Claim HMAS Perth as war grave

[punch*drunk]

The federal government is being urged to claim HMAS Perth as a war grave amid reports scrap merchants are stripping the historic wreck, which may still contain the remains of Australian sailors.

Full story here  http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/12/13/19/52/claim-hmas-perth-as-war-grave-govt-told

There ia a petition here  http://www.change.org/petitions/prime-minister-of-australia-the-hon-tony-abbott-help-save-hmas-perth...

My grandfather served on the Perth, luckily he was transferred off just a short time before it was sunk.

[debra9275]

I heard a report on the radio last week about the ship being stripped. I think it should be preserved as it is part of our history. I will sign the petition. Thanks Punch

[punch*drunk]

Thanks Deb 🙂

I saw it on the news a couple of days ago and thought my grandpa would be a bit upset, today he shared this petition on facebook. He's 92 and still a few steps ahead of me 🙂

[debra9275]

Good on your grandpa, for standing up for what he believes in

I don't even know how to use FB, so he's way ahead of me too -:)

[cq_tech]

I'm actually rather surprised that our purported Indonesian "allies" haven't already stripped the wreck site and desecrated the remains of those Australian sailors who sadly went down with their ship.

With tensions currently running so highly between Abbott and SBY, I expect the bulk of the HMAS Perth to be long gone by the time those two semi-literate morons come to any meaningful compromise.

[darksideofthemoon]

This is a disgrace.  I've signed.

[punch*drunk]

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@cq_tech wrote:
I'm actually rather surprised that our purported Indonesian "allies" haven't already stripped the wreck site and desecrated the remains of those Australian sailors who sadly went down with their ship.

With tensions currently running so highly between Abbott and SBY, I expect the bulk of the HMAS Perth to be long gone by the time those two semi-literate morons come to any meaningful compromise.

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😞 I hope not.

[cq_tech]

You and me both, punchy. I'm ex-RAN and these events are particularly disturbing to me on a personal level. 😞

[punch*drunk]

Just got home from Christmas lunch at the Rats of Tobruk Association. This was a hot topic and a cause for much upset and tears.

There are a few that have written to anybody they thought would listen and it all falls on deaf ears. The only formal reply that has been received was actually quite condescending and rude and basically just a lot of buck passing. nobody seems to want to take responsibility. My grandfather has been warning the RAN that this would happen for near on 20 years, he was trying to campaign for the ship to be brought back to Australia when he was president of the Perth Association many years ago.

Apparently the 350+ sailors that went down with the Perth arent as deserving of the respect shown to fallen soldiers on land 😞

Please sign the petition, the people that are trying to get something done about this fear nothing will happen uless they can get the general public behind them.

[punch*drunk]

The US ship Houston that was sunk in the same battle has already been reduced to a hull.