When the Japanese entered the Second World War at the end of 1941, the impact on Australia was almost immediate. Singapore fell and a great many Australians were taken prisoner. Darwin & later other northern centres were bombed, and at the end of May Japanese midget Submarines made their way into Sydney Harbour. This episode looks at how that attack unfolded.
(77 mins)
Brilliant stories from Australia’s past
Enjoying the podcast?
Help support the show with a one-off donation
AustralianHistoriesPodcast.com.au
(https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/harbour-defence-system)
Recovery of M27 – Chuman sub – from western channel. (https://seapower.navy.gov.au/imperial-japanese-navy-midget-submarine-attack-sydney-harbour)
Podcast Recommendation:
Australian Naval History Podcast.
(UNSW Canberra & Australian Naval Institute).
S1E1 – Midget Submarines – The Attack On Sydney Harbour. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU7DVzZpM98
REFERENCES – Ep 76
GROSE, Peter, 2007. A very rude awakening: the night the Japanese midget subs came to Sydney Harbour. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-74175-219-9.
GILL, H. Volume II – Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945 (1st edition, 1968). . Online. Available from: www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1417314 [Accessed March 2025].
GILL, H. Chapter 3 – Australia’s Coast Raided – Her Flanks Strengthened. Available from: www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1417378 [Accessed March 2025].
STANLEY, PETER, 2002. “He’s (not) coming south” Chapter 2. In: “Remembering 1942”. Australian War Memorial. 1 June 2002. Available from: http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/ajrp2.nsf/WebI/Chapters/%24file/Chapter2.pdf
HERITAGE BRANCH, NSW DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING (23 APRIL 2009). PRIVATE RECOLLECTIONS OF ‘THAT NIGHT.
[HERITAGE NSW], 2020. The raid – Sydney 31 May 1942. Available from: https://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/about-our-heritage/feature-wreck-m24-midget-submarine/the-raid-sydney-31-may-1942/ [Accessed June 2021].
[HERITAGE NSW], 2020. M24 wreck detective. Available from: https://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/about-our-heritage/feature-wreck-m24-midget-submarine/a-chance-discovery/m24-wreck-detective/ [Accessed June 2021].
LEWIS, TOM, 2022. Attack on Sydney Harbour June 1942. Newport NSW: Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 978-1-922765-38-3.
LIND, L. J. 1992. Toku-tai: Japanese submarine operations in Australian waters. Kenthurst, N.S.W.]: Kangaroo Press. ISBN 978-0-86417-446-8.
LIND, LEW, 1990. The midget submarine attack on Sydney. Garden Island NSW: Bellrope Press. ISBN 0-646-01230-4.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA. Japanese midget submarine attacks on Sydney, 1942 (Fact sheet 192). Accessed March 2025: https://www.naa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/fs-192-japanese-midget-submarine-attacks-on-sydney-1942.pdf
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA. Fall of Singapore. . Available from: https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/fall-of-singapore [Accessed February 2025].
DEPT VETERANS’ AFFAIRS. Sydney Harbour – The Sinking of the Kattabul – Anzac Portal. Available from: https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/resources/sydney-harbour-sinking-kattabul [Accessed March 2025].
[NAVAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA], 2017. Occasional Paper 12: Personal Experiences: Aftermath Of Japanese Submarine Attack: Sydney Harbour. Available from: https://www.navyhistory.org.au/occasional-paper-12-personal-experiences-aftermath-of-japanese-submarine-attack-sydney-harbour/ [Accessed June 2021].
Royal Australian NAVY. Japanese Midget Submarine Attack on Sydney Harbour. . Available from: https://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/japanese-midget-submarine-attack-sydney-harbour [Accessed February 2024].
STANLEY, PETER, 2008. Invading Australia: Japan and the battle for Australia, 1942. Camberwell, Vic.: Viking Australia. ISBN 978-0-670-02925-9.
ABC NEWS. 2012. Remembering the submarine attack on Sydney Harbour. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD2PmCzYfm8 [Accessed June 2021].
AUSTRALIAN NAVAL HISTORY PODCAST. HOSTED UNSW CANBERRA & AUSTRALIAN NAVAL INSTITUTE . S1E1 – Midget Submarines – The Attack On Sydney Harbour. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU7DVzZpM98 [Accessed March 2025].
NSW ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND SCIENCE. Japanese Midget Submarine M24. . Japanese Midget Submarine M24. Available from: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/maritimeheritageapp/ViewSiteDetail.aspx?siteid=4 [Accessed April 2025].
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL. Sydney Harbour’s Safety Net – The Harbour Defence System during the Second World War. Available from: https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/harbour-defence-system [Accessed March 2025].
BLUNT, WILLIAM. 5. The Battle of Sydney Harbour. Available from: https://www.lolitaandthehollywoodfleet.com/book-html [Accessed March 2025].
BLUNT, WILLIAM. Lolita and the Hollywood Fleet. Available from: https://www.lolitaandthehollywoodfleet.com/ [Accessed March 2025].
CLARKE, Hugh Vincent and YAMASHITA Takeo, 2017. To Sydney by stealth : midget subs attack Sydney, 1942. [Deakin, Australian Capital Territory]: Capitol Press Australia. ISBN 978-0-648-09766-2. Available from: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-695254610 [Accessed February 2024].
TRELOAR, R. B. Japanese submarine attack on Sydney Harbour, 31 May 1942. Available from: https://www.rusinsw.org.au/Papers/20100624.pdf
CONVERSATIONS: ABC, and SMITH, TIM, 2020. Night of the midget subs — Sydney under attack. ABC Radio. 3 November 2020. Available from: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/midget-subs-attack-sydney-ww2/12841278 [Accessed June 2021].
SMITH, T. H. and New South Wales Heritage, 2007. Wreck of the Japanese type “A” midget submarine M24 : preliminary archaeological survey report. 2007. Parramatta, New South Wales: Heritage Office, NSW Dept of Planning.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS, 2022. 80th anniversary of midget submarine attack on Sydney during the Second World War. Available from: https://www.dva.gov.au/news/latest-stories/80th-anniversary-midget-submarine-attack-sydney-during-second-world-war [Accessed March 2025].
DONE, Ken and MOSMAN ART GALLERY, 2012. Attack : Japanese midget submarines in Sydney Harbour : paintings. 2012. Mosman, New South Wales. ISBN 978-0-9808466-0-7.
IMAGE: JOHN BAYLISS GOGGS. [Photo] Wreck of the Japanese midget submarine sunk in Sydney Harbor aboard a truck enroute between Sydney and Melbourne during an exhibition tour to raise money for the naval relief fund, Australia, Nov 1942. WW2DB. Online. Available from: https://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=7292 [Accessed March 2025].
JONES, TERRY and CARRUTHERS, STEVEN. A parting shot: Shelling of Australia by Japanese submarines 1942. Narrabeen, New South Wales: Casper Publications. ISBN 978-0-9775063-4-7.
REID, Richard and Australia Department of Veterans’ Affairs, 2007. Sydney and the midget submarines 1942. Rev. ed. ISBN 978-1-920720-01-8.
SEA POWER CENTRE. Imperial Japanese Navy Midget Submarine Attack on Sydney Harbour. Available from: https://seapower.navy.gov.au/imperial-japanese-navy-midget-submarine-attack-sydney-harbour [Accessed March 2025].
SMITH, Tim. Managing an Australian midget: The Imperial Japanese Navy Type A submarine M24 at Sydney. Available from: https://www.academia.edu/7649976/Managing_an_Australian_midget_The_Imperial_Japanese_Navy_Type_A_submarine_M24_at_Sydney [Accessed June 2021].
STEVENS, DR DAVID M. Australia-Japan Research Project. Available from: http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/ajrp2.nsf/research-print/225B90B97196E29BCA256A1D00130203?OpenDocument [Accessed February 2024].
SYDNEY LIVING MUSEUMS, 2012. Talk 2, Part 1 Sydney under attack (1). Available from: https://vimeo.com/48774354 [Accessed June 2021].
WIKIPEDIA: ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor&oldid=1273242316 [Accessed February 2025].
WIKIPEDIA: ATTACK ON SYDNEY HARBOUR. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Attack_on_Sydney_Harbour&oldid=1156564240 [Accessed February 2024].
WIKIPEDIA: BOMBING OF DARWIN. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bombing_of_Darwin&oldid=1272141812 [Accessed February 2025].
WW2AUSTRALIA. Available from: http://www.ww2australia.com.au/ [Accessed April 2025].
Rough transcript: