01)Exhibit A1 Centaur Inquiry - John Brennan, Secretary 18/8/44 -
Hand drawn sketch of bow layout - Malcolm's name on port side.
02)Exhibit A2 Centaur Inquiry - John Brennan, Secretary 18/8/44 -
Cablegram (24 &0.2430) 25 Jan. '43Secretary of State for Dominion
Affairs, London. - Anticipate h.s. Centaur will be in commission 1
Mar. 43, request...particulars be passed to enemy powers....
03)Exhibit A3 Centaur Inquiry - John Brennan, Secretary 18/8/44 -
Cablegram (27 & 5930 & SC 972) 6 Feb. '43 Recd. 8 Feb. '43.
From Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, London. - Ref. 24 and
27- Notification made.
04)Exhibit A7 Centaur Inquiry - John Brennan, Secretary 9/9/44 -
Report on the sinking of the hospital ship M.V. "CENTAUR" by me -
Maurice A. Cairnie, 4th. Engineer
05)Message (EFD/MV 371) 15 May '43 T.O.O. 150607Z - To C.S.W.P.S.F.
(R) N.O.I.C. Sydney C.T.F. 72 Com. 7th. Fleet A.O.R.E.A. N.O.I.C.
Townsville from N.O.I.C. Brisbane - Following from "Mugford"
T.O.O.150506. Am picking up many survivors of H.M.A. Hospital Ship
"CENTAUR" position 27 degs 03 mins south 154 degs 12 mins east at
0414Z. Ship sunk at 0400K Friday. More details later.
06)Minute Paper 16 May '43 Sinking of Hospital Ship "Centaur":
S.O.(I) (Staff Officer - Intelligence) Brisbane Report. By J. Blaikie
(?) Assistant Publicity Censorship Liaison Officer - Includes list of
survivors from U.S.S. Mugford. (Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1653)
07)Memorandum (ref. 031814) 16 May '43 by J. Blaikie (?) Assistant
Publicity Censorship Liaison Officer for The Secretary, Dept. of
Defence - same contents as Minute Paper 16 May '43 Staff Officer -
Intelligence, Brisbane Report. (Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1653)
08)Minute Paper 16 May '43 Hospital Ship "Centaur": Additional Report
from S.O.(I) (Staff Officer - Intelligence) Brisbane Report. Master
chose route of own making rather than theassigned Green Route. (Dept.
of Navy 2026/13/1653)
09)Memorandum 17 May '43 for The Secretary, Dept. of the Navy from
F.G. Shedden - Receipt of ref. 031814 CinC, SWPA contemplates
announcing sinking in communique from GHQ on Tuesday, 18 May. P.M.
requests info as to notification and recognition by Japanese
authorities etc., ..as a basis for considering a protest. (Dept. of
Navy 2026/13/1653)
10)Memorandum (ref. 031922) 17 May '43 for The Secretary, Dept. of
Defence - Responds to Memorandum 17 May '43 from Shedden, details of
Centaur cabled to enemy powers via P.M's telegram No.24 of 25 Jan.
'43; Centaur entitled to full protection; 19 Jan. '43 Admiralty
promulgated list of Japanese Hospital Ships, details passed to all
Allied War Ships...;Centaur flood-lit at time of sinking. (Dept. of
Navy 2026/13/1653)
11)Press Release, n.d. concerning the torpedoing of Centaur -
includes hanwritten edits to numbers of survivors
12)Letter (ref. 031963) 17 May '43 to The General Secretary, Marine
Underwriters and Salvage Association, Melbourne - notification of
loss of Centaur also note that same info had been passed to the
vessel's agents; Marine Branch - Maritime Industry Commission; and,
Australian Rep for British Ministry of War Transport. (Dept. of Navy
2026/13/1653)
13)Navy message (17 May '43 T.O.O. 171811Z) To Admiralty A.C.N.B.
from B.A.D. Washington - From First Sea Lord...Chiefs of Staff...are
of opinion that every means should be taken to suppress publication
of this as a temporary measure. (2) Request you do all you can to
prevent publication. (Passed to Com 7th. Fleet). (Dept. of Navy
2026/13/1653)
14)Letter (ref. 032303) not dated - From A.R. Nankervis to The
Secretary, Defence Dept. - explains the confusion surrounding
original number of 352 of total onboard Centaur. Amended figures
received from Army and Dalghety reduce this to 332. Amended number
received after release of Monday statement. (Dept. of Navy
2026/13/1653)
15)Navy message (28 May '43 T.O.O. 281655B) To A.C.N.B. Repeated
Combrax Portsmouth, Devonport, Chatham from Admiralty - Requests
names,numbers and fate of R.A.N. personnel when Centaur lost. (Dept.
of Navy429/201/669)
16)Navy message (4 Jun. '43 T.O.O. 040527Z) To Admiralty from A.C.N.B
- no Royal Naval Personnel in Centaur. (Dept. of Navy
2026/13/1653)
17)Report of Rescue of Survivors of H.M.A.H.S. Centaur dated 18 May
'43 - from The Commanding Officer U.S.S. Mugford (389) H.G. Corey to
Commander Seventh Fleet.
18)Letter (ref. 038202) not dated - from Naval Board to Commander,
Allied Naval Forces, SWPA - thanking Captain, Officers and crew of
Mugford for their role in the rescue operation abd their generosity
toward the survivors in
the sum of L 239. (Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1653) 19)Memorandum (8 Aug.
'44) - From John M. Brennan, Secretary, War Crimes Commision to
Secretary, Department of the Navy, Melbourne - The War Crimes
Commissioner (Sir William Webb) proposes to commence an inquiry into
the sinking of H.M.A.H.S. Centaur on Monday next..request for a plan
of the ship...seeks answers o eight questions concerning sinking.
(Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1755)
20)Memorandum (ref. 039108) 12 Aug. '44 To The Secretary, War Crimes
Commission, Melbourne - answers to eight questions raised in
Memorandum 8 Aug. '44 are given. (Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1755)
21)Memorandum (ref. 039920) 16 Aug. '44 To The Secretary, War Crimes
Commission, Melbourne - additional responses to questions raised in
ref. 039108. (Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1755)
22)Information (one sheet) supplied to Mr. Brennan on 18 Aug, '44
from Navy Dept. - Responses to five questions by Brennan (one sheet).
(Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1755)
23)Memorandum (ref. 58086) not dated (30 July '46 ?) - For The
Secretary, Dept of the Navy, Melbourne from F.R. Sinclair, Secretary,
Dept. of th Army. War Crimes: Sinking of Hospital Ship "Cenatur" -
quotes from ref. A185 22 July '46 from 2 Aust. War Crimes Sec (SCAP)
Tokyo requesting enemy activity off eastern coast of Australia Apr.
to May '43. Any sub sinkings? Any sub survivors? (Dept. of Navy
2026/13/1755)
24)Memorandum (ref. 014671) 9 Aug. '46 - For The Secretary, Dept of
the Army, Melbourne from H.C.Allen, Acting Secretary, Dept. of the
Navy. Ref. 58086 encloses list of Merchant vessels sunk off the East
coast of Australia includes Date; Ship; Nationality;Type; Tonnage;
Latitude; Longitude; Casualties; and Remarks. (Dept. of Navy
2026/13/1755)
25)Memorandum (ref. 071822) not dated (9 Oct. '46 ?) - For The
Secretary, Dept of the Navy, Melbourne from F.R. Sinclair, Secretary,
Dept. of the Army. - Ref. 014671 list etc., forwarded to 2 Aust. War
Crimes Sec (SCAP) Tokyo - they identify I-176, I-177, I-178, I-180 as
the subs operating in the area. I-178 failed to return - all Japanese
subs sunk in area 150-160 degrees East and 10 and 30 degrees North.
(Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1755)
26)Memorandum (ref. 017517) 14 Oct. '46 - For The Secretary, Dept of
the Army, Melbourne from A.R.Nankervis, Secretary, Dept. of the
Navy.- Ref. 071822 Date; position, cause of sinking of five Japanese
submarines indicated. Also notes I-178 sunk 25 Aug by USS Patterson
12 deg. 57' S. 164 degs. 23"E. (Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1755)
27)Memorandum (ref. 077725) not dated (4 Nov. '46 ?) - For The
Secretary, Dept of the Navy, Melbourne from F.R. Sinclair, Secretary,
Dept. of the Army. - Ref. 017517 info forwarded to 2 Aust. War Crimes
Sec (SCAP) Tokyo - they want additional info re I-178. (Dept. of Navy
2026/13/1755)
28)Memorandum (ref. 018946) 15 Nov. '46 - For The Secretary, Dept of
the Army, Melbourne from A.R.Nankervis, Secretary, Dept. of the
Navy.- Ref. 077725 info concerning sinking of I-178 from White Paper
presented by First Sea Lord of Admiralty to Parliament dated June,
1946.(Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1755)
29)Memorandum (ref.4087) not dated (16 Feb. '48 ?) - For The
Secretary, Dept of the Navy, Melbourne from F.R. Sinclair, Secretary,
Dept. of the Army. - Ref. 014671 of 9 Aug. '46 additional information
sought re vessels sunk off east coast info required by 2 Aust. War
Crimes Sec (SCAP) Tokyo. (Dept. of Navy 2026/13/1858)
30)Letter (ref. 01095) 20 Feb. '48 - From Secretary of Navy A.R.
Nankervis to The Secretary, Dept. of the Army - War Crimes: Sinking
of Hospital ship Centaur. Ref 4087 of 16 Feb. '48 Information
regarding submarine attacks on ships (Recina; Kowarra: Limerick;
Lydia M. Childs; Wollongbar; Fingal; Caradale & Ormisron; and,
Centaur) previously listed in memo 014671 of 9 Aug. '46