A commemorative ceremony will be held this weekend to honour the four Australian soldiers who lost their lives during a maritime military rescue mission at Bass Point 80 years ago.
On 16 May, 1943 the US military ship ‘Cities Service Boston’ hit the reef at Bass Point. The ship was ran aground to prevent sinking leaving 62 men on board stranded.
Thirty-five soldiers from the 6 Machine Gun Battalion stationed in Dapto successfully rescued everyone on board.
One soldier swam out to the ship in dangerous seas to get a rope and buoy that was thrown overboard by the crew. The men stood on the rocks holding the rope taut while the crew slid along it to the shore.
However, in the final stage of the rescue effort, a large wave washed 10 of the rescuers off the rocks, four of whom drowned. The last surviving member of the battalion passed away in 2014.
The ceremony will be held from 11am, on Sunday 7 May, 2023 at Bass Point Reserve.
