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A.H.S. Centaur Memorial Print Page 
The Memorial commemorates the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Centaur. The memorial consists of a monumental stone topped with a cairn, surrounded by a tiled moat with memorial plaques explaining the commemoration.
Australian Hospital Ship Centaur was sunk during World War Two at 4.10am on 14 May 1943 off Stradbroke Island, Queensland, by a torpedo from the Japanese Navy submarine I-177. The ship sank within 3 minutes. The ship was well illuminated and marked as a hospital ship, and the act of sinking a ship so marked was considered to be a war crime.
Of the 332 persons onboard during the fateful second voyage from Sydney to New Guinea, there were: 75 Merchant Navy crew, 65 ship`s Australian Army medical staff including 12 nurses, 192 members of the Army`s 2/12th Field Ambulance that was to establish various medical units. 64 survived after clinging to debris and life rafts for 34 hours until rescued by United States Navy ship USS Mugford.
Location
| Address: | Boundary Street, Point Danger, Coolangatta, 4225 |
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| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -28.164198 Long: 153.550891 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 14-May-1943 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 14-May-1943 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Friday 14th May, 1993 |
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A.H.S.• CENTAUR• BUILT GREENOCK • 1924
BATTLE FOR NEW GUINEA
WAU BITOI RIVER
BOBDUBI RIDGE MUBI WAIPALI GUADAGASAL
THE PIMPLE
PORT MORESBY
CENTAUR WAS BUILT FOR THE OCEAN STEAMSHIP COY. (BLUE FUNNEL LINE, LIVERPOOL U.K). IN EARLY 1943 CENTAUR WAS CONVERTED TO A HOSPITAL SHIP. ON HER SECOND VOYAGE FROM SYDNEY TO NEW GUINEA. SHE WAS TORPEDOED BY THE JAPANESE SUBMARINE NO 1-177 AT 4.10AM OF MAY 14TH. 1943 OFF STRADBROKE ISLAND. CENTAUR SANK IN LESS THAN THREE MINUTES. OF THE 332 PERSONS ON BOARD ONLY 64 SURVIVED AFTER CLINGING TO RAFTS AND DEBRIS FOR 34 HOURS. THEY WERE RESCUED BY THE DESTROYER USS MUGFORD.
