The young men who served on HMAS Perth during the Second World War were little more than teenagers from cities, towns, villages and farms across the nation. No others who served in that terrible war endured so much of its hardship or horror.
After surviving several dangerous sea battles, HMAS Perth was sunk by torpedoes in February 1942. More than 300 men were lost and another 328 were captured. Most were sent to work on the notorious Burma-Thai railway, where many died. Only 218 men from the HMAS Perth ever made it home to Australia.
To tell this ground-breaking story, journalist Mike Carlton spent three years researching naval archives and poring over personal letters and diaries. He interviewed survivors and their families. For many, it was the first time they had spoken of their deeply traumatic experiences.
For Mike, a former war correspondent with a passion for naval history, this is the book he's always wanted to write. Join Mike for the official launch of Cruiser: the Life and Loss of HMAS Perth and Her Crew at the Western Australian Maritime Museum, as part of their acclaimed Batavia Lecture Series.
