Informal portrait at a welcome home luncheon given to crew members of HMAS Sydney II from the ...

Informal portrait at a welcome home luncheon given to crew members of HMAS Sydney II from the Hunter region, at the Great Northern Hotel. The ship had returned to Sydney from service in the Mediterranean, and on the 11 February the crew had enjoyed a luncheon in Sydney Town Hall following a ceremonial welcome home march through George Street, Sydney. Seated at the table is Mrs Timms, the proprietress of the hotel. Standing, left to right are: unidentified civilian man; unidentified Sydney crew member; unidentified Sydney crew member; unidentified Sydney crew member; possibly S/4212 Able Seaman (AB) Sydney William Harricks in civilian clothing; and 23464 AB Martin Curtis James, of Newcastle, NSW. On 19 November 1941 the Sydney was sunk in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia by the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran. All 645 crew members aboard HMAS Sydney were lost. AB James was 19 years of age at the time of his death. AB Harricks was one of the crew members lost when the Sydney sank. The unidentified crew members were also probably aboard the Sydney at the time of its sinking.