The Chapel of Our Lady Star of the Sea was designed by PJ O'Connor and Brophy and built by WA Medbury as a memorial to 'those men of the Royal Australian Navy who gave their lives in World War I and II'. The Foundation stone was blessed the Melbourne's Archbishop, the Most Rev. D. Mannix DD, LLD, on 6 October 1946. The builder ordered windows from Brooks, Robinson & Co. in March 1948, most to be made of 'amber quarries with a green outside border and a ruby inner border' with emblems inset, as was the case for this group in the north nave that each measured approximately 63 x 19 inches.
HMAS Perth, formerly the RN Amphion, was commissioned at Portsmouth on 29 June 1939. Commitments in the northern hemishere delayed her arrival in Sydney unril 31 March 1940. After escorting Queen Mary to Egypt and some Australian-based operations HMAS Perth largely assisted operations in the Mediterranean before returning to Sydney on 12 August 1941. In February the following year she headed for Java and was immediately under fire from the time of her arrival, with heavy enemy engagement continuing until the end of February and HMAS Perth, with USS Houston, 'lucky to survive'. Fuel and ammunition shortages not withstanding, she sailed for Sunda Strait amid further enemy attack. On 1 March 1942 HMAS Perth was hit by a torpedo on the starboard side and Captain HML Waller gave orders to prepare to abandon ship, just as another torpedo found its mark. Two more followed and the ship was ultimately sunk. 350 Naval personnel were lost, including Captain Waller, and three civilians. Of the survivors, 106 died as prisoners of war. Able Seaman William James Robertson, born in 1901, was one of the men who died at sea on 1 March 1942 after a career in the Navy.
References & Acknowledgements
AWM Roll of Honour; NAA: A6770, Robertson WJ; http://www.navy.gov.au/
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