This is an example of the medal awarded to the Captain and crew of HMAS Sydney on 11 February 1941 when the ship returned to Australia after war service in the Mediterranean. Sailing off Western Australia later the same year the Sydney was sunk by a German raider with the loss of all 645 aboard.

Click to enlarge. (98kb)

Click to enlarge. (70kb)


Obverse – The legend PRESENTED BY THE CITIZENS OF SYDNEY TO CAPTAIN J.A.COLLINS CB.,R.A.N. THE OFFICERS AND SHIP'S COMPANY IN COMMEMORATION OF THEIR GALLANT FIGHT AGAINST SUPERIOR SPEED AND WEIGHT OF ARMAMENT, WHICH RESULTED IN THE SINKING OF THE ITALIAN CRUISER BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA JULY NINETEEN 1940.		Reverse – HMAS Sydney under full steam with guns smoking.

Transferred from National Gallery of Victoria, 1976