Able Seaman Arthur Thomas Wood was born 21 April 1921 at Berry in New South Wales, and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1938 at the age of 17. After training at HMAS CERBERUS he joined HMAS SYDNEY in early 1939. When World War II was declared, SYDNEY was ordered to serve in the Mediterranean for escort duty. Wood was aboard SYDNEY when it sank the Italian cruisers ESPERO and BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI in July 1940.<br><p>These photographs and postcards depict some of the sailors, equipment and activities of HMAS SYDNEY in the months prior to the sinking of the vessel. They provide an interesting commentary of the operations and work carried out aboard HMAS SYDNEY prior to its fateful end, such as the sinking of Italian ships ESPERO and BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI in the Mediterranean.<br>
This image shows the Italian destroyer <i>Artigliere</i>, disabled by HMS <i>Ajax</i> during the Battle of Cape Passero, on the morning of 12 October 1940, a short time before being sunk by HMS <i>York</i>.<br></p>
Object number ANMS0845[010].
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/33147718@N05">Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons</a>
1940-10-12
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/anmm_thecommons/26767536873/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/anmm_thecommons/26767536873/</a>