Your A$30 subscription includes:

• quarterly newsletter
• an attractive enamelled lapel-pin
• notification about annual commemoration ceremonies and major anniversary events
• discounts for purchasing “Darwin’s Battle for Australia,” the book published by the association
• voting rights at the annual general meeting

Regardless of when you join, your membership expires at the end of the financial year, 30 June. Get the most for your money by joining or renewing in the next month!

The first volume of this book, containing the recollections of many Darwin Defenders veterans, has sold out. It is now out of print.

Cover of book

New contents in volume 2 include:

• articles by Major General Frank Poke , AO, KStJ, RFD, ED and Brigadier Douglas Ball, AM, RFD, ADC, JSSC, FAIM
• new eye-witness accounts and photos by veterans of the Australian Army, Navy, Merchant Navy, RAAF and American Air Forces who defended Darwin and Northern Australia in World War II
• a new chapter, “Australian Women at War”

Good news for people with vision impairments — the book includes a free DVD containing 2700 photos and a PDF copy of the book.

Recent versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader will read the text of the PDF aloud, or can display the text according to your preferences for size, contrast, color etc. (See the Adobe Reader accessibility page for more information about PDF features for people with disabilities. The Adobe Acrobat Reader software is free to download from Adobe.com.)

• Details and how to order “Darwin’s Battle for Australia (Volume 2)”

Minutes of Annual General Meeting held at the RSL Geelong at

11 a.m. on Thursday 2 October 2008

Present :

President Brigadier Douglas Ball, Neil Webb, Stan Grimmer, Tom Stevens, Rex Ruwoldt, Pat Ruwoldt, Florence Grimmer, Monty Mills, Val Mills, John Skurrie, Archie Burton, Doreen Morrison, Bon Jackson FCA, Ray Kennedy, Ken Kemp, Alec Hilliard, Joy Palmer, Jenny Wright, Rex Howard, Frank Betts, Phyllis Betts, Len Osborne, Audrey Osborne, Ken Davison, Pat Leydon, Bob Andrew, Lesley McQuinn, James F Smith, Geoff Wisbey, Jack Power, Keith Martin, Peter Hill, Clarrie Nankervis, Fred Trebilcock, Robin Bell, Bruce Hyett, David Cowling, Joe Walker, Guest Speaker Bob Appleton.

Apologies :

Major General Frank Poke, Dorothy Poke, George Woodward, Gwen Woodward, Ken Picot, Peter Webb, Alan Proven, Syd Cook, Ellen Niewand, Ray Buttery, Tim Toleman, Dick Clayton, Lionel King, Frances Bedford MP, Rex Pullen, Max Spencer, Peter Lang, George Knight, Con Wilson, Kath Wilson, Aubrey Dans, Ron Forbes.

Welcome:

The President, on declaring the meeting open, extended a welcome to members, visitors and guest speaker Mr Bob Appleton. He thanked the RSL Geelong Sub Branch for their support, and the RSL Ladies’ Auxiliary for providing morning tea.

A minute’s silence was observed in memory of fallen comrades, and the President recited the Ode.

Minutes: (previously circulated):

Confirmed on the motion of Bob Andrew, seconded Lesley McQuinn that the minutes as circulated be approved.

Business arising from the minutes :

Ken Davison, chairman of the Melbourne committee, raised the question of the Darwin memorabilia, at present on loan to the Broadmeadows museum. The Secretary replied that the items were on loan only, and would be available in the event the authorities at the Shrine of Remembrance decided to stage another ‘Darwin Exhibition’.

Previously the Secretary had reported on a telephone conversation with Mr Doug Berghart, President of the Darwin Mobile Forces Association who had been informed that there was not an exhibit for the bombing of Darwin. Enquiries were made which disclosed that there is such an exhibition but the attendant at the time of Mr Burghart’s enquiry did not know about it.

Reports :

The President and Secretary delivered their reports which were received on the motion of Tom Stevens, seconded Jenny Wright.

Financial Report (previously circulated) :

Moved Pat Ruwoldt, seconded Ken Kemp that the audited accounts be adopted, and appreciation recorded of the Honorary Auditor who has given generously of his time and expertise.. Carried.

Election of Officers & Committee:

The previous officers and committee members have signified their willingness to continue and as there were no further nominations received, the committee for 2008 – 2009 is :

President – Brigadier Douglas Ball

Vice-President – Neil Webb

Secretary – Rex Ruwoldt

Treasurer – Pat Ruwoldt

Web Manager – Margaret Ruwoldt

Ordinary members – Major General Frank Poke, Stan Grimmer, Tom Stevens.

Appointment of Honorary Auditor :

Moved Rex Ruwoldt, seconded Nail Webb that Mr Bon Jackson FCA be appointed Honorary Auditor. Carried.

Guest Speaker :

Neil Webb introduced the Guest Speaker, Mr Bob Appleton who served during World War II on His Majesty’s submarine Tempest, and was taken Prisoner of War by the Italians when his submarine was destroyed in enemy action. Mr Appleton’s address, illustrated by slides, was warmly received and greatly appreciated by his listeners.

The President presented the speaker with a copy of the book “Darwin’s Battle for Australia” as a memento of the occasion, and thanked him for his terrific presentation of the valuable role of submarines in the conflict.

Closing the meting at 12.30 p.m. the President thanked those attending.

The following is a transcription of the actual orders given to Lieutenant Colonel Nurse when he was appointed as Officer in Command of Darwin Fortress on 28th August 1942. His son Noel found the original copy of the orders amongst his father’s memorabilia, but due to age and deterioration it could not be copied satisfactorily. The same orders were issued to all Commanding Officers when they were allocated their respective defence areas in WW II.

HQ, NT FORCE.

(To the) Commander, DARWIN FORTRESS
===================================

NT FORCE OPERATING INSTRUCTION NO. 32
DEFENCE OF DARWIN FORTRESS

Ref. Map: DARWIN & ENVIRONS, 1 inch to 1 mile, Sheets 1 and 5.

1. Operationally you will command all personnel in the area of DARWIN FORTRESS.
2. The area defined as DARWIN FORTRESS is the area WEST of the 90 grid line from its intersection to its intersection with EAST ARM at 900008.
3. Your role is to defend this FORTRESS and to destroy enemy forced attacking it.
4. The FORTRESS will be defended to the last man and the last round. There will be no withdrawal unless orders are received by you from a superior authority.
5. You will ensure that, in your plan, provision is made for each post within the FORTRESS to continue to fight to the end.
6. The Forward Force will co-operate with you to the maximum possible extent consistent with its commitments elsewhere.
7. Such demolitions in the FORTRESS as are laid down in the NT Force Operating Instruction 35 will be carried out under your command.

(Signature indecipherable)

Major-General
Commander NT Force.

Much misinformation has been written and published about the attacks on Darwin on 19th February 1942. Reports that people panicked and fled have been misinterpreted to mean that everybody including the defence personnel fled. This is untrue.

Most of the civilians who had not been evacuated left Darwin to move south to safer climes; they were told to leave because the army had insufficient means to protect them in the event of the expected impending invasion. Some were able to get on the train; sadly, the rest of them had to make their way by whatever means they could find. To say they “fled” is an unkind assessment; they were justifiably concerned and in a state of shock. They had just witnessed an enemy force slaughtering hundreds of servicemen and civilians, their town had been devastated, their homes and possessions destroyed, and they had to leave and go south with whatever they could carry, to avoid an even worse situation if the Japs invaded. A number of them, including some occupants of the local gaol, stayed and joined the armed services. When the bombers struck, the court was in session, and Judge Nichols said later that he never did find out what happened to the fellow they had in the dock!

The Army stayed at their posts, prepared to defend them ‘to the last man and round’ (of ammunition) in accordance with the age-old Australian Army tradition. There were serious concerns about the shortage of arms and ammunition; the infantry had only 5 rounds per man, 2/14th Field Regiment had antiquated 18 pounder guns and 80 rifles between 800 men, our unit the 19th Machine Gun Regiment on the Beach Defences had ammunition for only 5 minutes. The Navy kept up a heavy anti-aircraft barrage and defended their ships. The Merchant Navy had few guns but they fought back with what they had.

The Heavy Ack Ack kept up a continual barrage with their 3” and 3.7” guns and fired over 1100 rounds that day. The noise from the guns was shattering; the gunners had no ear protection, and one gunner told me it was at least 3 hours later before he could hear what anyone said to him. Their “Darky” Hudson received a Military Medal for outstanding bravery in the handling of his antiquated Lewis Gun.

The RAAF ground staff members were in an invidious position. They were enlisted as technicians, they had no military training, no arms or ammunition, and the RAAF aerodrome was the most vulnerable target in the area. The aircraft they had to maintain were all destroyed. Their officers did not have the military training given to Army officers, but they showed some initiative and commonsense and instructed most of the staff to move about two miles south into the scrub, away from the target area.

The RAAF Meteorological section stayed at their post, the Civil Construction Corps carried out repairs on the runways, and Lockheed Hudson pilot Dick Overhue said that when he flew in from Port Moresby the next day, operations were normal.

For any ignorant uneducated idiot to say that any of these service personnel “fled” is a self-confession of the lack of that person’s own moral fibre. If you hear anyone making such accusations, you would be well advised to take more care in your choice of friends and acquaintances.

Rex Ruwoldt.

• Brief news story (Radio Australia, 19 February) describing arrangements for the Darwin ceremony (the same story appears on the ABC Darwin web site)
• Air raid mates meet by chance after 66 years: Bertie Wansley and Ron Ronson are reunited in Darwin (Northern Territory News, 18 February)
• Veterans’ Affairs Minister Alan Griffin announces that the first Wednesday in September will become an official commemoration day (Sydney Morning Herald, 18 February)
• The Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory says a proposed new military museum should be located at East Point (ABC News, 18 February)
• Brief news article about a commemoration at East Point Military Museum in Darwin (ABC News (17 February)
• Woman in homage to brave ancestor: article about Leading Seaman Physical Trainer Corinne Williams, who will lay a wreath in Darwin in memory of her great-grandfather, Petty Officer Frank Moore, who was fatally wounded in the first raid (Northern Territory News, 17 February)
• Darwin bombing to be remembered in Bankstown NSW: brief article including phone number for further details (St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, 14 February)

More ABC News stories about topics related to World War II.