activity four

An inquiry
case study 2

resource page 8

Evidence of the behaviour of American servicemen during and after the

Darwin raids
Here is the evidence presented to you during the investigation. Use it to create a summary
table like that on Resource Page 4. In creating your summary, take into account the problems
that exist with evidence — such as how reliable it is, and how you deal with accounts that may
be contradictory. (For this exercise where a source is not specifically referenced that means it
is taken from accounts by historians, and can be taken to be accurate.)

Evidence 1 Memorial plaques Evidence 2 American pilots

At the start of the raid five
American Kittyhawk P-40s
were refuelling on the ground,
and five were on watch in
the air. The attacking enemy
immediately killed two
pilots. A third was wounded,
but managed to land and
scrambled into a slit trench
and safety. Another pilot
managed to parachute to
safety. The fifth, Oestreicher,
escaped into cloud, then
shot down two of the dive
bombers and managed to
escape. The planes on the
ground all desperately tried
to get airborne. All knew that
their chances of getting into
the air were virtually nil, but
they tried. One got off the
ground, but was shot down.
The pilot bailed out 25 metres
above ground and survived
the fall, only to be machine-
gunned and killed on the
ground. Another staggered
out from his aircraft after it
had crashed while trying to
take off, and was dragged into
a slit trench by an Australian
and just avoided being
machine-gunned. The two
other pilots also crashed and
were wounded, but staggered
away to safety.

Present your report to the class, and add this evidence to your overall conclusion about how
people in Darwin reacted to the Japanese attacks.

Case study 2 Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? 39
 activity four

An inquiry
case study 2

resource page 9

Evidence of the behaviour of the Australian

Army during the and after the Darwin raids
Here is the evidence presented to you during the
investigation. Use it to create a summary table like that
on Resource Page 4. In creating your summary, take into
account the problems that exist with evidence — such
as how reliable it is, and how you deal with accounts that
may be contradictory. (For this exercise where a source
is not specifically referenced that means it is taken from
accounts by historians, and can be taken to be accurate.) (AWM ART22720)

Evidence 1 Soldiers under fire Evidence 2 The anti-aircraft gunners

Gunner Hudson ran out with only a tin hat, boots, and towel ‘Anti-aircraft fire was intense but largely
wrapped around him — which soon fell off. He stood in the ineffectual.’ Commander Fuchida, leader
open to fire a machine gun, ‘He maintained effective fire on of the Japanese raid on Darwin
aircraft attacking the position and showed great courage and
‘The [anti-aircraft] batteries operated
tenacity and complete disregard for his own personal safety.’
efficiently and the personnel performed
Lance Sergeant Fraser was in charge of the machine gunners very creditably in their baptism of fire.’
protecting the oil tanks, which you would expect to be a Justice Lowe
principal target of the raid. ‘He displayed great courage and (Quoted in Douglas Lockwood, Australia Under Attack,
coolness in holding his fire whilst the position was being New Holland Publishing, Sydney, 2005 page 78)
attacked by Dive Bombers and Machine Gun fire from the air
… His action in his exposed gun position contributed largely
to the failure of the enemy to dive bomb and destroy the vital Evidence 3 After the raid
areas of the Naval oil tanks he was defending.’
Most of the soldiers at Larrakeyah
(Quoted in Timothy Hall, Darwin 1942, Methuen, Sydney, 1981 page 82)
Barracks took off at three in the morning,
During the raid an ammunition store caught fire. A party which was devastating on morale. The
of volunteers went into the blazing store and carried the Provost Corps (military police) was an
explosives out to safety. unruly, undisciplined, drunken mob.
Looting began straight after the end of the
first raid. Although civilians were certainly
Evidence 4 Looting involved, it was the armed services and
predominantly the Army, spearheaded
Lieutenant Graham Robertson, commenting on his anti-
by the Provost Corps, which was most to
aircraft unit’s looting of houses after the attack: ‘We had little
blame. To a lesser extent the Navy and
food and the anti-aircraft crews doing heavy work in the
RAAF were involved, as were officers and
tropical heat weren’t getting enough to eat. We were also
men of the US forces. Nobody accepted
short of a few other home comforts and I saw no reason why
responsibility for law and order.
we shouldn’t borrow what we could find in the abandoned
Hotel Darwin opposite the Oval. I organised a raiding party Looting was carried out systematically,
… Refrigerators were not working and food was beginning to with the Provost Corps bringing in trucks
rot, so we helped ourselves to chickens and vegetables and to load the goods — furniture, appliances,
anything else we could use … Thereafter we had the best toys, clothes, pianos, ornaments.
equipped gun sites in the north — cane furniture, smokers’ Soldiers were openly taking refrigerators,
stands, inner spring mattresses. We were also very lonely in radios, sewing machines and clothing to
the next few days while we waited there on that promontory the wharves and selling them to seamen
for the invasion we all believed was imminent.’ on the merchant ships.
(Douglas Lockwood, Australia Under Attack, New Holland Publishing, Sydney, (Based on Timothy Hall, Darwin 1942, Methuen, Sydney, 1981
2005 page 159) pages 134, 161, 162, 168)

Present your report to the class, and add this evidence to your overall conclusion about how
people in Darwin reacted to the Japanese attacks.

40 Australian History Mysteries 2 Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history
 activity four

An inquiry
case study 2

resource page 10

Evidence of the behaviour of the Air Force

during the and after the Darwin raids
Here is the evidence presented to you during the
investigation. Use it to create a summary table like that
on Resource Page 4. In creating your summary, take into
account the problems that exist with evidence — such
as how reliable it is, and how you deal with accounts that
may be contradictory. (For this exercise where a source
is not specifically referenced that means it is taken from
accounts by historians, and can be taken to be accurate.)

(AWM 012741)

Evidence 1 A survivor remembers

‘Out on the runways we had machine-gun posts. Evidence 2 During the attack
Pretty daggy they were, just holes in the ground
During the attack many raced into
with machine guns mounted up, way in the open.
the bush, but about 50 manned
We weren’t game to go near them because they
machine guns and rifles and fired at
were deadly. One of our officers did go out there,
the attacking aircraft.
firing away, until a Zero came round and shot him.’
‘Outside our block there was an air raid trench
and we jumped in. There were bombs dropping Evidence 3 After the attack (1)
all around us and you could see the machine gun
bullets running up the fibro walls and through the The order was given that men
roofs. We had our rifles and tin hats and some of us were to move half a mile down the
did try to shoot the Jap planes but it was impossible. road, and half a mile into the bush.
You think you can do these things but you can’t. This vague order became further
They were that fast, zooming down and past you. I garbled, and led to a panic mass
didn’t think about dying, I just thought about getting evacuation. Some airmen left, but
out of the way. Everyone was cursing the Jap!’ realising that there was no plan,
(Les Barnett in Daniel Connell, The War at Home, Sydney, ABC, 1988 page 44) immediately returned to their duties
at the base.

Evidence 4 After the attack (2)

Evidence 5 After the attack (3)
‘[I]n the absence of proper leadership, there was a near-
stampede as officers, non-commissioned officers and Many later claimed that they
aircraftsmen alike ran away. They ran so far and so fast had taken to the bush because
that days later hundreds of them had still not reappeared. they expected the air raid to
It was primarily the result of bad leadership, and bad be followed by a Japanese
communications, but it was also, as an observer noted in landing and they were
his diary, “Australian servicemen at their very worst”. The unarmed … Many acquired
word cowardice was pointedly avoided, but for many of vehicles, and got to Batchelor,
those who turned tail and fled, it would have been very Adelaide River, Alice Springs,
close to the mark … The officers left, and the men “were Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane,
just like a lot of lost sheep who had no idea what to do”.’ and Melbourne.
(Timothy Hall, Darwin 1942, Methuen, Sydney, 1981 page 96)

Present your report to the class, and add this evidence to your overall conclusion about how
people in Darwin reacted to the Japanese attacks.

Case study 2 Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? 41
 activity four

An inquiry
case study 2

resource page 11

Evidence of the behaviour of the Navy during the and after the Darwin raids
Here is the evidence presented to you during the investigation. Use it to create a summary
table like that on Resource Page 4. In creating your summary, take into account the problems
that exist with evidence — such as how reliable it is, and how you deal with accounts that may
be contradictory. (For this exercise where a source is not specifically referenced that means it
is taken from accounts by historians, and can be taken to be accurate.)

Evidence 1 Recommendations for awards

Able Seaman Scott — ‘He continuously fought off dive bombers and machine gun attacks on
HMAS Koala in the face of heavy fire thereby probably saving his ship from destruction and
probable loss of many of the crew.’
Leading Cook Emms — [He came up from the galley and took control of a machine gun.]
‘Whilst seriously wounded he continued to fire his machine gun on HMAS Kara Kara during a
continuous machine gun attack by enemy aircraft thereby probably saving the ship and many of
the ship’s company. He eventually succumbed to his injuries.’
Leading Seaman Ericsson — ‘Though badly hurt by splinters [aboard HMAS Platypus] he took a
leading part in saving a number of men who were caught under a jetty and in great danger from
burning oil.’ Over one hundred men were trapped under the jetty, with flaming oil from burst pipes
all around them. The Neptuna was ablaze nearby, with its cargo of explosives. Ericsson was one
of several men who volunteered to help. In spite of shells exploding on the deck of the Neptuna,
Ericsson, though wounded, swam to the men and bodily pulled out many who would otherwise
have drowned through wounds and exertion.

Evidence 2 Rescuing survivors Evidence 3 HMAS Katoomba

Some of the crew of the hospital ship Manunda took HMAS Katoomba was in dry
a boat across to the Peary to pull in men who were dock, a sitting duck. Every
floundering in the burning water. They pushed their lifeboat member of the crew was
to within a few metres of the Peary, right among flames on the deck firing the ship’s
and exploding ammunition. They saved 35–40 men. guns and personal weapons
at attacking planes — with
success.

(AWM 134955)

Present your report to the class, and add this evidence to your overall conclusion about how
people in Darwin reacted to the Japanese attacks.

42 Australian History Mysteries 2 Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history
 activity four

An inquiry
case study 2

resource page 12

Evidence of the behaviour of Darwin civilians

during the and after the Darwin raids
Here is the evidence presented to you during the
investigation. Use it to create a summary table like that
on Resource Page 4. In creating your summary, take into
account the problems that exist with evidence — such
as how reliable it is, and how you deal with accounts that
may be contradictory. (For this exercise where a source
is not specifically referenced that means it is taken from
accounts by historians, and can be taken to be accurate.)

(AWM 304996)
Evidence 1 Air Raid Precautions (ARP)
Few civilians showed any interest in helping Evidence 4 Chinese
form an Air Raid Wardens group. Meetings were
A representative of the Chinese community went
called and few came to join. However, a small
to the ARP office and offered to stay and help
group agreed to act, and when the attack came
— he received no answer, so led most of the
they were there, working to rescue wounded and
people out of town.
recover the dead.

Evidence 5 Indigenous people

Evidence 2 Harbour manager
For some weeks the belief had been widespread
There was plenty of room in the harbour to spread
that in the event of an air raid Indigenous people
ships out. The hospital ship Manunda was close
would panic and run, but it seems that none left
to the US destroyer Peary, the most important
Darwin, except by direction.
target in the harbour that day. On the day of the
raid, when a raid could have been expected, she
was tied to the wharf, next to a naval ship, close to
three other ships, and with one engine disabled. Evidence 6 Wharf labourers
Nobody was forced to work on the wharf. All
knew that it could be dangerous, but all chose
Evidence 3 A public servant to stay — though they were very well paid. They
Department of Civil Aviation employee John constituted 22 of the 37 civilian deaths, and
Waldie acted in disregard of his own safety. many stayed after the raid to help.
He was knocked down by a bomb blast, then
instead of seeking shelter, he saw men needing
rescue in the water, and he and another DCA Evidence 7 Merchant seamen
employee, Ray Crocker, started rescuing men
from the burning water, despite shells and bullets Some merchant seamen deserted their ships
in the area. He made several trips in a small boat after the raids, but most did not.
rescuing over 100 people, despite the fire, shelling
and being near an ammunition ship on fire.
Evidence 8 An historian's account
First hand accounts from responsible officers
made immediately after the event all agree that
during the raids the townspeople stood up to
the ordeal remarkably well and there was little
sign of panic. Very soon after the raids ceased,
Present your report to the class, and add however, a rush out of town started.
this evidence to your overall conclusion
(Paul Hasluck, The Government and the People, 1942–1945, Australian
about how people in Darwin reacted to the War Memorial, Canberra, 1955 page 141)
Japanese attacks.

Case study 2 Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? 43
 activity four

An inquiry
case study 2

resource page 13

Evidence of the behaviour of local government officials during the and after the
Darwin raids
Here is the evidence presented to you during the investigation. Use it to create a summary
table like that on Resource Page 4. In creating your summary, take into account the problems
that exist with evidence — such as how reliable it is, and how you deal with accounts that may
be contradictory. (For this exercise where a source is not specifically referenced that means it
is taken from accounts by historians, and can be taken to be accurate.)

Local Administrator
Evidence 1 Before the raid Evidence 2 During the raids
‘The Northern Territory Administrator, Abbot, was
During the air raid Abbot, his wife
nominally head of Air Raid Precautions (ARP), but
and eight servants took shelter in
was totally uninterested and had done nothing to
the building, which took a direct
organise it — when the Japanese attacked there were
hit, with an Aboriginal maid,
few air-raid shelters, few slit-trenches, no plans for
Daisy Martin, probably killed.
where people were to go, no first aid posts, and no
After the raid, Abbot ordered
instructions had been given in first aid.
several policemen to help remove
The Administrator said he would take care of crockery and glassware to safety
everything [for organising the ARP] in combination — all the time Daisy was dead
with ourselves, but all we did was fill some drums with there. There is a suggestion she
dirt and rocks in various areas around town, We didn’t was not dead, but this seems
have any training. All we did was meet and say what most unlikely.
we would do.
The wife of the Administrator,
The wardens resigned as a group after the failure Hilda Abbot, left half an hour after
of the authorities to provide sandbags for first aid the raid, offering no leadership to
stations.’ others by remaining.
(Edward D’Ambrosio in Daniel Connell, The War at Home, Sydney, ABC, 1988 page 41)
Abbot stayed at his post, but
later accused the Chinese of
being virtually the first to panic
and evacuate, and the wharf
Police labourers’ union leaders of
running ‘like hares’.
Evidence 3 Police behaviour
Constable Eric McNab, with his ribs broken, worked all
through the day of the raid, into the night, and all next
day, helping to rescue people.
All local police seem to have stayed and helped where
possible after the raids.

Present your report to the class, and add this evidence to your overall conclusion about how
people in Darwin reacted to the Japanese attacks.

44 Australian History Mysteries 2 Investigating five case studies in twentieth century Australian history
 activity four

An inquiry
case study 2

resource page 14

Evidence of the behaviour of Japanese airmen during and after the

Darwin raids
Here is the evidence presented to you during the investigation. Use it to create a summary
table like that on Resource Page 4. In creating your summary, take into account the problems
that exist with evidence — such as how reliable it is, and how you deal with accounts that may
be contradictory. (For this exercise where a source is not specifically referenced that means it
is taken from accounts by historians, and can be taken to be accurate.)

Evidence 1 Attack on the hospital ship Manunda (1)

‘For the first fifteen minutes of the attack the Japanese left the Manunda,
clearly marked with red crosses, alone. Then it was hit. An eye-witness
saw the dive-bomber release its bomb, and has no doubt it was deliberate
and carefully aimed. The pilot came back three times, machine-gunning
the ship. After the war Commander Fuchida said that the pilot had
disobeyed orders by attacking the ship. In Fuchida’s favour is the fact that
the ship could have been easily finished off if the attacking planes had
wanted to.’
(Timothy Hall, Darwin 1942, Methuen, Sydney, 1981 pages 42–43)

(AWM 134960)
Evidence 2 Attack on the hospital ship Manunda
‘Japan had been a signatory to the Geneva Convention guaranteeing immunity to hospitals, hospital ships
and all other places and persons carrying the Red Cross … Red crosses were painted unmistakably on
Manunda’s funnel and deck. Senior officers had flown over the ship to make sure that they were plainly
visible. In the first fifteen minutes of the raid the Japanese pilots left her alone … Some witnesses have
said that what subsequently transpired was caused accidentally when the destroyer Peary and the Catalina
tender William B. Preston both passed close by in their attempt to escape. The accuracy of the pilots in
hitting other targets does not support that view.
Captain Cousin on Katoomba saw a dive-bomber approaching Manunda from the south and directly in line
with his own ship in the floating dock. He expected the Japanese to fly over Manunda and come at him. He
was astonished, instead, to see the plane hurl its bomb at the hospital ship. It struck near the bridge and
sent up a brown cloud of shattered wooden hatch covers.
In fact, that was the second bomb aimed at Manunda. The ship’s chief officer, Captain Thomas Minto,
reported that while their boats were picking up survivors from the destroyer Peary and other sinking vessels,
Manunda shuddered and rolled from the effects of a near-miss. Her decks were sprayed with shrapnel from
the explosion and four people on board were killed.’
(Douglas Lockwood, Australia Under Attack, New Holland Publishing, Sydney, 2005 pages 52–53)

Evidence 3 Attack on Berrima hospital Evidence 4 The nature of the targets

The Berrima hospital looked very similar to Only 15 of the dead were civilians killed in the
the Larrakeyah Army Barracks, which were town — which suggests that there may be some
not attacked. The red crosses painted on substance to the Japanese claim that their pilots
the rooves would not have been visible from were instructed not to bomb the town.
7,000 metres.
Present your report to the class, and add this
There was an anti-aircraft detachment close evidence to your overall conclusion about how
to the hospital. They shot down a Japanese people in Darwin reacted to the Japanese attacks.
plane, but were in turn machine-gunned, and
shots hit the hospital as well.

Present your report to the class, and add this evidence to your overall conclusion about how
people in Darwin reacted to the Japanese attacks.

Case study 2 Why did the government lie about the bombing of Darwin? 45