Michael is joined by Shane Casey, Senior Curator, Military Heraldry & Technology at the Australian War Memorial, for the history behind Japan’s submarine attacks on the Australian cities of Sydney and Newcastle.

On the night of 31 May – 1 June 1942, three Ko-hyoteki-class midget submarines each with a two-member crew, entered Sydney Harbour, avoided the partially constructed Sydney Harbour anti-submarine boom net, and attempted to sink Allied warships.

Two of the midget submarines were detected and attacked before they could engage any Allied vessels. The crew of M-14 scuttled their submarine, whilst M-21 was successfully attacked and sunk. The Shelling of Newcastle was conducted by a Japanese submarine in the early hours of 8 June 1942.

During the attack 34 shells were fired at Newcastle, including eight illumination rounds, but caused little damage.

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