Newcastle Attacked in 1942

 

This week we are looking again as Newcastle during the second world war, back then many incidents of the war remained unknown to most Aussies until authorities thought it was safe to discuss them.

Those running the country thought there would be fear and panic and damage to morale, so it was better the general public knew pretty much nothing.

                        A MINI SUBMARINE

However, when the Japanese attacked the east coast, it was impossible to hide that it happened.  On the 31 May and 1 June 1942 mini submarine attacked Sydney harbour. This caused havoc in the harbour and cost 21 lives before they were destroyed, a few days later another attack happen of the Central Coast this time a merchant ship the Iron Chieftain was sunk killing 12 crew.

On the 8 June 1942 shells were fired at Sydney Harbour with just one exploding this caused defence authorities to fear a wider attack, so a message was sent to Newcastle to be prepared for an attack.

                        FORT SCRATCHLEY
Novocastrians heard the sirens and emergency personnel were put on alert, the all clear was sounded many hours later but the threat had not passed. Newcastle had shells fired at them from a position in Stockton Bight at around 2.15am.

Japanese records show that 34 shells from a position about nine kilometres north-east of Fort Scratchley. Eight-star shells burst one by one in the sky to illuminate potential same goes for two others that landed in the east end tram terminus.

As it turns out only two of the shell fired at Newcastle exploded on land one shattering against the sea wall just north of Newcastle Baths and one in Parnell Place which is at the top end of Newcastle. This hurled a shower of metal splinters towards near by homes and peppering walls with metal shards, damaging rainwater downpipes and blowing out house windows. The attack lasted around 20 minutes until just after the guns at Fort Scratchley returned fire.

             FORT SCRATCHLEY GUN YES IT STILL WORKS
The guns at Fort Scratchley were built more than half a century earlier when an invasion was feared by Russia.

After the attack the ports of Newcastle and Sydney were temporarily closed.

In February 1943 the east coast of Australia was attacked again which caused the death of 36 merchant mariners many of whom were from Newcastle.