The untold story of Australia’s first Royal Australian Navy wartime loss — revealed in full for the first time.
While the thunder of overseas battles often dominates the narrative of Australians in World War Two, a forgotten tragedy unfolded in the quiet waters of Port Phillip Bay. In 1940, less than 100 km from Melbourne, the humble minesweeper HMAS Goorangai was on a vital mission, clearing German-laid sea mines in Bass Strait, when she was catastrophically struck by the much larger merchant vessel, MV Duntroon.
Within minutes, the Goorangai was gone, taking all 24 of her crew to their watery graves. This little-known collision, often overlooked or misrepresented, is finally brought to light in a meticulously researched and fully referenced account.
Discover the untold story of the collision, the desperate search, the challenging salvage operations, the puzzling aftermath and why one sailor remains unidentified to this day. This book cuts through the inaccuracies and vested interests of past accounts, offering a compelling and definitive narrative that reveals the true events of that fateful night.
Kat Jackson –
This is a very thorough investigation of an early WWII naval tragedy. It gives insight not just to the complexity of maritime rules, but to the potential pitfalls of bureaucratic processes when things go wrong.
Robert Pearson –
The author presents a well researched and documented history of this tragic event. Allowing the reader to assess the evidence and draw conclusions that may differ from the official version. Recommended for, in particular, anyone with an interest in naval history and generally for getting at the truth.
Winnie Nguyen –
A tragedy occurred on 20 November 1940. Twenty-four sailors went to sea and did not return. I was transported back in time to the night of the collision between HMAS Goorangai and MV Duntroon. A meticulous and well written narrative about a maritime disaster that occurred right here in Port Phillip Bay.