At 2215 hrs in a Force 7 gale on the night of Sunday February 11, 1945 the destroyer HMAS Nizam was approaching Fremantle when she was struck by a freak wave 11 miles due south of Cape Leeuwin on the extreme south western tip of Australia.
In sight of the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse, and with the weather deteriorating her CO Acting/LCMR William [Bill] Frank Cook was undoubtedly anxious to make port. The ship was running at 21.5 knots and engaged in a turn when hit.
In a deep roll on her port side the seas swept in along the entire length of the hull, and ratings were washed off the ship from many positions. Ten ratings.
With visibility down to 20 yards, and the ship severely damaged, their bodies were never recovered.