Public Records Office, Foreign Office:

Reference:- FO. 371 36574 X/K 6940:

GENERAL - W: 5567 09 Apr. 1943

Use of s.s. "Centaur" as hospital ship. Refers to Foreign Office telegram to Berne No. 424 (1723/379/49), 30th. Jan. Italian Government ask for more detailed particulars of s.s. Centaur.

i)Telegram: (No. 1701) 7 Apr. '43 6.00 p.m. Recvd 7 Apr. '43 11.45 p.m. from Berne to FO - reference No. 424Italian Government ask for more detailed particulars of s.s. Centaur.

ii)Letter: (M.334/43) 18 Apr. '43 from W. Marshall, Military Branch, Admiralty to S.A. Goulborn, Dom. Off. - Reference letter 15 Apr. '43 (PW.229/3) re Italian request for info on Centaur...indicates what is normally notified to enemy re hosp. ships...imagine that Axis wish to confirm painting and identification marks

iii)Outward Telegram: (No. 86) 21 Apr. '43 6.15 p.m. from D.O. to Australia Govt. - Reference No. 24 and No. 27....advice regarding reply to Italian request regards Centaur

GENERAL - W: 6759 04 May. 1943

S.S. Centaur. Transmits copy of telegram from Australian Govt. No. 104 of 30th April giving descrition of hospital ship "Centaur"

i)Inward Telegram: (No. 104) 30 Apr. '43 11.15 p.m. Recvd 1 Mayr. '43 6.15 a.m. from Australia Govt to D.O. - reference No. 88...details concerning Centaur as follows...

ii)Telegram: (No. 1781) 8 May. '43 12.10 a.m. from F.O. to Berne. - Reference No. 1761...Additional descition of Centaur

GENERAL - W: 7342 16 May. 1943

S.S. Centaur. Refers to Foreign Office telegram No. 1781 of 7th May (W 6759/379/49). Notification was made to the Italian, Roumanian and German Government on 12th May.

i)Telegram: (No. 2404) 14 May. '43 7.50 p.m. Recvd 15 May. '43 11.50p.m. from Berne to F.O. - reference No. 1781...Notification was made to the Italian, Roumanian and German Government on 12th May.

GENERAL - W: 7432 18 May. 1943

Sinking of hospital ship Centaur. Transmits copy of message from G.H.Q. S.W.P.A. no. 1609122 of 16th May stating that hospital ship Centaur was sunk by torpedo on 14th May fifty miles east of Brisbane. No evidence of sinking was received until thirt five hours later when 55 men and one nurse rescued.

i)Message: (No. 160912 Part One) 16 May. '43 22h03. from G.H.Q. S.W.P.A. to Admiralty and others - Hospital ship Centaur sunk by torpedo....55 men and one nurse rescued out of totral 326 aboard including nil wounded indications submarine within fifty miles of 20 degs. south 156 degs east at 151327z.

ii)Inward Telegram: (No. 120) 17 May '43 5.40p.m. recvd 17 May '43 10.35a.m. from Australia Govt to D.O. - Refers to No. 24 of 25 Jan. Ship sunk..protest being framed...ensure no prior announcement which Gen. MacArthur proposed to make himself...furnish actual date of notificatio to Japanese of Centaur commissioning as h.s.

iii)Outward Telegram: (No. 109)17 May '43 1.50p.m. from D.O. to Australia Govt. - Reference to No. 120 17 May...Japanese informed 5th Feb. by Swiss.

iv)Secret Message: (171808B/May) 17 May '43 to Aust. Comm. Naval Board rptd NZNB from Admiralty - Refers to G.H.Q. S.W.P.A. 160912z "Request detailed report of sinking of Hospital Ship CENTAUR as soon as possible."

v)Most Secret Message: (171811Z/May 43) 17 May '43 Recvd 20h31 From First Sea Lord B.A.D. Washington to Admiralty, A.C.N.B. - ...sinking has been examined by Chiefs of Staff now in Washington. "They are of the opinion that every means should be taken to suppress publication of this as a temporary measure."

vi)Secret Message: (190949Z/May) 19 May '43 recvd 18h18from ACNB to Admiralty - Refernce your 171808B our 544173 & 100743Z..additional info re sinking...struck by one torpedo...no signals made...s/m surfaced but took no action against survivors who were observed by aircraft at 0345Z 15th...picked up at 0414Z 15th...time of attck weather clear...ship fully illuminated except two front floodlights switched off as affecting sight from bridge

GENERAL - W: 7462 19 May. 1943

S.S. Centaur. Refers to telegram No. 2404 17th May (W7342/379/49) Swiss Govt state that notification was made to Japanese, Siamese, and Bulgarian Governments on 13th May.

i)Telegram: (No. 2450) 17 May. '43 7.50p.m. recvd 19 May '43 3.30a.m. from Berne to F.O. - Refers No. 2404 Swiss Govt state that notification was made to Japanese, Siamese, and Bulgarian Governments on 13th May

GENERAL - W: 7731 24 May. 1943

Sinking of hospital ship Centaur. Gives text of protest by Australian Government to Japanese Government about the sinking of hospital ship "Centaur". Requests that this protest may be sent to Swiss authorities as soon as possible.

i)Letter: 19 May. '43 Mr. Bruce, Australia House, London to The Right Hon. Anthony Eden, Secretary of State, Foreign Office - text of protest received via tyelegram from Prime Minister Curtin...please forward to Swiss as soon as possible

ii)Note: 20 May '43 from mr. D.L. Stewart concerning Brice's letter 19 May '43 to Sect.of State - "...First Sea Lord is very anxious that the protest should not be sent in its present form and that he proposes to raise the matter at this evening's Cabinet on the general grounds...that the Conventions protecting hospital ships are generally respected and to avoid any unnecessary action which might provide an excuse for the Japanese to denounce these Convrentions."

iii)Telegram: (S. 103) 21 May '43 From Bruce to Prime Minister Curtin - Reference to No. 73 of 18 May...as Japanese did not demand punishment of those responsible re Japanese protest of attcks on their hospital ships (Dom. Off. D. 302) would be advisable to leave out demand for punishment of those responsible in our protest

iv)Cablegram: (No.77) 22 May '43 from PM to High Commissioner, London - Refrence to No. s. 103 - Agree with omission of words mentioned.

v)Telegram: (No. 2014) 22 May '43 5.45p.m. from FO to Berne - convey text of next telegram to Japanese.

vi)Telegram: (No. 2015) 22 May '43 7.20p.m. from FO to Berne - Text of Australian protest

vii)Inward Telegram: (No. 124) 21 May '43 1.10p.m. recvd 21 May '43 3.20p.m. from Australia Govt to D.O. - P.M. acknowledges message of sympathy

viii)Telegram: (No. 2804) 5 June '43 4.32p.m. recvd 6 June '43 1.10a.m. from Berne to FO - reference to No. 2015(?) Swiss notified Japanese Govt on May 29th.