Darwin Defenders 1942-45 Inc

This has been the tradition of the Australian Army since its inception, and every soldier acknowledges and accepts that responsibility when he enlists.

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
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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.