Sydney’s mast not destined for ‘Sow and Pigs’

Credit: LEE_G (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Original plans for the seating and positioning of guests, dignitaries and members of the public for the HMAS Sydney Memorial Mast ceremony at Bradley’s Head have been rediscovered and photographed in high resolution and are now available online.

Detail from seating plan. Source: Trace, Mosman Digital Archive

The plans are dated 1st of November 1934 – 3 weeks prior to the major harbourside event on 24 November 1934 that commemorated the sinking of the SMS Emden by the HMAS Sydney. The Daily – on its front page and inside page – reported on ‘Mosman’s Fine Ceremony,’ ‘Details of Procedure’ and ‘Time Table’ of events including maritime arrangements on the day.

In the words of fellow historian Gavin Souter –

Mosman’s mayor at the time Jack Carroll was a diligent local historian, and with his enthusiastic support another 27 tons of history was added to the municipal coastline.

Sussex in Sydney Harbour, 1934. Source: Horatio J Kookaburra, Flickr

Nine RAAF Wapiti aircraft were timed to fly over as His Royal Highness’ ship HM Sussex passed by, the flag ‘broken on the mast’ and the national anthem played. The whole event must have been quite a spectacle with ‘thousands’ in attendance on this gazetted public holiday, bathed in ‘brilliant sunshine.’

Westland Wapiti two-seater of No 3 Squadron RAAF based at Richmond photographed in flight over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Source: AWM P00448.197

Interestingly enough, proposed plans dating from 1928 for a monument to HMAS Sydney at the entrance to Port Jackson over the reef known as Sow and Pigs have also come to light.

Proposed National Sea Memorial Sydney, 1928. This proposal by Engineer Lieutenant N.Warren Waterhouse, R.A.N.R. includes as its essential feature the tripod mast of H.M.A.S. Sydney and the reef at the entrance to Port Jackson, known as Sow and Pigs. Source: Trace, Mosman Digital Archive

Little else is known of these plans except that they did not come to fruition. The estimated costs of erecting the mast at the Sow and Pigs in mid 1929 meant that the project was ‘deferred’- permanently. It was also assessed to be logistically impossible to surmount the Hyde Park Memorial with the tripod mast, therefore, the HMAS Sydney Memorial Mast was destined to become a prominent landmark for visitors and viewers on the north, rather than the south side of Sydney Harbour.

Jack Carroll’s fervent wish was fulfilled. The HMAS Sydney Memorial Mast, dedicated in a spirit of peace has become a treasured memorial from which future generations may absorb inspiration and guidance.

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The new Sydney passing the old Sydney’s mast at Bradley’s Head. Source: Sydney Mail, 1936. HMAS Sydney (D48), a Leander-class light cruiser launched in 1934, was sunk following a battle with the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran on 19 November 1941.

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Sydney’s mast not destined for ‘Sow and Pigs’