The general consensus says that the Sydney was lost because :
The captain lacked experience and made a fatal error of judgement . Sydney was doomed when he manouvered in too close , he knew full well that German raiders were roaming the Indian and Pacific oceans sinking merchant ships at will . The engagement took place at very close range and the Kormoran was very well armed with heavy caliber guns and torpedoes.
The full story of the German raiders in the Pacific is fascinating and little known about .
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/te...H2-1Epi-j.html
Mike