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H.M.A.S. YarraPrint Page 
The cypress tree commemorates H.M.A.S. Yarra which was sunk near Java, Indonesia during World War Two. The tree was planted on the 50th anniversary of the ship's loss.
On 2 March 1942, H.M.A.S. Yarraarrived at Tjilatjap with the depot ship Anking, the tanker Francol, and the minesweeper MMS-51: the sloop was ordered to escort the other three ships to Fremantle. A day later, the ship rescued forty survivors of the Dutch ship Paragi from liferafts.
Early on 4 March 1942, the convoy encountered a Japanese fleet: the cruisers Atago,Takao and Maya, accompanied by four destroyers. H.M.A.S. Yarra's commander, Robert William Rankin, laid down a smokescreen, then ordered the convoy to scatter while the sloop held off the Japanese warships. Despite the efforts of H.M.A.S. Yarra, the other three Allied ships were pursued and sunk, and the sloop was sunk by cruiser gunfire shortly after 08:00, with only 34 survivors from the ship's company and the Paragi rescuees. Attrition reduced the number of survivors to 13 by the time they were rescued on 9 March by the Dutch submarine K XI.
Location
| Address: | Birdwood Avenue , Shrine Reserve, Melbourne, 3000 |
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| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.830139 Long: 144.973276 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Tree |
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| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 04-March-1942 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 04-March-1942 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Wednesday 4th March, 1992 |
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This Cypress tree is dedicated to H.M.A.S. Yarra.
Sunk by enemy action near Java 4. 3. 1943
138 killed 34 survived in two floats
Only 13 survivors were picked up and taken to Colombo.
To these great men lost and survivors fifty years on 4. 3. 1992
Lest We Forget.
