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 porch that each measured approximately 63 x 19 inches. The three symbols in these lights represent the God's authority through the Pope - the trinity symbol flanked by the keys of St. Peter and the three-tiered Tiara.
Francis Vincent Haag was born 18 July 1922 at Kilmore (Vic). He joined the Navy on 19 November 1940 and had been appointed 'stoker' only days before HMAS Sydney sank. HMAS Sydney II was one ship well known among Australians for its exploits in the Second World War, notably in the Mediterranean. It was the Navy's 'most grievous loss' when it was sunk in action with the German auxillary cruiser Kormoran on 19 November 1941 with the loss of all 645 men. The Kormoran, disguised as a merchant vessel, lured the Sydney into close range, ultimately with disastrous results for both ships. Their whereabouts off the Western Australian coast remained unknown until they were reported found in 2008.
References & Acknowledgements
NAA: A6770, Haag FV; http://www.navy.gov.au/
Download a summary of this page
Show the location of this place on a map
Display this information in a printer-friendly format
Add this webpage as a bookmark
