themselves.

at 04:40, hmas canberra recorded japanese may have fired torpedoes @ her. may have been 1 of many false alarms throughout night. however, m-21 had attempted fire 2 torpedoes, failed because of damage bow either hmas yandra s ramming or depth charges, or possible collision uss chicago, making possible m-21 attempted attack cruiser. observer aboard canberra may have seen bubbles compressed air released fire torpedoes.

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