Remembering Today 1/3/42 OS:John Henry Witt,24995,Royal Australian Navy H.M.A.S. Perth

Discussion in 'Australian' started by CL1, Mar 1, 2017.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  2. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Paraphrased from Wiki:

    In February 1942, Perth survived the Allied defeat at the Battle of the Java Sea, only then to be torpedoed and sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of Sunda Strait.


    Captain Waller gave the order to abandon ship after the second torpedo impact. After some further close-range fire from the destroyers, Perth heeled to port and sank at 00:25 on 1 March 1942.


    Of the 681 personnel aboard, 353 were killed in battle. 342 RAN (including Waller), five Royal Navy, three Royal Australian Air Force, three civilian canteen workers, and the ship's mascot - a black cat called Red Lead.


    All but four (who died after reaching shore) of the 328 survivors were captured as prisoners of war: 106 died in captivity (105 naval and 1 RAAF) including 38 killed by Allied attacks on Japanese "hell ships”.


    The surviving 218 were returned home to Australia after the war.
     
    Tricky Dicky, canuck and CL1 like this.
  3. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Oh come on DaveB - how can you leave us in suspense like this -

    what happened to the cat - did it survive???

    TD
     
  4. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Our Furry Recruits : Cats of War | Australian War Memorial

    It was thought to be bad luck for the ship’s cat to leave the ship, and indeed there is an Australian story of a straying cat whose ship went down. This is the story of Red Lead, the black kitten mascot of HMAS Perth

    In January 1942, HMAS Perth, with a crew of over 600 men, was tasked with preventing the Japanese advance across south-east Asia. En route they stopped at Fremantle, where, it is thought, little Red Lead joined the ship. His favourite spot was curled up in the cabin of Hec Waller, the ship’s captain.

    On 27 February, HMAS Perth joined a fleet of British, Dutch and American ships to stop a Japanese naval convoy from landing on the island of Java. The allied fleet was outnumbered; its ships were picked off by Japanese planes and the heat of battle sent Red Lead to hide in his favorite place till Perth withdrew, and returned to safe harbour. It is reported that while at harbour, Red Lead tried to leave the ship, no less than three times. But in each instance he was spotted “deserting” , was intercepted, and returned to his post. The ship’s log for the day read :

    "Red Lead, ship's kitten, endeavoured to desert, but was brought back on board, despite vigorous protests."

    Several of Perth’s crew observed this and were dismayed, seeing Red Lead’s escape attempts as a bad omen for their future.

    Very sadly, Red Lead’s instinct was proven. The next day, HMAS Perth and USS Houston sailed for the south coast of Java and met a large fleet of Japanese ships. After a desperate battle, the Perth was sunk. Over 350 men, including Captain Waller, and one little black kitten, were lost.
     
    CL1 likes this.
  5. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Thanks for that Dave - obviously my post was tongue in cheek and I didn't expect such a definitive answer - hats off to you

    :salut:

    TD
     
  6. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    The loss of HMAS Perth continues to be front page news in Australia. It is one of our biggest naval losses (along with HMAS Sydney & HMAS Canberra) but it has been reported that the shipwreck is currently being stripped for scrap metal by scavengers.

    Coupled to that you have our ongoing commemoration of animals killed alongside servicemen and it was inevitable that Red Lead would be referred to in print at the AWM.
     

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