Militaria

Lot 3694    Session 13 (2.30pm Thursday 22nd November)    Militaria

Estimate $60
Bid at live.noble.com.au

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY, original H.M.A.S. Perth tally band; H.M.A.S. Perth, Christmas Day 1939 Menu (the first such menu for the ship), features the ships crest at the top then the menu and at the bottom a drawing of HMAS Perth passing Statue of Liberty New York, at the side the menu has been marked '31 Mess' and autographed in ink by 12 men, the menu has been laminated for protection; program for A service of worship with the HMAS Perth Association at The Naval Chapel Garden Island 1 March 2009. Fine - very fine. (3)

HMAS Perth was commissioned on 23 June 1939. In early August, while en route to Australia, Perth was used to represent her nation at the 1939 New York World's Fair and while berthed in New York City, there was a minor mutiny aboard. This was instigated when sailors ashore for leave were ordered to return to the ship and change from white uniforms to blue uniforms. This was the 'straw that broke the camel's back' as the overall treatment of the sailors by the officers had been an issue since the cruiser was taken over by the RAN. More than 60 sailors gathered on the ship's foredeck, where they were confronted by officers with sidearms and were ordered below decks, but they refused. The ship's commanding officer, Captain Harold Farncomb, next approached the sailors and informed them that if they did not follow orders to disperse, he would treat their actions as a mutiny. The standoff could be seen from the wharfside, and a heavily armed force from the New York City Police Department was dispatched, but did not intervene. Farncomb successfully defused the situation by making the offer that any sailor wanting to wear blue uniform all day ashore could do so after asking permission; an offer taken up by almost every sailor taking shore leave. On 1 March 1942 Perth was sunk at the Battle of Sunda Strait for the loss of 353 men with all but four of the rest captured and 106 of these dying in captivity.