Coogee Beach Surf's Up

Coogee Beach's surf is up
this evening  :)

There is a big swell tonight  :)

A bit dangerous for swimming,
actually.

(c) Katherine Stuart 2016

Sydney - Coogee Beach

Well, I am now renting a room
at Coogee Beach, in Sydney
(New South Wales, Australia).

This is Coogee Beach,
which is a very popular beach,
and many people were out
this evening enjoying it,
when I went for this walk.

Here is a seagull
enjoying its spot
on top of a bollard.












(c) Katherine Stuart 2016

Sydney - Penrith

Well, I have finally made it to Sydney
(New South Wales, Australia).

I felt like I was catapulted here.

I am in Penrith at the moment,
which is a suburb at the western edge of the city.

This is the view from my hotel room
earlier this evening,
looking towards the Blue Mountains
in the distance.

:)






(c) Katherine Stuart

Bombing of Darwin Commemoration 2016

On Friday 19 Feb 2016,
I attended the Bombing of Darwin Commemoration.

Seventy-four years ago, on 19 Feb 1942, during World War II,
Darwin (Northern Territory, Australia)
first came under attack by Japanese aircraft, in two air-raids,
which badly damaged the town and the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) base,
taking many lives.

At  9.58am  the air-raid siren was sounded, as it had done on that first occasion,
and a re-enactment of the return of fire from guns near the cenotaph (above) ensued,
as part of the ceremony to mark that tragic event.

May all those who perished, Rest in Peace.



text (c) Katherine Stuart 2016

USS Peary Memorial Service 2016

On Friday 19 Feb 2016,
I attended the USS Peary Memorial Service.

On the edge of the park, running alongside the cliff down to the bay
in the Darwin (Northern Territory, Australia) CBD,
with a beautiful clear sunny sky,
it was a poignant moment at  8.15am  in the early morning,
to reflect on the fate of the USS Peary,
lying not far away, under the water,
with its salvaged gun (above) pointing in its direction.

As the USS Peary was sunk on 19 Feb 1942, during World War II,
in the Japanese air-raids that day.

May all those who perished, Rest in Peace.



text (c) Katherine Stuart 2016

Submarine I - 124

By Katherine Stuart
9 February 2016

Nearly three weeks ago, the 20 January, marked the 74th year since the sinking of the Japanese submarine  I-124,  out of Darwin (Northern Territory, Australia) in WWII.

I-124

This occurred a month before what is commonly known as "The Bombing of Darwin", the first two Japanese air raids, on the shipping in the harbour and the town, and the RAAF base, on 19 February 1942.

"In early January 1942, Darwin was transformed from a small RAN [Royal Australian Navy] refueling station to a temporary refuge for the aging warships of United States Asiatic Fleet retreating from America's impending defeat in the Philippines..."

            -  "Darwin's Submarine  I-124"
                   Featured Book    November 2011
                   www.combinedfleet.com    accessed 4 Feb 2016

Submarine  I-124 was cruising the area, laying mines.

"At 0530 on the morning of January 20, at a position approximately

                           12  degrees  05.5  mins  S,    130  degrees  05.6  mins  E

in the Beagle Gulf, about 40 Nautical miles out of Darwin, an attempt was made to torpedo the oil tanker USS Trinity whilst it was being escorted by the destroyer USS Edsall. Three torpedoes were seen. The submarine was then located by USS Edsall and was attacked with depth charges by USS Alden. Contact was then lost and the convoy proceeded into Darwin Harbour arriving at 1130 hours.

At 1125 hours, the corvette HMAS Deloraine which was conducting sweeping operations outside Darwin Harbour was ordered immediately to the vicinity of the attack. Two other corvettes HMA ships Lithgow and Katoomba were ordered to sea as soon as they could be made ready."

            -  "Report  -  Japanese Submarine  I - 124"    
                   The Shipwreck Databases - Western Australian Museum 
                    museum.wa.gov.au    p.12    accessed 5 Feb 2016

""Deloraine" arrived in the area on 20 January 1942 and at 1.35pm her starboard lookout reported "Torpedo approaching green 100". Commander Desmond Menlove immediately ordered the helm to starboard and full speed on the engines. The tactic worked and the torpedo missed its mark. 
3 minutes later, using asdic, "Deloraine" located I-124 about 2,500 yards ahead. Another 5 minutes later she laid down a diamond pattern of 6 depth charges. Bubbles of air and some oil bubbled to the surface. At 1.48pm following 2 more depth charge attacks, Japanese submarine I-124 blew to the surface but almost immediately dived below the surface, never to be seen again on the surface.

    HMAS  Deloraine

"Lithgow" and "Katoomba" arrived later in the afternoon while "Deloraine" headed for Darwin for more depth charges. It rejoined the others again by 3.05am the next morning. Another asdic contact was made and after more depth charge attacks, "Deloraine" claimed it had destroyed 2 Japanese submarines, while "Katoomba" had also claimed another Japanese submarine.

Later that day a diver from the Fleet Repair Ship "USS Black Hawk" located the wreck of Japanese submarine I-124. He could hear survivors tapping on the hull. No evidence was ever found of the two other reported submarine "kills".........

Japanese submarine I-124 had laid 27 mines in the waters near Darwin earlier in January 1942."

            -  "Mr Robert Leslie Russell"    The Descendants of  Mr Robert Leslie Russell 
                   home.iprimus.com.au,    accessed  4 Feb 2016

  

As a consequence of this, Submarine  I-124 had sunk to the bottom with all hands (74), and lies there today, a war grave, not to be disturbed.

It is protected by a protection zone, radius of 797 metres,
and lies in a depth of 40.0 metres of water.
         
            -  "View Shipwreck - I - 124"    National Australia Shipwreck Data Base                 
                   https://dmzapp17p.ris.environment.gov.au,    accessed 7 Feb 2016

This book,

"Darwin's Submarine  I-124"


by Dr Tom Lewis,
"a naval officer, dive master and Director of the Darwin  
  Military Museum",

      -  "Darwin's Submarine  I-124"
             Featured Book    November 2011
             www.combinedfleet.com    accessed 4 Feb 2016



is a useful resource
for anyone interested in this subject.