Sydney ceremony marks WWII sub attack - The Australian

THE sinking of an Australian navy vessel by a Japanese midget submarine in WWII will be commemorated in Sydney on Friday.

The submarine, known as the M24, was one of three midget submarines that entered Sydney Harbour on May 31, 1942.

It fired torpedoes at the cruiser USS Chicago, but instead hit the HMAS Kuttabul, killing 21 naval personnel.

The submarine was missing until 2006, when scuba divers discovered its wreck off a Sydney beach.

In a statement, the Defence Department said a ceremony at Garden Island Fleet Base in Sydney Harbour on Friday would commemorate the 71st anniversary of the attack, including an indigenous smoking ceremony.

Australian and Japanese representatives will attend, as well as officials from the US, Britain, the Netherlands and New Zealand.