lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllntnews.com.au It can’t happen here

19 was a long time coming, at least 20 years. Immediately the Great War ended in 1919, Japan began thinking about developing its own empire in East Asia. After all, the European powers had their empires in the Far East – why should not Japan? Japan’s home islands lacked natural resources and Japan would have to expand its territories if it was to have reliable sources of supply. In 1923 Britain, and New Zealand committed to the development of a big naval base in Singapore, nominally to defend the Brit- ish Empire in the Far East. It was never more than a charade as naval ships were never sent to the base and it was never effective. The three governments went along with the charade simply to lull their communi- ties into a false sense of secur- ity that something was being done to defend the Empire. Australia was never betrayed After the first raids during World War II there were more houses like this one in Darwin than undamaged ones by the Singapore Strategy – we betrayed ourselves by wishfully believing in it. In 1924, Australia started building naval oil fuel storage tanks in Darwin. The tanks had to be defended and in 1932 the ‘‘Darwin Detach- PUB: Confusion as ment’’ arrived to build fortifi- cations and install naval guns to defend against attack

SUNDAY from the sea. In 1933, work be- gan to create the Larrakeyah army base and in 1934 it was decided to establish a naval depot in Darwin. attack began By 1933, Darwin had a non- Aboriginal population of DATE: 1572. This figure soon began THERE are many accounts of human terms. Understand- Edwards recalled the first to increase rapidly as a result the first two air raids on ably, there was confusion; raid very vividly. of the swelling defence Darwin. Not surprisingly, there was cowardice, failure ‘‘I heard the sound of air- buildup. That buildup put the accounts vary in their of leadership and dereliction craft, then sirens. I was only 19-FEB-2013 Darwin under incredible details – nobody saw it all, of duty. But, there were 50 yards away from the Post pressure – by the late 1930s even the best placed eye- countless examples of steady, Office. I started to run toward there was not enough water witnesses could take in only heroic conduct by people who a shelter in town. And Iris and electricity to go around; The Don Hotel after . The building was later redeveloped as a hostel and now serves as ABC studios Picture: PETER FORREST a small part of what hap- gave of their best under fire. Bald came out of the Taxat- accommodation was criti- pened that day. Then there was chaos as Dar- ion Office. I said ‘Where are cally scarce, health services They are two quite separ- win was emptied out in the you going Iris?’ and all other town facilities ate attacks. The first face of an invasion threat. ‘‘She said ‘I am going to were stretched beyond their involved 188 aircraft that It took a long time for Aust- Daddy’s lovely shelter over

PAGE: limits. were launched from four air- ralians to fully comprehend here, we’ll be all right.’ Poor In 1937 Japan invaded craft carriers positioned abut what had happened in Dar- little Iris, she was a dear little China and it began to talk of 300km northwest of Darwin. win that day; even longer to thing, only about 16.’’ an east Asian ‘‘prosperity The planes began taking off understand that , Darkie Hudson won the

18 sphere’’ under Japanese con- just before 9am. Already, 54 1942 was just the beginning. Military Medal for his brav- trol. In 1938 Australia com- heavier aircraft had taken off Until November 1943 there ery in action on February 19, mitted to develop a RAAF from land bases at about were sustained aerial attacks 1942. ‘‘I was in the shower Iris Bald died when Darwin COLOR: base in Darwin; more 7.30am, their mission being on the Darwin region. when I heard the planes fly Post Office was bombed soldiers were brought to Dar- to reach the Darwin RAAF The Allied response was to over. I grabbed my gun and win in 1939. base about noon and then develop the whole of the raced out into the open to get relaxing with a cushion and a By now the war in Europe ‘‘neutralise’’ that facility. as a a better shot at them. I hit one book on the focsle deck. I was had broken out. Japan saw Just before 10am, the first gigantic armed camp, sup- and he crashed about half a almost dozing off but at about this as a chance to increase raiders began their attack on plied by convoys running mile away. Then I realised I 10 am I was jolted awake by (18) C its aggression while the Euro- the Darwin waterfront and along the new Stuart and was naked,’’ Darkie recalled. loud explosions and the roar pean powers were distracted town area. Within about half Barkly highways. Mel Duke was one of the of aircraft. by Hitler. Defence prep- an hour they had achieved a Gradually, the Allies won few to survive the attack on ‘‘There was pandemonium, arations were dramatically tremendous victory – 21 ves- ascendancy in the air and the American ship Peary. bombs were exploding on (18) M increased in Darwin – but the sels in the harbour were took the war back to the ‘‘I went over the side and I ships and, on the water, problem was that the best of From 1939 a steady stream of soldiers came to Darwin Darwin boys Harry and Michael Macrides George Mawhinney and his sister Jassamine sunk or badly damaged and Japanese-held bases on the swam 50 metres before I got columns of white foam arose Australian’s men and equip- much damage had been done islands to the Territory’s wet,’’ Mr Duke said. from near misses. ment were now being di- In July 1941, the United vance in world military may not be sufficient to meet grievances and get drunk.’’ Ron Barker was with the Lou Harmanis had seen it ‘‘An Australian said ‘Oh well, in the town area. north. Plans were laid for Charles See Kee, then sec- ‘‘After the second wave of

(18) Y verted to North Africa. The States imposed oil embargoes history, an advance that in 10 all the challenges of an Harry Macrides noticed RAAF 13 Squadron on Am- all happen in Darwin through we’ve got to see about accom- The heaviest loss of life huge offensives against the retary to Administrator Aub- aircraft left we were ordered men who were posted to Dar- on Japan after Japan refused weeks brought it within emergency, and, because of that ‘‘Darwin started to bon when the Japanese in- the 1920s and 1930s. ‘‘You had modation.’ The Yank said was aboard the American Japanese from the Territory rey Abbott, was at Govern- to pack our bags and report win were often ill-trained and to cease its aggression in striking distance of Darwin. its geographic position, Dar- change as the military came vaded on 31 January 1942. the feeling that something ‘Don’t worry about accom- warship Peary, which sank springboard, but in 1944 and ment House during the first ashore. We were each given a poorly equipped. Indo-China. Japan said it did But, in Darwin, everyone win is to be the second base. in. It was obvious it was all Four days later, Ron was was going to happen. There modation, let them camp in with 91 men still aboard. 1945 the Japanese were being air raid. ‘‘Then I went up shovel and told to dig a By 1941, the situation was not need to buy American oil said ‘‘She’ll be right; it can’t Your special task will be to building up to something.’’ aboard the last Hudson was a lot of military activity. the bush, anywhere, just get Arguments rage about the forced back too quickly and town. There was a big panic trench. We realised that our (18) K serious. Australia prepared – it would simply take the oil happen here; leave it until af- resist invasion, to fight to the ‘‘Darwin was essentially a bomber to leave the island. Suddenly they said all the them off those ships. The death toll that day. the war ebbed away from our and people were leaving in a white uniforms would make to establish forward defence it needed from and other ter the Wet.’’ last man to maintain Austra- man’s town and all facilities ‘‘We flew in over Darwin and women and children would Japs aren’t far away and if It is possible that with fur- northern shores. mad rush. Most of the prob- us wonderfully conspicuous shields on Ambon and Asian places. Colonel H.C. Robertson, lia’s security. It will be a lone- were stretched to the limit. as we approached we were have to be evacuated. those men are still on the ther research the toll will Finally, in August 1945, it lem was caused by the police if the Japs attacked again. in the event of war; the Unit- War was inevitable. It final- welcoming the Darwin Mo- ly fight.’’ ‘‘The local Chinese traders amazed to see that the wharf ‘‘The day before the first ships when the Japs get here need to be revised down- was all over, or so Territor- and soldiers telling people ‘‘We couldn’t wait for ed States planned to use Aust- ly broke out on 8 December bile Force, 29 March 1939, Darwin solicitor Brough were reaping a harvest and area was floodlit. Next day we raid I was down at the flying they are sitting ducks.’ wards from the official 243 – ians thought. They did not that the Japs were landing khakis from the south so we ralia as an alternative supply 1941 (Australian time) when made it starkly clear to his Newell noted in 1939 that the pubs could not keep up said to Darwin people, ‘You boat terminal and while I was ‘‘Half an hour later I am but the actual number hardly know that they still had to and they had better get out.’’ were told to dye our clothes, route to the ; but Japan launched attacks at men – ‘‘You are here to join ‘‘Darwin is full of soldiers, in- beer supplies. Darwin mum- had better dig some slit there the reinforcement con- walking up the street and a matters. It was a lot, a shock- fight a long war to win back Pat Forster was a naval rat- we could use either coffee or Britain, France and the Neth- Pearl Harbour and through- the pioneers of the Darwin cluding a fair number of riff- bled along with a ‘she’ll be trenches, the Japs aren’t far voy that had tried to get to couple of blokes said to me ing toll for a nation that had the rights to live their lives ing, aboard the Platypus tea. The stain lasted.’’ erlands had to accept there out Asia. The Australian gov- Garrison, who have begun to raff. Many of the troops are right attitude’ but it was obvi- away and you will want to be Timor came back into port. I ‘What’s the latest?’ And I said never before experienced with the rights and privileges which was moored not far Darwin-born soldier Harry was little they could do to de- ernment ordered that non- build the defences of north- on duty from 6 am to 1 pm and ous it was only a matter of in a trench if there is a raid.’ was alongside where some ‘Well, they reckon the Japs war on its own soil. that other Australians took from Darwin wharf on the Macrides recalled that ‘‘peo- fend their far eastern colonial essential civilians be evacu- ern Australia. It has been de- then have the rest of the day time,’’ recalled George Maw- ‘Oh, get out’ was the reaction. Australian and American of- will be here tomorrow.’ ‘‘Oh, The second raid, on the for granted. morning of February 19, 1942. ple were panic-stricken after empires while fighting a war ated from Darwin. Japan be- cided to make Darwin an Em- clear, which gives then 11 hinney. Nobody took the slightest bit ficers were arguing about get- we can’t believe that,’’ they RAAF base, was just as effec- ———— ‘‘It was a pleasant morning the raids – especially soldiers, in Europe at the same time. gan the most spectacular ad- pire strategic base. Singapore clear hours to think of their Post-war Darwin identity of notice.’’ ting the men out of the ships. said. tive, although less costly in Darwin businessman Roy with a cool breeze, I was they were very jumpy’’. 18 NT NEWS. Tuesday, February 19, 2013 www.ntnews.com.au www.ntnews.com.au NT NEWS. Tuesday, February 19, 2013. 23