Traces the story of the Japanese submarine shelling of the two cities - Sydney and Newcastle - a story that until now, has not been fully told.

The last ship sunk in Australian waters was the American Army transport ship USS Portmar, a survivor of the first Darwin air raid on 19 February, 1942. Transiting from Sydney to Brisbane in a convoy of 10 merchant ships and 3 American Landing Ship Tank (LST) vessels and escorted by 5 Bathurst-class corvettes, the Portmar lagged behind the others. Portmar was trying to pick up station when she was hit by a torpedo and sunk S.E. of Coffs Harbour, NSW with a loss of 2 lives. p. 264.

Part I Sydney bombardment -- Part II Newcastle bombardment -- Part III Japanese submarine campaign.



Includes bibliographical references and index.