Vindicatrix Boy

Brisbane’s Courier-Mail newspaper has played a major role in getting both the Queensland and Federal Governments to fund the search for Centaur.

Read its story about the commemoration of the 66th anniversary of the sinking.

Alex Leask lost three uncles when HMAS Centaur was sunk in World War II. (Photo: ABC Local Radio: Nicole Lee)

Alice Springs local Alex Leask, who lost three uncles on the Centaur 66 years ago, has grown up with the story as part of his family folklore.

Not long before that fateful calm night in May, Alex’s father was working on the Centaur only to return home to look after his pregnant wife. At this stage Alex’s uncles weren’t working on the ship.

“My mother was pregnant with me at the time. She was ill and Dad’s brothers, Harold, Alexander and Henry implored for dad to go home and look after my mother on compassionate leave.

“Dad didn’t know that they were on the ship… the attack broke the Geneva convention about targeting hospital ships,” said Alex.

The effects of the sinking of the Centaur, which went down in three minutes, have continued to this day.

“The effect was huge on my parents. They could never talk about it, none of dad’s brothers were married and they used to treat mum as a princess; the grief was overwhelming.”

“The tragedy meant it was the end of the family on Dad’s side.”

Alex Leask’s mother, father and uncles before the sinking of the Centaur. (Photo: ABC Local Radio: Nicole Lee)

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Click here to see rare footage of the Australian hospital ship Centaur rescuing the survivors of the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran after it had sunk and been sunk by HMAS Sydney.

The ANZAC Eve Light on the Water commemoration has made news in other Australian cities — read this article in Brisbane’s Courier-Mail.

About 400 brave souls ventured out on a wet and windy night for ANZAC Light on the Water 2009, which paid tribute to the 268 Australians who were lost when the hospital ship Centaur was torpedoed off the Queensland coast in May 1943.

Strong winds prevented the lighting of candles in the 3000 cardboard replica lifeboats made by local primary school students.

However, North Haven Lifesaving Club volunteers came to the rescue and valiantly managed to light some of the candles in the 268 lifeboats that bore the name of each of the victims of the wartime tragedy. 

The small group of spectators were entertained by a smaller Bay Big Band, a larger than life Steve Foster, lone piper Don Macaulay and the hugely impressive Royal Australian Navy Guard and Ceremonial Unit.

Port Kids for Anzac Patron Jack Buckskin, 22, welcomed everyone to the land of his Kaurna people and his fellow Patron, Paralympian Jay Dohnt, 19, spoke about the role of young people in the future commemoration of Australia’s military forces, merchant navy and civilian support groups in many conflicts and peacekeeping operations. They are pictured here with the Channel Ten camera crew after a national interview with David and Kim for 9AM.

“I encourage all young people to become more involved in ANZAC day events during this and future commemorations, many of the soldiers who fought to create this fantastic legacy of mateship and patriotism were as young as 16, boys who changed the dates of their birth certificates for an opportunity to represent and protect this country — a sense of morality and pride that I believe still exists within Australian youth today,” Jay told the crowd.

“ANZAC day is an opportunity to reinforce that very sense of pride we have simply by being an Australian — a sense of pride that steams back to the attitudes and achievements of the Anzacs, a sense of pride which optimises Australia and Australians.
 
“Tonight’s ceremony is the first step for John Williams, Jack Buckskin and I in establishing Port Kids for ANZAC, a group which is dedicated to reminding SA’s youth about the importance of the ANZACs and ANZAC Day. 

“Together with Jack and John I hope to be able to recruit more young people from schools all over SA and fulfil the saying “lest we forget”.

Other speakers included South Australian Treasurer Kevin Foley, local Federal Labor MP Mark Butler, Port Adelaide Mayor Gary Johanson and the Rev Ali Wurm.

Because organisers were unable to light many candles, local community and visitors at the event took home most of the 3000 lifeboats and promised to return them for launching when David Mearns of Blue Water Discoveries and the Federal and Queensland Government search team locates the wreck of the Centaur later this year.

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Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has expressed her gratitude for the gift of the new painting by John Ford F.A.S.M.A. of the Australian hospital ship Centaur to the State of Queensland from the organisers of ANZAC Light on the Water 2009, Semaphore Port Adelaide RSL. 

Anthony Crack, Acting Executive Director, State Affairs Department of the Premier and Cabinet and Chairman of the Centaur Project Steering Committee accepts a special limited edition print on her behalf from Tony Williams of Port Adelaide.

Anthony also accepted safe keeping of a second print for David Mearns of Blue Water Discoveries, who will begin the search for the Centaur soon.

Tony presents a third print to Caloundra RSL President, Barry Johnson OAM.

Caloundra RSL has kept the flame alive for everyone aboard the Centaur on her final ill-fated voyage in May 1943 and the families left behind.

The original painting will be on display at ANZAC Light on the Water 2009 when 3000 candle-lit cardboard replica lifeboats will be launched on the Port River as a tribute to the 268 Australians who lost their lives when the Centaur was torpedoed and sunk off the Queensland coast.

On ANZAC Eve Friday, April 24, the fleet of 3000 cardboard lifeboats will be launched on the Port River from 6.30 pm in a special Commemoration for the hospital ship Centaur which was sunk in 1943 with the loss of 268 Australians.

To mark the loss of 179 ambulancemen and 11 nurses, local ambulance drivers and nurses in uniform will be among the 5000 people expected at the event, which from this year will gradually be taken over, organised and staged by school students, under guidance from Semaphore Port Adelaide RSL.

The names of all those lost, including 45 merchant navy crew, will be on the sides of 268 of the candle-lit lifeboats.

One of the patrons of Port Kids for ANZAC will be Australian Paralympian Jay Dohnt, who won a swimming bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, along with Federal MP Mark Butler and Port Adelaide Mayor Gary Johanson.

Jay will be visiting Adelaide schools to recruit students for the Port Kids For ANZAC team to take over ANZAC events from older volunteers.

Framed prints of a painting of Centaur are being presented to Prime Minister Rudd, Veterans Affairs Minister Alan Griffin, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and “shipwreck detective” David Mearns who will take it with him on the search vessel later this year. 

David said: “Thank you, the painting is beautiful.  I would be proud to take it with us.  

“I did an interview with ABC radio today and mentioned the ANZAC Eve event and how this is being used to teach school children about Australia’s war time history.”

A copy of the painting is also being presented to the Caloundra RSL who have kept the flame alive for Centaur over many years.

Jonathon Hall of ABC News reported as follows on April 6:

An international expert hired to find the sunken World War II hospital ship Centaur off south-east Queensland will meet with Defence officials in Canberra today.

David Mearns helped find HMAS Sydney off the Western Australian coast last year.

The Centaur’s final location has remained a mystery since it was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1943, claiming the lives of 268 people.

The Federal and Queensland Governments announced last month they were providing $4 million for the search.

Mr Mearns spent the weekend in Melbourne interviewing one of the last remaining survivors, 87-year-old Martin Pash, who told him where he thinks the Centaur sank.

“It’s off Danger Point - about 12 miles out to sea,” he said.

Mr Mearns says evidence from survivors will be crucial.

“These are stories that have to be got now, or they may be lost forever,” he said.

Mr Mearns will meet staff from the Defence Minister’s office later today to discuss the search, which is expected to begin later this year.

More stories from

Shipwreck Discoveries

Big Blue Tech

The ANZAC Light on the Water event is gaining international recognition with major stories on the UK Merchant Navy site and the Vindicatrix Association HQ site.

A framed print of the John Ford painting of the Centaur will be carried on the search vessel when it begins the search for the World War II hospital ship off the Queensland coast.

The following email messages were received by the organisers of the ANZAC Light on the Water 2009 Centaur Commemoration from David Mearns, of Blue Water Recoveries, who will lead the Search For Centaur team.

Thank you for letting me know about your planned tribute to those lost on Centaur. 

It is a wonderful thing you are doing to ensure that the young children of Australia are aware of this important part of their country’s history.

David

Thank you, the painting is beautiful.  

I would be proud to take it with us.  
    
Did an interview with ABC radio today and mentioned the ANZAC Light on the Water event and how this is being used to teach school children about Australia’s war time history.

David

Photo courtesy of the ABC