Hello guys, it seems that the "Foster" is starting boiling around here. I'm entirely foreign on that subject but if I may, I'll try to ease things a bit.
If you really want to know about what happened, I would advise you to go and try to have access to the military archive (I don't know how that work in Australia, here they are in free access with only the need to ask). You might get more. Also I'm sure there are plenty of good books, authors are always running after their income and, therefore, they leave little room for neutrality.
I understand all of you and can understand why you seem a bit tense on that. I understand Targan's point. Also I disagree with his will for revenge as I already told him (no need to get back on that). I understand the others point as well but don't be too arsh. Funny enough that both of you seem to express things from your heart.
As a result, the Whisky idea seems to be a good one. If I ever come to Australia, I'll offer you a beer instead (I don't like whisky, hé hé). If you come to France I'll do that too.
I know of the events of course but I don't know all the details. However, what I'm sure off is that facts of that type are never one sided. I'm sure that the loss was a terrible one, especially at the time. I'm also sure that sailors from both country were highly skilled and fought with bravery (On that matter, I would praise them both, don't throw the bottle, No! No!
).
From what I know of the battle, the fact that all hands on the Sidney were lost would suggest me that they did their best to save the ship and remain on board until it was too late (One more point for their bravery).
About revenge, that was not carried out by Australia at the time (In my opinion people who were alive at that time remain the only one with a full right to claim it; no offense Targ). From my point of view the fact that the German sailors finished the war as POWs is a strong point toward Australia's Grandeur.
One thing is very true on Targan's side: the type of war carried out by the Kormoran had been banned before 1914 and privateers were no more than pirates. As a result, they could have been all executed as such. Again Australia should be proud of how it reacted as, if they were not innocent, I hardly see any justification to kill young men obeing orders. Unless you are willing to execute many soldiers from all sides in all wars.
However, in a way, revenge had been carried out as Erich Raeder (the man behind these orders) was sentenced to life imprisonment at Nuremberg (one of the charge was his use of privateer war, and he was condemned for conspiracy, crime against peace, war crime and crime against humanity). You can criticize the fact that he was released for health reason in 1955 (he died in 1960) but again that's not for us to judge (IMO).
An interesting point is that Karl Dönitz was only sentenced to 10 years for war crimes (and war crimes only). He died in 1980 and the sentence seems fair to me as the allied were also carrying out submarine war (that was not illegal).