 Departing the Mediterranean , Waller returned to Australia in August 1941 for service in the South West Pacific . On 24 October , he took command of the light cruiser HMAS Perth , berthed in Sydney . Perth had also lately returned from action in the Mediterranean , where she had participated in the Greek , Cretan , and Syrian campaigns , and been damaged on two occasions by German bombers . Waller was reportedly " tired " and " quite a sick man " at this time , but nonetheless prepared Perth for action quickly . In January 1942 , the ship was assigned to American @-@ British @-@ Dutch @-@ Australian Command ( ABDA ) to help defend the Dutch East Indies . She set sail for the ABDA Area on 15 February , the day that Singapore surrendered . 
