David William ManningPrint Page

The plaque commemorates David William Manning (1923  -2018), a survivor of the sinking of HMAS Perth (I) in 1942 during the battle of Sunda Strait who trained at HMAS Cerberus. 

Mr Manning was an 18-year-old Able Seaman gunner aboard Perth (I) when the ship was lost during the Battle of Sunda Strait along with the USS Houston, in the early hours of 1 March 1942.

He had manned his gun against a Japanese strike group until the ammunition was gone and was blown into the sea when a fourth torpedo, fired from one of the many enemy ships in the battle, struck the Leander Class cruiser.

Of a crew of 681 souls, 324 survived, including Mr Manning, but they were taken as prisoners of war by Japanese Imperial Forces. Mr Manning was forced to work on the Thai-Burma Railway during his time as a prisoner and was one of only 218 from Perth’s ship’s company to return home at the end of the war. 

Location

Address:	Nelson Road , Sun Garden opposite ‘Our Lady Star of the Sea’ Chapel, HMAS Cerberus, 3920
State:	VIC
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -38.366313 Long: 145.191028 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:	Plaque
Monument Theme:	People
Sub-Theme:	Military

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:	September -2018

Source: MA