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Harbour attack |
| THE night World War II came to Sydney – May 31/June 1, 1942 – will be remembered on June 1. Off the coast on that night, large mother submarines launched three midget submarines, each carrying a crew of two and a brace of torpedoes. Earlier, on May 30, a Japanese seaplane – also launched from one of the mother subs – had circled Sydney without challenge. Using information gathered from the flight, the commanders of the three midget submarines were under orders to enter Sydney Harbour and wreak havoc on the naval ships present, including the USS Chicago which was at anchor off Rushcutters Bay. Also at anchor were the warships Canberra, Adelaide, Kanimbla, Westralia, Whyalla, Geelong, Bombay and the Dutch submarine K9. The depot ship, the former wooden harbour ferry Kuttabul, was tethered to a wharf on the eastern seawall of Garden Island naval base. She provided sleeping quarters for RAN and RN sailors. One of the midget submarines was caught in the anti-torpedo net near the west boom gate at the harbour entrance and destroyed by its crew. Another was disabled by depth charges and settled on the bottom in Taylor’s Bay near Taronga Zoo. The crew shot themselves. But a third submarine managed to fire two torpedoes at Chicago. One torpedo passed near the huge warship and exploded under Kuttabul, breaking her wooden back and sending her quickly to the bottom. Nineteen RAN sailors and two RN sailors died that night. Many others had miraculous escapes. The second torpedo failed to detonate and skidded ashore on Garden Island. The submarine made it out of the Harbour but did not make it back to its mother ship. Its wreckage was not found until 2006, lying on the seabed off Sydney’s northern beaches. Meanwhile the land was being attacked by shells fired from a larger submarine off the coast. Some buildings in Vaucluse were damaged. Chicago and many of the other ships weighed anchor. Wreckage of the two submarines left in the harbour was later salvaged and parts from both were put together to make up a composite sub. It is now on display at the Australian War Memorial. The conning tower of one of the subs is on exhibit at the Naval Heritage Centre, Garden Island. Since its discovery by civilian divers, the third midget submarine has been declared a war grave and declared “out of bounds”. A simple memorial has been erected at the point on Garden Island where Kuttabul was sunk. It will be at this memorial on June 1, and marking the 65th anniversary of the attack, that a memorial service will be held. Among the VIP guests will be a survivor of that night, Neil Roberts. He is expected to be joined by Veterans Affairs Minister Bruce Billson, either the Japanese ambassador or the consul general for Japan, and senior personnel from the RAN and returned service organisations. Because the sailors of Kuttabul had a strong bond with local schools during WWII a large number of local school children will also attend. HMAS Kuttabul, named after the ferry, will provide an honour guard and catafalque party while the Sydney detachment of the RAN Band will provide the music. The remembrance of that night will not only take place on land but on the harbour itself. Sydney Ferries Corporation will conduct two two-hour commemorative cruises using the Lady Class ferry Lady Heron. The ferry will retrace the course taken by the three midget submarines. The first tour will leave Circular Quay at 11am, the second at 1.30pm. Ring 1800 005 113 for tickets or see www.sydneyferries.info for more information. |