H.M.A.S. Canberra leaving Wellington

August 7, 2011 · Filed under Ghosts, History, New Zealand, Star Author · Tagged Guadalcanal, H.M.A.S. Canberra, Iron Bottom Sound, loose lips sinks ships, port, Savo Island, Wellington

Hi everyone,

Here she is:

H.M.A.S. Canberra, leaving Wellington in 1942, en route (that means on her way) to the Solomon Islands, to Guadalancal, to the Battle of Savo Island, to the water that was called Savo Sound but after the night of August 8-9 1942 was renamed Iron Bottom Sound (because of all the ships and planes and tanks etc that lie on the sea floor).

H.M.A.S. Canberra is the ship I wrote about in my book. She was the largest ship Australia lost in the war, and is the grave of 84 Australian sailors (those Australians join the Americans who died in the Battle of Savo Island to bec ome the ghosts that haunt Paddy).

The last port H.M.A.S. Canberra ever came to was our very own capital city, Wellington.  Her destination – the destination of the whole convoy (fleet of ships) was of course top secret. There’s a saying ‘Loose lips sink ships.’  Have you heard of it? 

I hope you’re all having a good weekend.

From your August Star Author

Sandy Nelson

Author of THE GHOSTS OF IRON BOTTOM SOUND