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'Australian Hospital Ship (AHS) ''Centaur''' was a hospital ship active during World War II, which was attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine in 1943. Of the 332 medical personnel and crew aboard, 268 died.
The Scottish-built vessel was launched in 1924 as a combination passenger liner/freighter and operated a trade route between Western Australia and Singapore via the island of Java, carrying passengers, cargo, and livestock. ''Centaur'' served in both civilian and military capabilities and during her career was involved in towing a damaged Japanese whale-chaser and recovering German survivors of the engagement between HMAS ''Sydney'' and HSK ''Kormoran''.
Following her early-1943 conversion to a hospital ship, ''Centaur'' served with the Second Australian Imperial Force. Before dawn on 14 May, 1943, while on her second voyage, ''Centaur'' was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine off North Stradbroke Island, Queensland. The majority of the 332 aboard died in the attack and the 64 survivors had to wait for 36 hours before they were rescued. The attack resulted in public outrage as it was considered to be a war crime. Protests were made by the Australian and British governments to Japan and efforts were made to discover the people responsible so they could be tried at a war crimes tribunal. Despite this, it was not until 1979 that the attacking submarine, ''I-177'', was identified.
The events surrounding the sinking of ''Centaur'' are controversial because it has been attested that she may have been in breach of the international conventions that should have protected her. Efforts to locate the final resting place of the ship have been made but, in spite of a false identification made in 1995 which stood until 2003, the location of ''Centaur'' is still unknown, as is the reason for the attack.
Design and construction
Original design
In early 1923, the Ocean Steamship Company (better known as Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel Line) decided that a new vessel would be required to replace the aging ''Charon'' on the West Australia to Singapore trade route.[1] The vessel had to be capable of simultaneously transporting passengers, cargo, and livestock. She also had to be capable of resting on mud flats out of the water as the tidal variance in ports at the northern end of Western Australia was as great as eight metres.[2]
Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in Greenock, Scotland was chosen to construct ''Centaur''. The ship's keel was laid on 16 November, 1923, with the ship ready for collection by 29 August, 1924. ''Centaur'' was designed to carry 72 passengers and 450 cattle.[3] Cargo was carried in four holds, and while the two decks within the hull were primarily for livestock, they could instead be used as additional cargo space.[4] The hull of the ship was of the 'turret deck' design; the underwater decks being wider than those above water with the reinforced flat bottom allowing the ship to rest on the bottom without damage. ''Centaur'' was amongst the first civilian vessels to be equipped with a diesel engine.[5] One of the most visible characteristics was the 35 ft (10.5 m) smokestack, the extreme size was more a concession to tradition than of practical advantage on a diesel-powered vessel. ''Centaur'' was constructed at a cost of £146,750 pounds sterling.
In December 1939, ''Centaur'' underwent a minor refit in Hong Kong, receiving a new propeller and having a supercharger fitted to the engine.[6] The supercharger broke down in April 1942 and could not be repaired due to wartime shortages and restricted dockyard access for non-military vessels.[7]
Hospital ship refit
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One of ''Centaur's wards shortly after her conversion to a hospital ship
At the beginning of 1943, ''Centaur'' was placed at the disposal of the Australian Department of Defence for conversion to a hospital ship.[8] The conversion was performed by United Ship Services in Melbourne, Australia, and was initially estimated to cost £20,000 Australian pounds.[9]
The cost increased to almost A£55,000, for a variety of reasons. It was originally intended for the ship to travel between ports in New Guinea to Townsville in Queensland, Australia. Increasing casualty numbers in the New Guinea campaign meant that the hospitals in Queensland would quickly become unable to deal with the quantity of the casualties and the nature of their injuries, so a longer voyage to Sydney was required. The Army demanded that additional facilities and conversions be added to the original plans such as expanded bathing and washing facilities, hot water made available to all parts of the ship through installation of a calorifier, the rerouting of all steam pipes away from patient areas, and ventilation arrangements suitable for tropical conditions. The unions representing the ship's crew requested improved living and dining conditions, including new sinks in the food preparation areas and the replacement of flooring in the quarters and mess rooms.
When AHS ''Centaur'' was relaunched on 12 March, 1943, she was equipped with an operating theatre, dispensary, two wards (located on the former cattle decks), a dental surgery, along with quarters for seventy five crew and sixty five permanent Army medical staff.[10][11] To maintain the ship's mean draught of 6.1 metres, 900 kilograms of iron stone were distributed through the cargo holds as ballast. AHS ''Centaur'' was capable of voyages of 18 days before resupply and could carry just over 250 patients.[12]
Operational History
1924 to 1938
When ''Centaur'' entered service at the end of 1924, the Fremantle-Java-Singapore trade route was being serviced by two other Blue Funnel Line vessels; ''Gorgon'' (which remained in service until 1928) and ''Charon'' (which ''Centaur'' was replacing).[13] ''Centaur's route ran from Fremantle up the Western Australian coast to the Bali Strait, Surabaya, Semarang, Batavia and Singapore. During her service, ''Centaur'' filled the profiles of both a tramp steamer and a freight liner as, while she travelled a set route, stops at ports located along that route varied between journeys. From 1928 until an unknown point in the 1930s, ''Centaur'' remained alone on her route. An increase in trade along this route prompted Blue Funnel Line to reassign ''Gorgon'' and assign the new ''Charon'' to work alongside ''Centaur''.[14]
A highlight of ''Centaur's pre-war career was the rescue of the 385 ton Japanese whale-chaser ''Kyo Maru II'' in November 1938.[15] ''Kyo Maru II'' had developed boiler problems while returning from the Antarctic and was drifting towards the Houtman Abrolhos Archipelago, where she was in danger of being wrecked by the reefs in the area. ''Centaur'' responded to the distress signal and was easily able to tow ''Kyo Maru II'' to Geraldton, Western Australia.
1939 to 1942
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Survivors from HSK ''Kormoran'' under tow in ''Centaur's'' lifeboats
As a vessel of the British Merchant Navy, ''Centaur'' was affected by the British Parliament's 1939 outline of how the Merchant Navy would respond to the declaration of war, primarily submission to the Admiralty in all matters excluding the crewing and management of vessels. Following the outbreak of World War II on 3 September, 1939, ''Centaur'' was equipped with a stern mounted 4 inch Mark IX naval gun and two .303 Vickers machine guns located on the bridge wings for protection against Axis warships and aircraft. She was also fitted with port and starboard paravanes and degaussing equipment for protection against naval mines.[16] The weapons were removed during the hospital ship refit although the anti-mine countermeasures remained.[17] ''Centaur'' initially remained in service on her original trade route.
On 26 November, 1941, a damaged lifeboat carrying 62 Kriegsmarine sailors and officers was spotted by a search aircraft looking for HMAS ''Sydney''; the aircraft directed ''Centaur'' to the lifeboat.[18] Upon encountering the lifeboat, food was lowered to its 62 occupants while one person was allowed onboard to explain the situation.[19] Initially posing as a Norwegian merchant navy officer, the man quickly revealed that he was the first officer of the German auxiliary cruiser ''Kormoran'', and that the lifeboat contained crew, officers, and Captain Theodor Detmers, who had survived ''Kormoran''
Unwilling to leave the shipwrecked men at sea, but afraid of having his ship captured by the Germans, ''Centaur's Master decided to take the lifeboat in tow, after taking on nine wounded men.[20] During the tow towards Carnarvon, Western Australia, the lifeboat was swamped and partially sunk by rough seas. Two lifeboats were lowered from ''Centaur'', which the ''Kormoran'' crew transferred into, before the journey resumed. On arrival in Carnarvon, the Germans were detained in the number one cargo hold. An additional 100 ''Kormoran'' survivors had been collected by other ships, there were loaded aboard ''Centaur'' in the company of 40 Army guards.[19] They were transferred to Fremantle and placed in a prisoner of war camp, where they spent the rest of the war.
Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the beginning of the Malayan Campaign on 7 December, 1941, ''Centaur''
1943
Following Japan's entry into World War II, it became clear that the three hospital ships currently serving Australia, AHS ''Manunda'', AHS ''Wanganella'', and Dutch vessel ''Oranje'' were inappropriate for operating in the shallow confines of Maritime Southeast Asia and primarily from small, temporary ports.[8] Of the Australian Merchant Navy vessels able to operate in this region, none were suitable for conversion to a hospital ship. A request was sent to the British Ministry of Shipping, who responded on 4 January, 1943 by placing ''Centaur'' at the disposal of the Australian Department of Defence. The conversion work began on 9 January, and ''Centaur'' was commissioned as an Australian Hospital Ship on 1 March. Data on the ship's identifying markings and the layout of features such as funnel and masts was provided to the International Committee of the Red Cross during the first week of February 1943, who in turn provided the information to the Japanese on 5 February. This information was also circulated and promoted by the press and media.[24]
During her conversion, ''Centaur'' was painted with the markings of a hospital ship as detailed in Article 5 of the 10th section of the Hague Convention of 1907; white hull with a green band interspersed by three red crosses on each flank of the hull, white superstructure, multiple large red crosses positioned so that the ship's identity would be visible from both sea and air, and the identification number 47 on the bows.[25] At night, the markings were illuminated by a combination of internal and external lights.[26]
''Centaur'' entered operation as a hospital ship on 12 March, 1943.[27] The early stages of ''Centaur's'' first voyage as a hospital ship were test and transport runs; the initial run from Melbourne to Sydney had caused the Master, Chief Engineer, and Chief Medical Officer to compose a long list of defects requiring attention.[28] Following repairs she conducted a test run to transport wounded servicemen from Townsville to Brisbane, to ensure that she was capable of fulfilling the role of a medical vessel. Once this had been ascertained, ''Centaur'' was tasked with the delivery of medical personnel to Port Moresby, New Guinea, returning to Brisbane with Australian and American wounded along with a small number of wounded Japanese prisoners of war.[29]
Arriving in Sydney on 8 May, 1943, ''Centaur'' was re-provisioned at Darling Harbour, before departing for Cairns, Queensland on 12 May, 1943.[30] From there, her destination was again New Guinea. On board at the time were 74 crew, 8 army officers, 12 female army nurses, 45 other army personnel, 192 soldiers from the 2/12th Field Ambulance, and 1 Torres Strait ship pilot.[31][32] Most of the female nurses had transferred from hospital ship ''Oranje''[33] and all of the male Army personnel aboard were medical staff.[34] During the loading process there was an incident when the ambulance drivers attached to the 2/12th attempted to bring their rifles and personal supplies of ammunition aboard. Meeting with disapproval from ''Centaur''
Sinking
Events
At approximately 4:10 a.m. on 14 May, 1943, while on her second run from Sydney to Port Moresby, ''Centaur'' was torpedoed by an unknown and unsighted submarine.[36] The torpedo struck the portside oil fuel tank approximately two metres below the waterline, creating a hole eight to ten metres across, igniting the fuel, and setting the ship on fire from the bridge aft.[37] Many of those onboard were immediately killed by concussion or burned to death.[38] ''Centaur'' quickly took on water through the impact site, rolled to port, then began to sink bow-first in several hundred metres of water, submerging completely in less than three minutes. The rapid sinking prevented the deployment of lifeboats, although two broke off from ''Centaur'' as she sank, along with several damaged liferafts.[39]
''Centaur'' is recorded to have sunk at a point east-northeast of Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island, Queensland.[40] The estimated position was extrapolated from the dead reckoning position calculated at 4:00 a.m. by Second Officer Richard G. Rippon at the end of his watch, and taking into consideration ''Centaur's course and estimated speed at the time of the attack.[41]
Survivors
| Survivor breakdown[42] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Group | Embarked | Survived |
| Crew | 75 | 30 |
| Army officers | 8 | 0 |
| Army nurses | 12 | 1 |
| Other Army | 45 | 1 |
| 2/12th Field Ambulance | 192 | 32 |
| 'Total' | '332' | '64' |
The survivors spent 36 hours in the water, using barrels, wreckage, and the two damaged lifeboats for support. During this time, they drifted approximately north east of ''Centaur's'' calculated point of sinking and spread out over an area of two nautical miles.[46][47] At least four ships and several aircraft were seen by the survivors but, despite efforts to attract attention, none stopped.[48]
At the time of rescue, the survivors had gathered into two large and three small groups, with several more floating alone. Amongst those recovered were Sister Ellen Savage, the only surviving nurse from 12 aboard, Leslie Outridge, the only surviving doctor from 18 aboard, Richard G. Rippon, second officer and most senior surviving crewmember, and Richard Salt, the Torres Strait ship pilot.[49][50][51]
In 1944, Ellen Savage was presented with the George Medal for her role during the 36 hour wait for rescue; providing medical care, boosting morale, and displaying great personal courage.[52]
Rescue
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Sister Ellen Savage was the sole survivor of the 12 female nurses on board ''Centaur'' at the time of the ship's sinking
On the morning of 15 May, 1943, American destroyer USS ''Mugford'' departed Brisbane to escort the 11,063 ton New Zealand freighter ''Sussex'' on the first stage of the latter's trans-Tasman voyage.[53] At 2:00 p.m., a RAAF Avro Anson providing an anti-submarine watch for the two vessels spotted an object on the horizon which, on inspection by the two crew, was revealed to be a group of shipwreck survivors. The aircraft signalled ''Mugford'', communicating by aldis lamp that survivors were in the water and required rescuing. ''Mugford
At 2:14 p.m., Corey made contact with the Naval Officer-in-Charge in Brisbane and advised him of the situation. It was the first time anyone in Australia became aware of the attack on ''Centaur''.[57] The rescue of the 64 survivors took an hour and twenty minutes, although no one could be certain that there were not additional survivors.[58] ''Mugford'' remained in the area until dark, covering an area of approximately 7 by while searching for additional survivors. After darkness fell, ''Mugford'' returned to Brisbane, arriving shortly before midnight. Later searches of the waters off North Stradbroke Island were made by USS ''Helm'' during the night of 15 May until 6:00 p.m. on 16 May and by HMAS ''Lithgow'' and four motor torpedo boats from 16 May until 21 May, with neither search resulting in the discovery of additional survivors.[59]
Attacker
At the time of the attack, none of ''Centaur''
In December 1943, the Japanese Government issued a statement formally denying responsibility for the sinking of ''Centaur''.[65] Records provided by the Japanese following the war also did not acknowledge responsibility. Historians concluded that ''I-178'' or ''I-180'' was responsible; the former was considered to be more likely as she had served in Australian waters the longest of any Japanese submarine at the time, but had claimed no kills in the three month period surrounding ''Centaur's'' sinking. Identification of the attacking submarine was not made possible until 1979, when Volume 83 of the official Japanese ''War History Series'' stated that ''I-177'', under Lieutenant Commander Hajime Nakagawa, was the responsible vessel. Nakagawa survived the war, having been transferred from ''I-177'' to ''I-37'' in September 1943.[66]
Although ''Centaur's sinking was a war crime, Nakagawa was not tried for sinking a hospital ship as, despite a series of investigations between 1944 and 1948, the Allies were unable to establish beyond reasonable doubt which submarine had been responsible for the attack.[67] Several of the Japanese officers who had commanded submarines in Australian waters were interrogated. Nakagawa was interrogated on three separate occasions. The ''Centaur'' case file was closed on 14 December, 1948, with no direct proof as to the identity of the responsible submarine.[68] It was not opened again by any of the Allied Governments. Nakagawa was found guilty as a Class B war criminal for ordering the machinegunning of survivors from three British merchant vessels torpedoed by ''I-37'' in 1944; ''British Chivalry'' on 22 February, ''Sutlej'' on 24 February, and ''Ascott'' on 29 February. His defence, that he was acting under orders from Vice Admiral Shiro Takasu, failed and he was sentenced to four years imprisonment at Sugamo Prison. Nakagawa refused to speak on the subject of the attack on ''Centaur'', even after Japan's ''War History Series'' implicated him in her sinking.[69] Nakagawa died in 1991.
Reaction
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A propaganda poster calling for Australians to avenge the sinking of ''Centaur''
Public reaction
The media were notified of ''Centaur's sinking on 17 May, 1943, but were ordered not to release the news until it had been announced in Parliament by Prime Minister John Curtin.[70] This announcement was made on the afternoon of 17 May.[71] News of the attack made front pages throughout the world, including ''The Times'', ''The New York Times'', and the ''Montreal Gazette''.[72] In some newspapers, the news took precedence over the 'dambuster' raids performed in Europe by No. 617 Squadron RAF[73]
The initial public reaction to the attack on ''Centaur'' was one of outrage, significantly different to that displayed when Royal Australian Naval vessels had been lost, or even when merchant ships had been sunk in Australian waters.[74] As a hospital ship, the attack was a breach of the tenth section of the Hague Convention of 1907, and as such was a war crime.[75] The sinking of ''Centaur'' drew strong reactions from General Douglas MacArthur and Australian Prime Minister John Curtin. General MacArthur reflected the common Australian view when he stated that the sinking was an example of Japanese "limitless savagery".[76] Curtin stated that the sinking was "an entirely inexcusable act, undertaken in violation of the convention to which Japan is a party and of all the principles of common humanity".[77] Politicians urged the public to use their rage to fuel the war effort.[78] ''Centaur'' became a symbol of Australia's determination to defeat what appeared to be a brutal and uncompromising enemy.[79] The Australian Government produced posters depicting the sinking, which called for Australians to "Avenge the Nurses" by working to produce materiel, purchasing war bonds, or enlisting in the armed forces.
People also expressed their sympathy towards the crew, with several efforts to fund a new hospital ship established. The councillors of Caulfield, Victoria organised a fund to replace the lost medical equipment, opening with a donation of A£2,000. Those who worked on ''Centaur''
With some people unable to believe that the Japanese would be so ruthless, rumours began to spread almost immediately after news of the attack was made public. The most common rumour was that ''Centaur'' had been carrying munitions or commandos at the time of her sinking, with the Japanese made aware of this prior to her departure.[80] This stemmed from the incident involving the ambulance drivers' weapons during loading in Sydney.
Military reaction
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A war loan poster captioned 'Save for the brave. Let us avenge the Nurses' displayed at an Australian Army workshop in Lae, New Guinea in September 1944.
The attack was universally condemned by Australian servicemen.[81] It was commonly believed that the attack on ''Centaur'' had been carried out deliberately and in full knowledge of her status.
Six days after the attack on ''Centaur'', a request was made by the Australian Department of Defence that the identification markings and lights be removed from Australian hospital ship ''Manunda'', weapons be installed, and that she begin to sail blacked out and under escort.[82] The conversion was performed, although efforts by the Department of the Navy, the Admiralty, and authorities in New Zealand and the United States of America caused the completed conversion to be undone. The cost of the roundabout work came to £12,500, and left ''Manunda'' out of service for three months.[83] On 9 June, 1943, communications between the Combined Chiefs of Staff on the subject of hospital ships contained a section referring to this incident, with the conclusion that the attack on ''Centaur'' was the work of an irresponsible commander, and that it would be better to wait until further Japanese attacks had been made before considering the removal of hospital ship markings.[84]
When the consideration was made that the ambulance drivers' weapons incident just prior to Centaur's voyage may have been partially responsible for the attack, it led to the tightening of rules regarding who was allowed to travel on a hospital ship. Some quasi-medical staff, including repatriation teams, were no longer permitted aboard hospital ships. Ambulance drivers who were part of the regular Army instead of the Australian Army Medical Corps had to be transferred before they would be allowed aboard, although they were still permitted to carry their unloaded weapons and ammunition.[85]
Official protests
After consultation with the Australian armed forces, General MacArthur, the Admiralty and the Australian Government, an official protest was sent to the Japanese, which passed its way through diplomatic channels and was received by the Japanese Government on 29 May, 1943.[86] At around the same time, the International Committee of the Red Cross sent a protest on behalf of the main Allied Red Cross organisations to the Japanese Red Cross.
On 26 December, 1943, a response to the Australian protest arrived. It stated that the Japanese Government had no information justifying the allegation made, and therefore took no responsibility for what happened. The reply then counter-protested that nine Japanese hospital ships had been attacked by the Allies, although these claims were directed against the United States, not Australia. Although several later exchanges were made, without any progress, the British informed the Australian Prime Minister on 14 November that no further communications would be made on the loss of ''Centaur''.[87]
Reasons for attack
The attack on ''Centaur'' was not an isolated incident. Between June 1942 and December 1944, a total of 27 Japanese submarines operated in Australian waters.[88] These submarines attacked almost 50 merchant vessels, with 20 sinkings confirmed to be the result of a Japanese attack, and an additional 9 unconfirmed. This formed part of a concentrated Japanese effort to destroy supply convoys travelling between Australia and New Guinea.[89]
Several actions on ''Centaur''
''Centaur'' was under orders to sail well out to sea until reaching the Great Barrier Reef, with positions between 50 and from the coast given.[90] Upon consideration, and with the belief that they had been given a route intended for a merchant vessel, ''Centaur's Master ordered the course be changed to one much closer to land, staying on the seaward side of 2,000 metres in depth.[91] Also, ''Centaur'' was sailing completely illuminated, with the exception of the two bow floodlights. They had been switched off as they interfered with visibility from the bridge.
There are three main theories as to why ''Centaur'' was attacked:
''Centaur'' in breach
This theory stems from the various rumours spreading after ''Centaur''
Similar but later rumours included that during her first voyage, ''Centaur'' had transported soldiers to New Guinea, or Japanese prisoners of war back to Australia for interrogation, and as such was marked as a legitimate target by the Japanese.[95] ''Centaur'' had carried 10 prisoners of war on her return voyage from New Guinea, but they were wounded.[96]
Nakagawa unaware
This theory states that Nakagawa was unaware that the vessel he was attacking was a hospital ship, and that the sinking was an 'unfortunate accident'.[97] This view was supported by several Japanese officers, both before and after the revelation that Nakagawa was responsible. Amongst them was Lieutenant Commander Zenji Orita, who took command of ''I-177'' after Nakagawa. Orita did not hear anything from the crew about having sunk a hospital ship, not even rumours, and later claimed that if ''I-177'' had knowingly attacked ''Centaur'', he would have heard something.
When compared to the other contemporary Australian hospital ships, ''Centaur'' was by far the smallest, slightly more than a third of the size of ''Manunda'' or ''Wanganella''. ''Centaur'' was also slightly shorter in length than ''I-177''. The observation of ''Centaur'' was made through a periscope, and some submarine officers attest that at 1,500 metres, the optimum range of attack for World War II Japanese submarines, some officers would not be able to identify the target ship's class or pennant number.[98] With ''Centaur's bow floodlights out, and with the observation of the target made through the periscope, there is a possibility Nakagawa would not have seen the hospital ship's markings if he had been in 'the right position'.
However, apart from the two bow floodlights, ''Centaur'' was lit up brilliantly. To attack, ''I-177'' would have had to approach from of ''Centaur'', with the latter illuminated by both its own lights and a full moon.
Nakagawa aware
This theory states that Nakagawa was fully aware that his target was a hospital ship and, on either his own initiative or his poor interpretation of his orders, decided to sink her regardless.[99] Why he may have chosen to do so is a question he refused to respond to on multiple occasions, even to defend himself or deny the accusation.[69] Researchers speculate that as Nakagawa was approaching the end of his tour in Australian waters, and had only sunk a single enemy vessel, the 8,742 ton freighter ''Limerick'', he did not want to return with the disgrace of a single kill. His orders to machinegun the survivors of three destroyed British merchant vessels showed that he was willing to ignore the laws of war. Nakagawa may have been acting in vengeance for Allied atrocities during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, or may have expected praise for the sinking of an enemy naval vessel.[101] Nakagawa's refusal to speak on the subject, coupled with his 1991 death, mean this question can never be answered.
Shipwreck
Following World War II, several cursory searches of the waters around North Stradbroke Island and Moreton Island failed to reveal ''Centaur''
In 1995, it was announced that the shipwreck of ''Centaur'' had been located in waters nine nautical miles (17 km) from the lighthouse on Moreton Island, a significant distance from her believed last position.[103] The finding was reported on ''A Current Affair'', during which film of the shipwreck 170 metres underwater was shown. Discoverer Donald Dennis claimed the identity of the shipwreck had been confirmed by the Navy, the Queensland Maritime Museum, and the Australian War Memorial. A cursory search by the Navy confirmed that there was a ship at the given location, which was gazetted as a war grave and added to navigation charts by the Australian Hydrographic Office.
Over the next eight years, there was growing doubt about the position of Dennis' wreck, due to the distance from Second Officer Rippon's calculation of the point of sinking, and where USS ''Mugford'' picked up the survivors.[104] Dennis had been convicted on two counts of deception and one of theft through scams. Two wreck divers used the location for an eight hour world record dive, during which examined the wreck and took photographs, claiming it to be too small to be ''Centaur''.
On the 60th anniversary of the sinking, in 2003, the newsmagazine show ''Sixty Minutes'' ran a story demonstrating that the wreck was not ''Centaur'' It was revealed that nobody at the Queensland Maritime Museum had yet seen the footage, and when it was shown to Museum president Rod McLeod and maritime historian John Foley, they stated that the shipwreck could not be ''Centaur'', as the rudder was incorrectly shaped. Following this story, and others published around the same time in newspapers, the Navy sent three ships to inspect the site over a two month period; HMA Ships ''Hawkesbury'', ''Melville'', and ''Yarra'', before concluding that the shipwreck was incorrectly identified as ''Centaur''. An amendment was made to the gazettal, and the Hydrographic Office began to remove the mark from charts.
It was speculated by ''Sixty Minutes'' that the wreck was the 55 metre long ''Kyogle'', a lime freighter purchased by the Royal Australian Air Force in 1951 and used for bombing practice on 12 May, 1951.
Memorials
''Centaur'' memorial, Point Danger, Coolangatta, Queensland
A memorial to ''Centaur'' was unveiled on the 50th anniversary of the sinking, 14 May 1993, at Point Danger, Coolangatta, Queensland.[105] It consists of a monumental stone topped with a cairn, surrounded by a tiled moat with memorial plaques explaining the commemoration. The memorial is surrounded by a park with a boardwalk, overlooking the sea, with plaques for other Merchant Navy and Royal Australian Navy vessels lost during World War II. The unveiling of the memorial was performed by Minister for Veteran's Affairs, Senator John Faulkner. In addition to Australian survivors and local dignitaries, a contingent from USS ''Mugford'' travelled from the United States for the event.
Although the memorial at Point Danger is considered to be the primary commemoration of the incident, numerous other tributes were made prior to 1993, many of which still exist.
In 1948, Queensland nurses established the "Centaur Memorial Fund for Nurses" which used the money raised to purchase an establishment and name it "Centaur House"; a facility supporting nurses by holding convivial meetings and providing inexpensive accommodation for out-of-town nurses.[106] The original Centaur House was sold in 1971, with a new building purchased and renamed.[107] The second Centaur House was sold in 1979 and although the fund still exists, it no longer owns a physical facility. On 15 September, 1968, a cairn was unveiled at Caloundra, Queensland, erected by the local Rotary International Club.[108] In 1990, a stained glass memorial window depicting ''Centaur'', along with a plaque listing the names of those lost in the attack was installed at Concord Repatriation General Hospital, at a cost of $16,000.[109] A display about ''Centaur'' was placed at the Australian War Memorial. The centrepiece of the display was a scale model of ''Centaur'' presented by Blue Funnel Line, and the display included items that were donated by the survivors, such as a lifejacket, a signal flare, and a medical kit.[110] It was removed in 1992 to make way for a display related to the Vietnam War.
See also
★ Axis naval activity in Australian waters
★ List of Australian Hospital Ships
Footnotes
Also correctly referred to as '2/3rd AHS ''Centaur''' or 'AHS ''47'''.[111] Also incorrectly referred to as 'HMAS ''Centaur''' or 'HMAHS ''Centaur'''.
As the exact location of ''Centaur''
Crew figures include the Torres Strait pilot assigned to ''Centaur''.
References
1. Smith (1992), p 9
2. Jenkins (1992), p 281
3. Milligan and Foley (1993), pp 5-6
4. Smith (1992), p 22
5. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 2
6. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 14
7. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 25
8. Smith (1992), p 19
9. Smith (1992), p 21
10. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 51
11. Smith (1992), pp 21-22
12. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 40
13. Smith (1992), p 13
14. Smith (1992), p 15
15. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 13
16. Smith (1992), p 18
17. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 21, 53
18. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 18
19. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 19
20. Smith (1992), p 16
21. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 19
22. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 26
23. Smith (1992), p 19
24. Goodman (1988), p 194
25. Milligan and Foley (1993), pp 43-44
26. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 44
27. Smith (1992), p 23
28. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 52
29. Smith (1992), p 24
30. Smith (1992), p 25
31. Jenkins (1992), p 278
32. Smith (1992), p 27
33. Adam-Smith (1984), p 176
34. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 198
35. Milligan and Foley (1993), pp 76-77
36. Smith (1992), p 28
37. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 104
38. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 105
39. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 128
40. Stevens (2005), p 358
41. Smith (1992), p 38
42. Numerical comparison of crew and survivor statistics. Smith (1992), p 27, 34
43. Smith (1992), p 34
44. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 122
45. Jenkins (1992), p 279
46. Gill (1968), p 258
47. Smith (1992), p 26
48. Goodman (1988), p 195
49. Smith (1992), pp 34
50. Smith (1992), pp 54-57
51. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 156
52. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 250
53. Milligan and Foley (1993), pp 144-145
54. Gill (1968), p 257
55. Smith (1992), p 33
56. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 149
57. Smith (1992), p 34
58. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 153
59. Smith (1992), p 35
60. Gill (1968), p 259
61. Smith (1991), p 29
62. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 247
63. Gill (1968), p 260
64. ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'' (1968), vol 3, p 100
65. Frame (2004), p 188
66. Jenkins (1992), p 284
67. Milligan and Foley (1993), pp 196-214
68. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 214
69. Jenkins (1992), pp 284-285
70. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 169
71. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 171
72. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 175
73. Wilson (2003), p 23
74. Frame (2004), pp 186-187
75. Frame (1994), p 187
76. McKernan (1983), pp 134-135
77. Adam-Smith (1984), p 174
78. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 179
79. Department of Veteran's Affairs (2003)
80. Frame (2004), p 177
81. Jenkins (1992), p 282
82. Milligan and Foley (1993), pp 189-192
83. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 192
84. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 191
85. Goodman (1988), p 197
86. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 187
87. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 194
88. Jenkins (1992), p 286
89. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 68
90. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 87
91. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 88
92. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 232
93. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 75, 85
94. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 233
95. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 227
96. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 65
97. Jenkins (1992), p 280
98. Jenkins (1992), p 283
99. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 235
100. Jenkins (1992), pp 284-285
101. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 236
102. Department of Defence (2003)
103. ''A Grave Mistake'' (2003)
104. Wilson, (2003), p 24
105. Larsen (1994), p 2
106. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 251
107. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 252
108. Milligan and Foley (1993), pp 256-257
109. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 257
110. Milligan and Foley (1993), p 255
111. Milligan and Foley (1993). Pg 51
Bibliography
★ Australian Women at War, , Patsy, Adam-Smith, Thomas Nelson Australia, 1984,
★
★
★ Transcript: A Grave Mistake
★
★ Sinking of the Centaur - Commemoration
★
★ No Pleasure Cruise: the story of the Royal Australian Navy, , Tom, Frame, Allen & Unwin, 2004,
★ Royal Australian Navy, 1942-1945, , G. Hermon, Gill, Australian War Memorial, , NLA registry number Aus 68-1798
★ Our War Nurses, , Rupert, Goodman, Boolarong Publications, 1988,
★ Battle Surface! Japan's Submarine War Against Australia 1942-44, , David, Jenkins, Random House Australia, 1992,
★ Centuar memorial unveiled C Larsen
★ All In! Australia During the Second World War, , Michael, McKernan, Thomas Nelson Australia, 1983,
★ Australian Hospital Ship ''Centaur'' - the myth of immunity, , Christopher, Milligan, Nairana Publications, 2003,
★ Three Minutes of Time - the torpedoing of the Australian Hospital Ship Centaur, , Alan, Smith, Tasman Press, 1992,
★ A Critical Vulnerability: The Impact of the Submarine Threat on Australia’s Maritime Defence (1915-1954), , David, Stevens, Sea Power Centre, 2005,
★ Sunken hearts Neil Wilson
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