On 8th August 1942, during the Battle of Savo Island HMAS Canberra (I) was struck
by two torpedoes and over 20 salvos of eight-inch shellfire. With power lost and the
ship listing heavily, orders were given for Canberra to be abandoned and sunk. With
the wounded and survivors transferred to the USS Paterson and USS Blue, she
finally sank at about 0800 on the 9th of August 1942. Of the 819 personnel onboard
Canberra during the action, there were 193 casualties.
We gather, near to the 84th anniversary of the loss of HMAS Canberra, to honour
the 84 men of the Royal Australian Navy, Royal Navy and United States Navy, and the
Royal Australian Air Force who were killed in action or subsequently died of their
wounds. We also remember the more than 1,200 American casualties in the United
States Navy ships in the Battle of Savo Island.