Tuesday 7 January 2014

Continuing effort to identify the only body recovered from the 1941 sinking of the HMAS Sydney


The only body recovered from Australia's worst every maritime disaster, the 1941 sinking of the HMAS Sydney, may have belonged to a sailor from the Far North Coast.

The HMAS Sydney was sunk in November 1941 in an attack by the German merchant raider HSK Kormoran off Western Australia, killing 645 Australian sailors.

Found in a raft near Christmas Island three months after the tragedy, the body's identity has remained a mystery.

But scientists have not given up hope on the task, and are using the latest forensic technologies in their mission.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, limestone traces in his bone strongly suggest that he came from the east coast - most likely northern NSW or Queensland.

Narrowing the search further, it's reported the sailor had a very high marine diet as a child, suggesting he grew up on the coast rather than inland.

And the biggest blessing so far has been the sailor's dental records, which are quite unique - he had nine gold fillings.

Tuesday 07 January 2014

http://www.northernstar.com.au/news/unknown-sailor-may-be-from-this-region/2132095/

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