Evidence unearthed from an unmarked grave by the Navy-led expedition team appears to confirm that the body is the one that was recovered from close inshore at Christmas Island in February 1942,” said the Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, Bruce Billson. Mr Billson said the evidence so far, such as the grave location in the Old European Cemetery on Christmas Island, the unusual coffin shape, position of the body, and initial age estimate, all suggests that the body is that found in a Carley float life-raft in February 1942 and subsequently buried.

The complete skeleton has been returned to Sydney for detailed analysis and possible identification, although the possibility, as with any undertaking of this type, is low. “The dental characteristics of the remains are very distinctive, including a number of fillings and missing or extracted teeth, which may assist with the identification process,” Mr Billson said. While the identification process is far from complete, preliminary analysis indicates the remains are reflective of a relatively young Caucasian male whose height was probably tall for the time.

“The most interesting find to date has been what appears to be a bullet wound in the skull and a small calibre round that is currently undergoing detailed analysis,” the Team leader, Captain Jim Parsons said. “This round appears to be from a low-velocity weapon, possibly a handgun. “Press-studs, one with what may be a fragment of cloth attached, have also been found, which are all consistent with the overalls the sailor was wearing when the body was recovered in 1942,” the Team leader, Captain Jim Parsons said.

These items, as well as samples of timber and nails from the coffin, will be sent to the Australian War Memorial for further analysis and identification. The Senate Committee report to Parliament in 1999 on the loss of HMAS Sydney (II) concluded that “…on the balance of probability, that the body and the Carley float found off the shore of Christmas Island in February 1942 were most likely from HMAS Sydney”.

“We are becoming increasingly confident that the body we have recovered is the one that was buried in 1942,” Captain Parsons said. “As with any undertaking of this type, the likelihood of positively identifying this unknown sailor is low,” Mr Billson said.