Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born 3 August 1922 in Queenstown, South Australia
(SA Births 1907 - 1928, Book : 100A Page : 149 District : PtA.)

Father Albert Ernest COATES (b: 24/06/1889 in Woodville, SA - d. 25/05/1963 Springbank, SA)
m. 18/12/1909 -
Mother Eva Myrtle Mary Ann (nee GEORGE - b. 29/01/1893 Queenstown, SA)
lived at Manse New St Port Adelaide, SA
1939 lived at 10 Old Port Road, Queenstown, SA; and
1940 lived at 1170 Old Port Road, Royal Park, SA

Siblings:
Melva Martha COATES    (b: 01/07/1910 in Queenstown, SA)
Allan Herbert COATES    (b: 15/08/1911 in Yatala (now Rosewater), Adelaide, SA)
Vera Irene COATES        (b: 19/12/1912 in Royal Park, SA)
Muriel Jean COATES       (b: 10/12/1915 in Royal Park, SA)
Mavis Joyce COATES      (b: 04/12/1919 in Queenstown, SA
                                     Mavis Joyce Cook - d. 17/12/2001 buried with parents)
Ernest William Mervyn COATES   (b: 16/02/1921 in Queenstown, SA)
Lloyd David COATES      (b: 03/08/1922 in Queenstown, SA)
Colin Rex COATES         (b: 25/05/1926 in Queenstown, SA)
Leonard Roy COATES     (b. 13/03/1929 - d. 10/12/2012 buried with parents)
Fay Lorraine COATES     (b. 1936 - d. 27/04/1942 buried with parents)

Next of kin in service:
Father  (WWI)
3216 Private Ernest Albert COATES
        12/02/1916    enlisted into WWI at 
        27/06/1916    embarked with his brother Stanley Clarence Roy Coates (3217)
                             from Outer Harbour onboard HMAT Malakuta A57
                             as a Private with 8th Brigade, 32nd Infantry Battalion, 7th reinforcements
        22/08/1916    disembarked into Devonport, England
        25/11/1916    taken on strength of 32nd Battalion
        08/01/1917    attached to Anzac Light Railways
        13/06/1917    rejoined 32nd Battalion
        08/04/1918    Commenced return to Australia onboard HT 'Dunluce Castle'
        26/05/1918    disembarked into Melbourne, VIC
        28/11/1918    discharged from service in Adelaide, SA

Brothers (WWII):
23105 (NAVY)  LDG STO Ernest William Mervyn COATES (son of Albert Ernest Coates)
                      (b. 16/02/1921 Queenstown, SA)
                      01/05/1939  enlisted into WWII NAVY at Nedlands, WA
                                         place of enlisting Melbourne, VIC
                      25/06/1944   discharged from service
                                          LDG STO (TY) with HMAS Torrens

PA4494 (NAVY)  Able Seaman Colin Rex COATES (son of Albert Ernest Coates)
                        (b. 25/05/1926 in Queenstown, SA)
                        12/10/1943  enlisted in Queenstown, SA
                                           place of enlisting Port Adelaide, SA
                        Able Seaman with Deloraine Pass
                        13/08/1946  discharged from service

Uncle (WWI):  
3217 Private  Stanley Clarence Roy COATES - in the same B Company as Albert
        23/03/1916    enlisted into WWI in Adelaide, SA - with brother Albert Coates
        27/06/1916    embarked from Outer Harbour, onboard HMAT Malakuta A57
                             as a Private with 8th Brigade, 32nd Infantry Battalion, 7th reinforcements
        22/08/1916    disembarked into Devonport, England
        27/12/1916    detached to Anzac Light Railways in the field
        13/06/1917    rejoined 32nd Infantry Battalion in the field, near Bapaume.
        13/10/1917    originally reported as wounded in action in the field
        13/10/1917    later reported killed in action in the field
        14/10/1917    buried at:  Bellewarde Ridge Military Cemetery, J.7.C.6.6
                                             confirmed by 1st Anzac Corps Burial Officer
        19/12/1919    Remains Ex-humed and Re-buried in:
                                          Birr Cross Roads Cemetery
                                          one mile East-South East of Ypres,
        His name is commemorated on Panel 120 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

Uncle-in-law  (WWI):
6496  Private Harold Ernest Duncan   (b. 01/06/1892 Peterhead, SA)
         21/08/1916    enlisted
         21/10/1916    embarked from Port of Melbourne, VIC onboard HMAT A16 Port Melbourne
                              as a Private with 10th Battalion
         03/11/1917     Killed in Action at Zonnebeke, Belgium
                              No known grave
                              His name is commemorated on
                              - Panel 17 at The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
                              - Panel 58 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

Cousins  (WWII):
S30245 Private Alan Rayner COATES  (son of Herbert George Coates)
            (b. 16/1/1916 Thebarton, SA)
            07/08/1940   enlisted into WWII at Mile End, SA
                                place of enlisting Southwark, SA
                                Private in 6 CAV Field Ambulance AAMC

SX39358 (S37636)  Sapper Stanley Lawrence PAINTER (son of Ada Elizabeth Painter)
              (b. 21/07/1914 Woodville, SA)
              06/11/1943  enlisted into WWII at Kilkenny, SA
                                place of enlisting 16 AUST PERS STG CAMP, QLD
              22/09/1945  discharged from service
                                Sapper in 7 Australian Docks Operating Company R.A.E.

Lloyd lived with his parents and siblings at Wattle Avenue, Royal Park, SA on enlisting.

Lloyd was described as 5' 9.5" tall; fresh complexion; brown hair; brown eyes

06/06/1939     enlisted into WWII NAVY in Little Queenstown, SA
                      place of enlisting Melbourne, VIC - onboard HMAS Cerebus

12/10/1939     appointed to HMAS Waterhen

19/07/1941     appointed to HMAS Cerberus

On 12 August 1941, Perth arrived at Sydney and the following day moved to Cockatoo Dockyard for an extensive refit.

Acting Commander Charles R. Reid RAN, assumed command on 1 September 1941 and was relieved by Captain Hector M.L. Waller DSO*, RAN, on 24 October 1941.

30/10/1941     appointed to HMAS Perth - as an Able Seaman

After completion of her refit on 22 November HMAS Perth was engaged in exercises from 24 to 30 November and then sailed for Auckland. She carried out patrols, escort duties, exercises and manoeuvres during December 1941 and January 1942, visiting New Caledonia and New Guinea.

On 14 February 1942, Perth sailed for the Java Theatre. She arrived on 24 February at Batavia, where she was attacked by Japanese aircraft during that day and the next, without sustaining damage. Perth sailed on 25 February for Surabaja in company with four Royal Navy ships.

On 26 February the ship departed Surabaja in company with the Dutch cruisers De Ruyter and Java, the cruisers USS Houston and HMS Exeter, two Dutch destroyers, four US destroyers and HM Ships Jupiter, Electra and Encounter and proceeded along the north coast or Madura Island.

During the night of 27 - 28 February a fourteen ship ABDA (American, British, Dutch and Australian) force engaged Japanese naval forces in the disastrous BATTLE of the JAVA SEA. Five Allied ships were lost during that action and Perth and USS Houston were lucky to survive.

HMAS Perth and USS Houston arrived at Tandjung Priok on 28 February after the day and night actions off Surabaja. Fuel stocks in the port were almost exhausted and Perth could only receive 50% of full stowage. Preparations were being made to destroy all warehouses and harbour installations, so the opportunity was taken to embark any stores that might prove useful.

Orders were subsequently received to sail in company with Houston and the Dutch destroyer Evertson through Sunda Strait to Tjilatjap. Perth and Houston cast off at 1900 hours making a signal at the same time to Evertson to precede them out of harbour. Not having received clearance to sail, she was told to obtain the necessary orders and follow as soon as possible. The harbour entrance was soon passed and a course set for Sunda Strait. Houston was stationed five cables astern of Perth.

Shortly after sailing, Perth received air intelligence of an enemy force stated to consist of ten transports escorted by two cruisers and three destroyers sighted at 16:00, 28 February, 50 nm north-east of Batavia proceeding on an easterly course. According to Lieutenant-Commander JA Harper, RAN, Perth's Navigation Officer, Captain Waller considered that the Japanese would make a landing east of Batavia during the night of 28 February/1 March 1942 and that the invasion convoy escort would not be likely to interfere with the passage of Perth and Houston through the Sunda Strait.

The two cruisers followed a course as close as possible to the Java coast with Perth leading. Babi Island was sighted on the starboard beam 1.5 miles distant at 22:45. At that time the Japanese Western Invasion Convoy (General Imamura) had already entered Bantam Bay escorted by the cruisers Natori and Yura and destroyers Harukaze, Hatakaze, Asakaze, Fubuki, Murakumo, Shirayuki and Shirakumo. Close cover to seaward was provided by the 2nd Division of the Japanese 7th Cruiser Squadron (Admiral Kurita) consisting of heavy cruisers Mogami and Mikuma screened by the destroyer Shikinami. Distant cover was provided by the 1st Division of the 7th Squadron, Suzuya and Kumano, several destroyers and aircraft carrier Ryujo.

From available records it appears that Perth was first sighted by Fubuki which was on patrol north-east of Bantam Bay some time before the Japanese were sighted by the Allied cruisers. At 2306 a lookout in Perth sighted a vessel about five miles off St Nicholas Point. When challenged she proved to be a Japanese destroyer, believed to be the Harukaze, and was immediately engaged by both ships. Shortly afterwards, other destroyers were sighted to the north and the armament split so as to engage more than one target.

Perth received her first hit at 23:26, her second at 23:32 and a third at 23:50. 

Shortly afterwards Lieutenant-Commander Hancox, RAN reported that ammunition was reduced to a few 6-inch practice shells and some star shells. At that juncture Captain Waller decided to attempt to force a passage through Sunda Strait. He ordered full speed and altered course for Toppers Island. Perth had barely steadied on course when she was struck on the starboard side by a torpedo at 00:05. A few minutes later Perth received a second torpedo hit on the starboard side and Captain Waller gave the order to abandon ship. Perth sank at approximately 00:25 having received two further torpedo hits, one on her starboard side, the other on the port.

During the action a large number of enemy destroyers attacked from all directions, and, due to the large number of enemy ships attacking, it was impossible to engage all targets at once and some were eventually able to close to a very short range. The Japanese warships were protecting an invasion convoy of approximately 50 ships which effected a landing in Banten Bay, Java. According to Japanese reports 85 torpedoes were expended by Japanese ships during the action.

USS Houston was still fighting although badly on fire. She was hit by torpedoes and sank shortly afterwards rather closer inshore. Fire from Perth and Houston destroyed the Japanese transport Sakura Maru (7170 tons) and three other transports including the headquarters ship Ryujo Maru.

Most of Perth's crew abandoned ship between the second and third torpedoes, but it is doubtful if any of the boats were successfully launched. Many Carley rafts and wooden life rafts were launched. During the abandon ship operation Perth was under fire from several destroyers at close range and many hits were scored and casualties caused. Many were killed or wounded in the water by the explosion of the last two torpedoes and by shells exploding in the water.

At the time of her loss Perth's ship's company totalled 681, comprising 671 naval personnel, six RAAF personnel (for operating and servicing the aircraft) and 4 civilians (canteen staff).

350 naval personnel (including Captain Waller) and 3 civilians did not survive the sinking. Those who did numbered 328 (324 naval, 3 RAAF and 1 civilian).

4 naval personnel died ashore without having been taken prisoner.

A further 106 men died in captivity (105 naval, 1 RAAF).

4 sailors were recovered from captivity in September 1944 when they were among prisoners of war (POW's) rescued after the sinking of a Japanese transport. After the end of hostilities 214 men (211 naval, 2 RAAF and 1 civilian) were repatriated to Australia.

It was never known if Lloyd died at sea or became a POW.

01/03/1942      killed in action - Sunda Strait, Netherlands East Indies

Lloyd's name is commemorated:
         - on Panel 72 (bottom of column 3) at Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth, Devon, England, UK; and
         - on Panel 5 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT

His name is commemorated with his parents grave at:-
   Cheltenham Cemetery, Cheltenham, SA,
   Section CX; Drive: A; Path (#): 11(22); Site #334C.

In late 2013, divers found that the wreck of HMAS Perth was being stripped by Indonesian marine salvagers.

Reports in September indicated that crane-equipped barges had stripped off most of the wreck's superstructure, forward turrets, and forward decking, and that explosives have been used to break the ship up for easier recovery. These actions have compromised the structural integrity of the wreck site, and have potentially exposed live munitions and oil tanks. 

HMAS Perth's wreck is not protected as a war grave, either through the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (Australia and Indonesia are not signatories to the treaty) or through legislation in either nation.

The stripping of Perth's wreck was not publicly reported until December 2013; the Australian Broadcasting Corporation speculated that the government departments made aware of the issue tried to keep it under wraps to avoid further deteriorating relations between Australia and Indonesia, particularly following the Australia–Indonesia spying scandal.

In October 2015, United States Navy and Indonesian Navy divers embarked aboard USNS Safeguard undertook a nine-day survey of Perth and Houston. Divers documented the condition of the two shipwrecks, and identified signs of unauthorised salvage. The operation was a prelude to a conference in Jakarta on preserving and preventing the unauthorised salvage of wartime shipwrecks in the Java Sea.  (information provided by Wikipedia).

Submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  07/01/2017.  Lest we forget.