Hello all,
As a side issue, I intend to do some research into the circumstances ralating to all
Cat(t)leys who appear on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission sites
My tree shows three members killed in WW1 and one in WW2.
However I shall leave them til last as naturally I know a bit about them and it is the
others that interest me at the moment.
Have started with Raymond Rex Catley who was an Able Seaman on H.M.A.S. Sydney in 1941.
HMAS Sydney was a light Cruiser of the Perth Class which was a modified Leander Class
Cruiser.
Both Leanders and Perths were built in the United Kingdom
Five Leander Class were built during 1933-35 and two of them were loaned to the Royal New
Zealand Navy which operated them as HMNZN
"Leander" and HMNZN "Achilles" (Achilles was involved in the Battle of
the River Plate along with HMS Ajax as sister ship) whilst the three Perth Class versions
built 1935-36 went to the Australian Navy as:- MHAS' Hobart, Sydney and Perth.
In November 1941 the German commerce raider "Kormoran" was at large in the
Indian Ocean sinking merchant ships at will looking like a
harmless merchant ship but mounting heavy calibre hidden guns. HMAS Sydney found her on
the 19th November 1941 when she was (as usual) masquerading as an innocent neutral ship,
this time for Sydneys benefit and the end result was that Kormoran thus "beat Sydney
to the draw" in a gun battle which saw both vessels sunk.
I would be interested to know if any Listers have Raymond Rex confirmed as a member of
their Tree?
Regards
Tim
.