A Sudden Squall

The two tunnels on Cockatoo Island are called the Dogleg Tunnel and the Straight Tunnel. The Straight Tunnel is older and was excavated in the First World War. The Dogleg was excavated in the Second World War. Both tunnels were built to facilitate the movement of men and machinery from the north side of the island to the dockyard. But, in the dark days of the Second World War, they were also built as shelters in case a Japanese fleet attacked Sydney. The Dogleg Tunnel has a First Aid Station cut into the tunnel walls. It was fortunate that Sydney did not experience such an attack because the city could not have been defended. But, on one night a storm did arrive. A Sudden Squall

USS Chicago Kanimbla Westralia Adelaide Geelong Whyalla Kuttabul K 9 Boom Net Loop 12 Loop 11 Boom Net Shark Island Clark Island Harbour Bridge Macquarie Lighthouse South Head Lighthouse Chowder Bay Taylor Bay Rose Bay Double Bay Garden Island Georges Heights Sydne y Cremorne Crows Nest South Head Lighthouse Bradley Head Middle Head Green Point Watsons Bay North Head South Head Loop 12 Loop 11 Fort Denison

The attack on Sydney Harbour began on the 29 th of May of 1942 when five Japanese submarines arrived off the coast of New South Wales. These were all large ships, I class submarines, mother ships capable of carrying their own seaplanes and midget submarines. On arrival the I 21 began to prepare its seaplane for a reconnaissance flight over Sydney Harbour. It was important to find out what ships were in port and where the harbour defences were located. Early in the morning the seaplane took off with a pilot and an observer aboard. 1. The sea plane flew past North Head and sketches were made of the Boom Net that had been laid across Middle Harbour as an anti submarine defence. 2. The aircraft then flew on to Garden Island where it made two lazy circles around the naval dockyard noting the key ships. A large American cruiser, USS Chicago, most attracted their attention. There was no response from the Australian or American defences and most observers thought the plane was one of their own. 3. The seaplane then headed over the Harbour Bridge and further down the waterway before flying back to the submarine. A troubled landing resulted in the loss of the aircraft, but the crew was saved. The five submarines now closed in to some 5-7 kilometres off Sydney Harbour. Three midget submarines were launched. Each had a crew of two and carried two torpedoes. Each man knew that there was little possibility that he would survive the mission. 4. At 8 in the evening the first midget submarine, M 14, crossed Loop 12 which was an electromagnetic field generator that had been laid to detect incoming submarines. The loop recorded the crossing, but the reading was ignored. 5. M 14 attempted to get around the Boom Net at the northern end, but became snagged. After futile attempts to free themselves the crew blew up their craft and took their own lives. Mother Submarines Seaplane Flight M 14

USS Chicago Westrali a Kanimbla Westralia Boom Net Clark Island Macquarie Lighthouse South Head Lighthouse Chowder Bay Taylor Bay Garde n Island Georges Heights Bradley Head Middle Head Watsons Bay North Head South Head Loop 12 Loop 11 Kuttabul Fort Denison Kanimbla Taylor Bay Bradley Head Steady Hour Yarroma Sea Mist USS Chicago Shark Island Clark Island

The harbour authorities were now awake to the danger. A black out was ordered and patrol boats were sent out to investigate. Ferries and other craft were allowed to continue to make their rounds in the hope that multiple targets would confuse the Japanese. 1. The second midget submarine, M 24, now entered the harbour to cross the loop at 9 pm. It followed a Manly Ferry around the southern end of the Boom Net. 2. M 24 moved down the habour and passed the USS Chicago, but had difficulty keeping submerged. The crew of the Chicago spotted the craft and began firing at it. The submarine continued on its way, past Garden Island, around Fort Denison, then back to take up a position off Bradley Head. 3. From Bradley Head the M 24 fired two torpedoes at Chicago. They missed. Instead, the first torpedo struck a ferry, HMAS Kuttabul, that had been converted into sleeping quarters for naval personnel. Kuttabul split in two and sank very quickly. 19 Australian and 2 British sailors were killed. The second torpedo missed altogether and ran aground on Garden Island. 4. M 24 headed back to make its rendezvous with the mother ship, I 24. It never arrived. For over sixty years the fate of this submarine remained a mystery. 5. At 3 am the Chicago began to leave port when lookouts spotted another submarine. It was M 21 which now followed the same route as M 24 around the southern end of the Boom Net. It travelled down the harbour and approached the naval supply vessel, HMAS Kanimbla. The crew of the Kanimla spotted the submarine and opened fire. 6. M 21 turned and headed for Taylor Bay where it appears to have taken refuge hoping to resume the attack when calm had returned. However, three patrol boats had spotted its periscope and closed in to depth charge the submarine. HMAS Sea Mist moved in to drop 2 depth charges. HMAS Steady Hour and HMAS Yarroma continued the attack and dropped 17 more. During the night the two crewmen took their own lives. M 24 HMAS Kuttabul M 21

M24 slips into Sydney Harbour

It had been a very wild Sydney night and one not to be forgotten. It had also been very costly. 21 young sailors had died when the HMAS Kuttabul went down. 6 young Japanese submariners had perished. The Japanese ambassador on hearing of this waste wrote a poem in which he condemned the horror and futility of that night: Deep under the water, they cannot come up; they die there, regrettable – more good men This clumsy surprise attack failed: they died fighting with the enemy; astonishing Bullets and blades, bloodshed and death: now I know exactly how easy it is to die. The mystery of M 24 was solved in Scuba divers found the wreck off one of the northern beaches. It is now a declared war grave. M 24 Loss and Tragedy How Easy It is to Die Mystery Solved