On the evening of February 10, 1964, the worst peacetime disaster in Australian maritime history unfolded off the New South Wales south coast.
During a naval training exercise HMAS Melbourne, an aircraft carrier, collided with the destroyer HMAS Voyager, shearing the much smaller vessel in half and killing 82 of the Voyager's crew.
Take a look at how the story unfolded at the time.
'Naval ships collide: Voyager sunk'
Within hours, the Voyager had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, as officials launched frantic efforts to rescue the crew.
The forward section of the ship split aft of the bridge and turned turtle.
I found myself climbing upwards with water pouring in and chairs and seats falling everywhere.
Water kept cascading down. I saw a hole in the forward section of the forward room and out I went.
Panic-stricken families clamour for news of loved ones
As news of the disaster spread families rushed to Garden Island in Sydney, where HMAS Melbourne limped into port carrying the sailors that had been rescued from the Voyager.
I heard a news flash about a collision between Voyager and the aircraft-carrier Melbourne.
I ran to a neighbour's and rang the Navy. The couldn't tell me anything about John.
At 7.00am I learned from the Navy that John was safe... Perhaps they'll be able to tell me more news of him here.
Sailor stays behind to save lives
One of the stories to emerge from the sinking was that of Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Rogers, who was awarded the George Cross for fighting to save as many people on board after realising he was probably too large to fit through the escape hatch.
I could hear the coxswain, CPO Rogers, in the forward cafe, organising the escape of all the young fellows on the ship.
I could hear him telling them not to panic, and he led them in a prayer and a hymn. Later on I heard him say to Leading Seaman Rich, 'I can't get out. You get all the young fellows out of the hatch'.
The last thing that I can remember Coxswain Rogers saying was, 'Well, the water's beat us'. I did not see him again after this.
Survivors told to move on
Beyond a week's leave, there was no counselling or support for the emotional damage the ordeal inflicted on survivors.
'Get back to duty. Get back on the horse. It'll be all right. You'll be all right'. But unfortunately we weren't because most of us bottled what happened up. We didn't have anyone to talk to. All of us, I'd say, turned to alcohol.
Cause remains a mystery
Attempts to find out how exactly the accident happened would result in two royal commissions, neither of which was able to fully explain the accident.
The commissions were marked by cover-ups claims, but much of the blame fell on the captain of the Voyager Duncan Stevens, who died in the accident.