Sunken ships reveal clues to Australian WWII mysteries

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

SYDNEY (AFP) — The haunting discovery of the watery graves of long lost Australian, German and Japanese sailors has uncovered vital clues to two World War II mysteries.

The 66-year-old secrets of two of Australia's strangest wartime naval encounters have been at least partially revealed through the location of three sunken ships over the past 18 months.

In November 2006, a Japanese midget submarine involved in a daring raid on Sydney harbour in the heart of the nation's biggest city was found off the beach of the Pacific east coast.

The sub is believed to be the tomb of its two-man crew, who disappeared after their May 1942 mission killed 19 Australian and two British sailors in a torpedo attack on the Australian ship HMAS Kuttabul.

Then, earlier...