Greg Combet, the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, today paid tribute at a memorial service in Sydney to the memory of 21 sailors who were killed in the World War II attack on Sydney Harbour. “On the evening of 31 May 1942, three Japanese midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour. One of the boats, M24, fired two torpedoes at USS Chicago,” Mr Combet said.

“The weapons missed their target, but one torpedo detonated under the converted ferry HMAS Kuttabul, which was being used to accommodate Australian and British naval personnel.” Nineteen RAN and two Royal Navy sailors were killed when the explosion caused the ferry to sink. Mr Combet said acknowledgment of the sacrifice made by these sailors, actively contributing to the war effort, should not be diminished over time.

“The 21 sailors who died all played their part in protecting the values of our society. We owe the tranquillity and peaceful activity we see today on Sydney Harbour to them and the many others who have served our country,” Mr Combet said. The fate of the M24 remained a mystery until late 2006, when it was found around five kilometres off Bungan Head, Sydney. The service was conducted this morning by the Royal Australian Navy at the site of the attack on Garden Island.