WITH THE SLOOPS GUNS BLAZING SMOKE BELLOWING
THE GUSTY HMAS YARRA 11 SURCUMMED TO THE MIGHT OF THE JAPANESE NAVY HEAVY CRUISERS WHO OUT GUNNED THE YARRA MANY TIMES OVER SENDING HER COURAGOSILY TO THE BOTTEM OF THE DARK GREEN SEA.
The HMAS YARRA (11) sunk by the Japanese Navy on 4th March 1942 whilst escorting a convoy to Fremantle . The Yara scatted the convoy it was escorting and turned and engaged the enemy which consisted of 3 cruisers and 2 destroyers the main cruises was a least 3 times the size of the Yarra .With all its guns blazing the Yarra at full steam ahead sailed in to the middle of the Japanese fleet and fought for over an hour ever seaman giving his all . Commander Rankin went down with his ship .
The loss of 138 officers and men killed either on the ship or from the life rafts that floated for 5 days in the burning sun cold nights thirst hunger and injuries, monster sharks attacked at sunset each night taking the men who were hanging over the side of the life rafts unable to fit themselves into the life rafts .
The 13 sailors that survived were picked up 5 days later by a Dutch submarine K-X1 not one minute to soon .
My father Bernard Basil Ferris aka as (Young Ferris) joined the navy in October 1934 in Sydney and sailed on HMAS VOYAGER-HMAS WATERHEN-HMAS STUART joining HMAS Yarra 11 June 1938 till he was injured on board and taken from the ship August 1941 to the base hospital RAN Penguin New South Wales where he was a patient till December 1942 when he was discharged physically unfit for navy services.
With the sinking of the HMAS YARRA 11 on 4th march 1942 at 9.15 am my father would become a changed man for the rest of his life.
From the moment he heard the news of the sinking of the Yarra supreme sacrifice paid by all of his mates and ships officers and crew reality of the loss became immediately to much for him to bear .Why me ? his mind reacted sent into a depressed state along with the injuries to his leg kept young Ferris bed bound in the navy hospital .
His leg become a secondary issue to his suffering as his mind loaded with guilt and shame of not being with his crew as the ship went down . Living with the shame and guilt has never left him, his life was scared forever, until his death in 1983.
Laying in his hospital bed the memories of (YOUNG FERRIS) joining the HMAS YARRA 11 1938, his thoughts flashed back covering all the miles with the Ship that his mates and crew had covered together ,many miles on the open sea such places as RED SEA 21st October 1940 where YOUNG FERRIS No 1 Gun Crew were crowned The Red Sea Champs see picture below ;
Bombay India — Iraq Conflict -Karachi to Basra -Shattiel-el-Arab Waterway Persian Gulf Mediterranean -Singapore (last ship in harbor ) Tobruk — Timor Seas- Jakarta -Darwin Sunda Straits .The HMAS Yarra 11 last stand the end to a brave sloop which earnt the respect of all .
My dad joined the navy in 1934 at the tender age of 18 years following in the Footsteps of his elder brother Norbert .Norbert a Petty Officer served on the HMAS Yarra 11 together for a short time they were not on the Yarra when she sunk .Young Ferris was always going to be a sailor just like his elder brother Norbert who he idealized .Norbert was promoted to Chief Petty Officer serving in the Korean war in 1951 aboard the HMAS Sydney .
Born Bernard Basil Ferris 30th June 1916 at Marrickville NSW in the middle of the World War 1, the second of 3 boys .His father Basil was a hotel licensee in Darlinghurst NSW and a very liked man by all who meet him and especially the navy boys and his hotel patrons it was unfortunate that Basil, died in1945 .Bernie’s mother Gladis May was a typical loving mother to the boys and bringing up, 3 boys was no mean feat between WW1 to WW2 working as house keeper at the Manly Hotel in Sydney .
As a boy growing up Bernie was a good scholar and sportsman excellent sprinter and rugby player he loved to sneak down to the racing horse stables with Tommy Smith before Tommy become Australian champion trainer .
Bernie’s first ship he served on Hmas Voyager then HMAS Waterhen followed by HMAS Stuart to the HMAS YARRA (11) on 2nd June 1938 where he was injured IN 1941 at sea and transferred to Navy Hospital Sydney Australia.
Young Ferris meet my mother 1940 in PO Hotel in Fremantle Western Australia before the HMAS YARRA 11set sail to the middle east love was in air.
The P&O Hotel at the time being the no 1 hotel in Fremantle a must for every seaman and was always packed to the rafters my mum made sure all the customers were treated with a big smile and a frothy beer and most of all welcome to THE P&O. Ask for Sadie she serves the best beer in port the call of all service men as the set foot on the Fremantle wharf !The only thing Sadie ever felt sad about Fremantle her good friends having their last drink at P&O then board the boat to leave for the war .
Sadie received notice that Young Ferris had been injured on board of the Yarra 11 in the spring 1941in the Persian Gulf and removed to navy hospital Sydney Australia Sadie relocated to Sydney immediately to be near Young Ferris .Their love for each other flourished and they were married in 1943 in Sydney and in 1944 moved to Perth to build their future together .I was born in February 1944 in Fremantle and a brother come along in 1954 . Growing up I can remember my mother sharing with me and others over and over that my dad was beautiful young man he was liked and respected by all that he meet and his mates were his life he would give his last shilling to any one he thought need help .
My mothers life was not an easy one with two young boys her hotel work and nursing Young Ferris. His continual depression and physically capacities were a mental strain to her .Sadie was made of steel and her love for her family and others always shone trough . Before Sadie passed she had the greatest honor of attending along with her two sons a dedication memorial service to the 280 navy personnel who did not come home .
HMAS YARRA11 — HMAS PARRAMATTA — HMAS SWAN — HMAS Warrego who were killed in action paying the supreme sacrifice for their country during ww2 1941–1942 .
The service was held on 25th September 1995 St Marks Chapel HMAS CERBERUS in Melbourne Victoria Australia.
POEM RE YOUNG FERRIS WRITTEN BY Lieutenant Lynton Wright
Least WE Forget Never !
80TH ANIVESERARY 4TH MARCH 2022 OF HER SINKING .
To all of us who will always remember the HMAS YARRA 11 sacrifice made for her country with her motto “Hunt and Strick” went forward in to battle against all odds with all her guns blazing and full steam ahead and the Australian flag flying at full mast — GOD SAVE THE KING !
Lozzas Ramblings .
