Slouch hat from the Centaur a tribute and a clue

by Jeni Bone on 12 Jan 2010 A poignant sight, the solitary slouch hat on the ocean floor is not only a touching symbol of the lives lost in the Centaur sinking, but also sheds some light on conditions at 2000m below sea level.

The image, captured with a remote-control submersible camera yesterday, is frozen in time and temperature, held at a constant 4 degrees Celcius, where the ocean is still and oppressive, leaving the hat undisturbed for more than 66 years.

History states that on 14 May 1943 the Red Cross hospital ship was torpedoed on its way to Papua New Guinea by a Japanese sub and 268 lives were lost, making it Queensland's worst maritime disaster.

CSIRO oceanographer Dr David Griffin has been assisting with the exploration. He explained that the iconic slouch hat had not been disturbed for six decades as 'the current at that depth is 0.2m per second and you need a lot more than that to move something like a hat'.

Dr Griffin said that to send people down there would be like 'setting a man on the moon'.

'It's very cold down there, so that slows down all biological processes – it's living proof that wool can last for 60 years at depth,' he said.

A shipboard memorial service will be held over the wreck of the Centaur off the south-east Queensland coast this afternoon.

The crew of the Seahorse Spirit, who found the World War II hospital ship, placed a bronze plaque on the wreck this morning. The plaque was donated by the 300-member Centaur Association and contains a CD with the names of everyone who served on the Centaur and personal notes from family members.

Search director David Mearns says a private ceremony is being held to honour the 268 people who lost their lives in the tragedy.