Target Australia! Japanese Submarine Attacks on Sydney and Newcastle (Ep. 1)

[@shounak000]

You may have spent years and years and sacrificed everything to learn history, but when Mr Felton comes along, all you can do is hold his earl grey and let him teach you.

[@nelanoma]

The good Doctor Felton ☕️

[@dennismason3740]

It's history, well documented and well told. What on earth compels anyone to deliberately press "thumbs down"?!!! Inscrutable.

[@texforister7023]

The Thumb-Down crowd is scattered across the Internet and life, a few here with many elsewhere. I have them as Satanic and leave them at that. 🔦

[@wirelessone2986]

I'm in the US and I see no thumbs down rally at all

[@dennismason3740]

@@wirelessone2986 - the format has changed. The thumbs down used to show the number automatically. I'm in L.A.

[@kmvandermeer7872]

This man is a talking encyclopedia!

[@airplanemaster1]

Except he has charisma and vigour in his delivery, which the encyclopedia lacks

[@wilmerbesitan1200]

He has so many secrets about history

[@krisfrederick5001]

@@wilmerbesitan1200 Shhhh

[@kickingmustang]

Quality bedtime listening. Epic story telling, yet again. Thank you, Mark ❤️

[@HaragothNAR]

Exactly, I cant sleep unless I have something to focus on, or else I'll just overthink myself until the next morning. I listen to these until I fall asleep, and pickup where I fell off the night before. I also listen to these at the gym, or driving places.

[@PackFan2323]

@@HaragothNAR I do exactly the same thing.

[@NotsayingJustsaying897]

Yeah im a little late on this but 100% agree

[@AndrewBlucher]

A great story! My father lived in Gippsland in Victoria, and used to tell a story of a submarine stuck on the mud flats of Corner Inlet near Port Welshpool for three days until the tide was high enough for it to float off. He claimed it was Japanese, and that in those three days they couldn't get any authorities to act. I guess we'll never know.

[@beastlypear2594]

only way i can imagine that story to be confirmed is if any documents from the sub can be found probably by a japanese historian if they dug enough

[@wirelessone2986]

Sounds about right authorities aren't always very bright

[@oncall21]

Dr Felton I greatly appreciate that you have made more than a couple of videos now on Japanese interest in Australia during WW11. Not many people realise that more Japanese bombs were dropped in Darwin than on Pearl Harbour. Thanks for sharing!

[@dillon5155]

I, too, love anything to do with the eleventh world war.

[@Smason432]

More ordinances of bombs were fired at Newcastle new south whale 🐳 in 1942 than both Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945

[@chrislouden6702]

Not true my great uncle was at Pearl harbor and they had about 30k more bombs dropped at Pearl plus they had torpedo bomb attacks at Pearl which actually counts as bombage which Darwin didn't. And Pearl also had more civilian deaths at a 5:1 ratio

[@oncall21]

@@chrislouden6702 I never referred to civilian casualties. Australia had more bombs dropped on Darwin than Pearl Harbour. How many 'years' was Pearl Harbour?? One day would be closer to the truth don't you think?

[@albertarthurparsnips5141]

@@chrislouden6702True. But northern Australian cities were struck again & again &….with Allied losses all round, British Comm on wealth , Dutch , & US alike.

[@Usrname.24]

Great listening. I love hearing war stories about the Japanese that don’t deal with the Kamikaze attacks . Awesome!

[@lexington476]

Same. Glad to see the Japanese pull one over on the allies.

[@cenccenc946]

or Pearl harbor, over and over and over again. Even otherwise good documentaries, will spend 30 mins repeating the pearl harbor attack before getting to telling the story about some obscure little battle two years later, leaving 10 or 15 mins for the real story they are trying to tell.

[@TheMajkla]

It's a coincidence - today morning I listened to a podcast from ABC radio www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/midget-subs-attack-sydney-ww2/12841278 about the very same submarines and in the evening I'm going to watch Mark Felton's video.

[@lexington476]

@@TheMajkla coincidence or conspiracy 😀?

[@TheMajkla]

@@lexington476 well, that's a conspiracy I'd like to witness more often:)

[@willembester4969]

Yet again,absolutely marvelous work from Dr. Felton. This is the standard of history research. Thank you!

[@Usrname.24]

Willem Bester, so true

[@WAMurf]

Ttgyytyy$

[@diggledoggle4192]

He is a historian by trade

[@willembester4969]

@@diggledoggle4192 I know. PhD. What I am saying is that there are many other historians, but few are his calibre.

[@XxBloggs]

My mother was a child living in Sydney when the attack took place. She remembered it well and often talked about it.

[@pathutchison9866]

I’m really glad you started an audio story channel Dr. Felton. Without having to provide visual content, you are able to get out more content and tell us more incredible stories. And although I VERY much enjoy your regular channel and the videos on it, it’s great to be able to hear you tell stories like the raconteur you are. Thank you so much for making this quarantine a little more bearable with your exceptional content. ⭐️ I’m quite sure I’m not alone in feeling this way. ⭐️

[@Usrname.24]

You are not alone!

[@HouseholdDog]

Definitely. To be honest I don't really watch the video much. A map is handy though.

[@clearsmashdrop5829]

I definitely appreciate some audio only work. Gave me something to listen to while folding laundry this morning.

[@jimmywrangles]

My fellow countrymen didn't handle the idea of war very well. Our soldiers are first class but our civilians were not prepared mentally for the conflict. That changed over time. Thanks for the upload Dr Felton,always appreciated.

[@grunt167]

Another excellent episode Dr. Felton.

[@callumjoyce1712]

I'm sitting in my house about 500m from RAAF Laverton and only just now learning about this. Thank you once again Dr. Felton! Edit: I grew up in Williamstown and had no idea about the local battery missing that opportunity!!

[@MrTheWaterbear]

Damn, the I-25 really put in work! What a crazy story...

[@michaelbruns449]

Laying back in the dark, closing my eyes, time traveling around the world through history, surreal visuals, feels like im really there.

[@garynarborough]

This was so interesting and reinforced what I was told years ago by my uncle who lived in Lower Hutt that a japanese submarine had been seen around Wellington. I am both a NZ and UK citizen so I have really enjoyed this. I know Australia reasonably well to my sadness never got to Melbourne having only been to Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane along with the Gold Coast. I cannot wait to hear the next one. Stay safe from Greater London.

[@davidearea242]

Gary N - As a Queenslander, missing Melbourne means you didn't miss much at all

[@JF-xm6tu]

@@davidearea242 we have colder weather and greener countryside then Queensland. We.also have psycho city dwellers who are politically correct and think they are from California

[@montecarlo1651]

@@davidearea242 Very amusing. In the 80s when people commonly moved to QLD from Victoria, Victorians used to say that the IQ of both States rose as a consequence. You would seem to prove this true.

[@davidearea242]

@@montecarlo1651 -That's only if you give credit to anything a Victorian says. More fool you, if you do. And just to clarify, I'd only prove it true if I had moved to QLD from Victoria (which I haven't). So now that you've proved the abysmal level of your IQ with your flawed logic, I assume you're already packing your bags for the move as well?

[@montecarlo1651]

@@davidearea242 Did I say you moved? No. Does it change the value of the quote if you didn't move? No. Careful reading is always advisable.

[@eddieoreilly9391]

Great work as always Dr Felton. Can’t wait to hear your account of the sub attack on my home of Newcastle. As a young reporter on the Newcastle Herald I met one of the gunners who was there on the night, his name was Jim Cannon (seriously). My favourite part is the fort commander coordinating the defences in his dressing gown :-) The two Mark VII 6” guns at Fort Scratchley are now the last left in working condition anywhere in the world and are fired every Anzac Day and on the anniversary of the sub attack. They still make the windows rattle across the city.

[@chrisrabbitt]

Aussie history I didn't know about ww2. Thank you, you never cease to impress with the untold stories

[@bigblue6917]

Excellent story. It's time were learnt a bit more about what happened in Australia during WW2.

[@bigblue6917]

@formless777 As long as no one mentioned to the Japanese about the Funnel Web Spider under the toilet seat that's should be fun. The whole Japanese invasion force found with the pants around their ankles. There's a sight for the history books.

[@coolhand1964]

@@bigblue6917 It was actually a 'Red Back' Spider on the toilet seat, almost as dangerous. The irony is that 'Red Backs' have now invaded Japan, and the Japanese Authorities have had to issue warnings that it is extremely dangerous and not to be touched. So Australia has the last laugh. Maybe we should send some Funnel Webs, King Browns, Tigers and Red Bellies to really even up the score.

[@davidbryant5934]

Thank u sir for yr amazing information ...I had no idea about how much they were active in our waters

[@alangrant5278]

Always good to hear quality work from Mark Felton! My grandfather was in the home guard in New Zealand and saw Japanese spotter planes over Auckland.

[@devonwhetenhale8828]

Thank you, Mark!

[@kornofulgur]

Take precautions, it's war! 822 Aussies: fackya mate!

[@shaider1982]

They remind me of anti-maskers. Their disobedience put in peril their city.

[@ashleymorrissey4833]

Boooo shaider. It’s australia. Everything’s fine here.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Love it. Those old blokes who used to call us young druggies were no hopers in the 40's. Lol.

[@ashleymorrissey4833]

Hahaha

[@kornofulgur]

@@shaider1982 Imagine if they had social medias: JapANeSe aRMy iSN't aS dAnGerOuS As eMEus! DoU yOu KnoW SomeONe WHo hAd beEn boMBed ?

[@1969Risky]

It wasn't long ago that the M24 midget sub was finally found off Sydney's Northern Beaches. As a kid living in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, the cliffs were dotted with pillbox installations. Some had tunnels which ran extensively but most have been sealed up as they were dangerous. As kids we would play there. The midget sub attack on Sydney Harbour is folklore & there are numerous newsreels of the day showing the damage caused.

[@alt7488]

i'm in perth and have been to both gun emplacements at Rottnest island there is another with tunnels at Cottesloe just north of Fremantle but due to covid it's been shut

[@garryhalvorson4878]

The midget sub is of lion island mate

[@1969Risky]

@@garryhalvorson4878 It's actually just off Bungan Head near Newport. It was found there in late 2006. It's been declared a war grave & at the time when it was discovered it was declared a secret. Around 2012 they have a ballot for divers to visit the wreck from a distance for very short periods. There were a ton of theories since the war years where M24 located. I think at the time they mentioned Lion Island as it's a protected National Park & no visitors were allowed there due to the ecosystem.

[@oldman2800]

And after the war japan got everything they wanted from Australia through civilised trade without any war tradgedy and resulted in mutual benefit for both countries as well many Japnese people are now good Australians playing their part in our countries future

[@waterheaterservices]

@@oldman2800 I am glad we allies did not do to the Japanese what they would have done to us if they had won.

[@amillieshub4136]

I enjoy this series …. Thank you

[@markfryer9880]

Dr Felton, I have third-party knowledge of this flight over Melbourne. My source was the now deceased daughter of the long since deceased gentleman who spotted the aircraft as it was flying over the suburbs near to the Croton railway station in Northern Melbourne. The gentleman who spotted the aircraft was a qualified witness as he was a Public Works Inspector and as such a Civil Defense Air Raid Warden, so his aircraft recognition skills would have been better than most. The story goes that he was coming out of the house to his little shed/office prior to early Sunday morning church, heard the aircraft, looked up and identified it as Japanese. What happened after that was never mentioned as I was shocked that I had never heard about such activities before. This was in the early 1990s that I first heard about it and then later it was mentioned about the gun crews at Point Cook RAAF Airbase getting a bead on the aircraft while waiting for permission to open fire.

[@goprohellfish0922]

YES! This is my dream!! Thankyou very much Mark! I've been a Newcastle local all my life (as well as based in Sydney with the RAN). Newcastle is very proud of her fort and the firing against I-21, the 6inch weapons are easily seen when kitesurfing off nobbys. Last time I was at the Kuttabul museum we had the tail end of one of the midget sub torpedos arrive (in a rather rusted and twisted state), I believe it will soon go on display. The conning tower of one midget is still very well preserved at the museum also

[@Adam420o]

I love these!

[@BENNO117]

A Mark Felton video about my home town of newcastle?! Never clicked a video so fast!

[@dingacool2304]

My grandfather was actually living in Sydney at the time of the attack and he told me story’s of his mother hiding the family under the table as they thought there was going to be a full attack but he thought it was just a fun game, RIP I miss him

[@fedecano7362]

From Catalonia here, we cant leave our homes from 2200pm to 0600am with covid regulations. thanks as always for this abundant, quality and free content Mark! Im sincerly thinking about supporting you as a Patreon

[@markfryer9880]

Oooohhh! That's tougher than the curfew we had in Melbourne Australia for a while during our 119 day Lockdown. We had from 8 PM till 5.30 AM.

[@fedecano7362]

@@markfryer9880 sorry Pal typo there, from 2200pm!!

[@waterheaterservices]

Unmask tyranny

[@RedcoatsReturn]

Another fascinating and deeply researched WWII story I didn’t know about. Great documentary! 👏👏👏👏👏😊👍👍

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

Great another Mark Felton special !!

[@sharonwhiteley6510]

Absolutely amazing

[@roscoewhite3793]

Nobuo Fujita and Shoji Okuda had luck on their side on the Melbourne mission; first to have evaded the two Wirraways sent up after them, and then to have flown over an anti-aircraft battery commanded by an officer totally lacking initiative. I wonder if they proved to be as fortunate in their later missions? I think Dr Felton will be telling us soon enough (here's hoping we won't be kept waiting too long...)

[@geoffreypiltz271]

Fujita lived until 1997. A brave and skilled airman.

[@Urbicide]

The description of the officer, "totally lacking initiative", is being far too polite in my humble opinion!

[@roscoewhite3793]

@@geoffreypiltz271 Haven't you heard of spoiler alerts, damn it?

[@geoffreypiltz271]

@@roscoewhite3793 To avoid spoilers just don't read any comments until after you've watched the video.

[@Bryan-cs9to]

Mark your channel and content definitely is by far my favorite on KZbin you never disappoint. Thank you sir for all you share!

[@Kingj411]

The game: “Battlestations: Pacific” actually allowed you to play as the Japanese and raid Sydney Harbor. Hard mission, but fun as hell

[@romangarcia2708]

That was one of the easier missions. I found the invasion of Okinawa to be the most difficult, but getting a gold medal was so rewarding because you'd unlock the tbf avenger with a 5" HVAR rocket.

[@cjmanson5692]

I was just about to mention Battlestations: Pacific. You beat me to it. :P

[@Skipper.17]

Again, very interesting stuff. I knew about the flight over Sydney, but never knew about the flights over Melbourne, Hobart and New Zealand.

[@markfryer9880]

Well, I am in the reverse position of knowing about the flight over Melbourne, but not the others.

[@nathanielmoran1819]

THANK YOU SO MUCH MARK! I have been awaiting this new addition.

[@thomasmarciano6133]

Dr. Felton's knowledge of all the little details and events of this incident and of other stories is astounding.

[@Alftura]

Australian here with some knowledge of WW2. I had no idea the IJN lunched a float plane over Melbourne!!!!!! I knew about Newcastle and Sydney! Love these Mark Felton videos. Thanks once again! :)

[@buckshot6481]

So glad you were able to evade those dreadful storm troopers. Please keep it up. Cheers.

[@ColinH1973]

Gripping stuff Mark, excellently narrated. Thanks.

[@jeddkeech259]

Can we all agree best history content on youtube

[@6idangle]

These videos are beautiful artistic descriptions of a time since passed. I always get lost in my imagination during your videos. Well done.

[@maxwalker1159]

My grandmas cousin had a piece of Japanese artillery shell land through his living room in Mossman Sydney, safe to say he was very surprised!

[@mrsweeper9004]

Mark, I cant thank you enough for the detail and clarity you provide on these historical events. I have grown up with my grandma sharing the story of how she witnessed the Japanese floatplane fly over Williamstown when she was a young girl. She still mentions to this day how much panic it caused at the time. I'm thrilled to learn the back story of this. Your video provides answers to the many questions we had about this event. I sincerely thankyou. The great work and amazing effort you put into your content is highly appreciated.

[@thedownfallparodist1145]

Good Video!

[@WildBill-kf2pc]

Great story Sir Mark. I can’t believe Australia was so nonchalant about the Japanese. Can’t wait for your next one. 🇺🇸

[@tylerfoss3346]

Outstanding, once again, Mark Felton. Bravo!

[@triffidgrower]

Thanks for this episode. I'm over 70yo now, and I live 60km north of Sydney. Like many my age, my father served (New Guinea) in WW2, and I grew up with acute awareness of Australia's then enemies in that conflict. About 10 years ago, whilst whale watching from Crackneck Lookout, hereabouts, I was approached by an elderly gent, 20 or 30 years my senior, who related an intriguing tale, both for it's local interest, and its relationship to enemy attacks on Australia. He told of two Japanese men, who, after the commencement of WW2, and prior to that nation entering the war, had stayed at a local guesthouse (Strathavon at Wyong). He described their hiring of a car from a local garage at the time, and some of their local sojourns in the vicinity. Our area being very rural in those days, and population much smaller, I can understand how word of mouth would have been exchanged in relation to such activities. How they had been seen (and remembered, in hindsight), apparently taking observations (bearings?) at our then location, (Crackneck Lookout) and also at Norah Head (a long established lighthouse) just to the north. Who can say what other treacherous actions they performed elsewhere in Australia, whilst their nation was, apparently, at peace with us. A ship was lost nearby, to a mine (reportedly German), prior to Japan committing to war, and thereafter the mini sub attack on Sydney, and the shelling of Newcastle and the eastern suburbs of Sydney by Japanese subs. These blokes clearly weren't property speculators. I hope that karma caught up with these two grubs and their like. They have blood on their hands as much as any who ever pulled a trigger...

[@Darryl_Frost]

Thanks for this, I live in Newcastle Australia, so this is quite interesting to me.

[@jimmy12347654]

What a mission they completed they saw more of Australia than what a lot of Australians will ever see

[@peterlovett5841]

My father and grandfather saw the aircraft fly over Hobart. Funny that this should be broadcast as there has just been a book published about the midget submarine raid on Sydney and I was listening to an interview with the author only yesterday.

[@richardsarcheryreviews]

Love these videos very informative I've learnt more from your videos than I ever did in school just wish you'd do a video on the Welsh guards it was formed on the 25th of Feb 1915 on the 1st of March it stood its first Royal guard at Buckingham Palace and on the 3rd of March left for the front lines I believe but during ww2 is where thinks get interesting for the regarment

[@chrisdebeyer1108]

Outstanding piece of very well organised and enlightening history. Astonishing!!

[@jamesolsen350]

Doctor Felton great job telling the story of IJN against the Australian Navy.

[@milkapeismilky5464]

Good lawd. That Japanese pilot had an incredible experience. Free tour of Australia!

[@punman5392]

Goes to show that there were always groups of people willing to ignore warnings in the face of danger

[@steelhelmetstan7305]

Here comes the moody music and 25 minutes of Felton magic! I'm commenting before I've watched the video in full, just to say I've seen the 'midget sub' the Australians have at the Canberra war memorial museum, and it is quite big, the Japanese subs are very substantial machines, unlike the British 'X craft', I'm going to watch the video now 🙂

[@beauvaisboy]

Always fascinating, a pleasure to listen👍

[@HouseholdDog]

It's funny hearing WW2 locations that are an hour away from me.

[@petersmulders8058]

Us Australian’s are impossible to invade because we have drop bears

[@montecarlo1651]

@@petersmulders8058 they are nasty buggers

[@chrisnorman1183]

Thanks again Mark for yet another brilliant war story :) Much love from Australia!

[@garymckee8857]

Thanks Mark.

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

Didn't watch these when they came out but they're great for learning more about WW2 Japanese Submarine missions. The Atlantic has a monopoly on those.

[@LazyCookPete]

Excellent work as always 👍

[@henriknilsson7851]

Impressive as always. Yet another little known part of WWII history beautifully presented!

[@howardbowen-RC-Pilot]

I would imagine Mark would be an excellent travelling companion. Always seems to have a wealth of interesting facts, and compelling analysis. Thanks Mark best decision I made in years was to subscribe here.

[@Jester-Riddle]

Top quality History narrated in a manner to create personal interest ... Brilliant stuff 👏

[@hisdadjames4876]

Captivating story, well told. Bring on part 2!

[@negativeplacebo6732]

Positive comment for the KZbin algorithm. I enjoy your content, please keep it coming. 🙂

[@lysanderkrieg5474]

Very informative Mark. Thank you.

[@blokeabouttown2490]

In 1942 the I-24 fired several shells into Sydney's eastern suburbs from her deck gun. One of the shells landed in Mrs McEachern's backyard in Bellevue Hill and totally destroyed her chicken shed. Fortunately nobody was hurt but people took the blackout precautions more seriously after that.

[@redwingrob1036]

THOSE chooks got cooked...💥🐔!

[@scottcoffman8306]

Can't wait for part two!!

[@questionmark05]

Great video. Thank you Dr Felton I always learn something new from your videos and I'm Australian. With the amount of research and how long the videos are they must take a while to create. Thank you for all your effort and hard work in teaching unkown or lost history.

[@silvanski]

Splendid story about another less known event👍

[@brucewilliams6292]

Riveting! Thank you so much!!

[@1234mallard]

Hi Mark. As an Australian it is interesting to hear these stories. I know all about the submarine attacks, and the Darwin bombing, but not much about the lessor actions, such as those reconnaissance flights. Thank you and I’m looking forward to the next part.

[@newcastlerabbit]

Fantastic work Mark. Matt from Australia

[@otm646]

Amazing history, thank you again!

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Excellent....Thanks

[@robertalaverdov8147]

Mark, you're a national treasure!

[@marieravening927]

A great video as always but I had one problem. With the map of Eastern Australia firmly placed on the screen, I still found that not one of the areas mentioned in the audio was pin pointed on the map. I live on the western coast and have no idea where these places are. It would have been good to have been able to follow the journey of the Japanese sub by following the places mentioned in the audio. I had no idea where the sub was most of the time. Just a thought.

[@power2084]

Sensational story ! And brave men.

[@nixit3495]

Australian spotters: "look! A plane!" Japanese plane: ".--. .-.. --.. / -.. --- -. .----. - / -.- .. .-.. .-.. / ..- ... .-.-.-" Australian spotters: "Understandable. Have a nice day."

[@larrybarnes3920]

Fijian spotters actually.

[@RCAvhstape]

Sounds like the IJN got their money's worth out of that airplane.

[@kerednilon4276]

"The aircraft was retired in October 15th, 2020 with full military honors."

[@pathutchison9866]

Pardon me Dr. Felton, but they prefer to be called “little people submarines”.

[@Usrname.24]

That actually made me laugh out loud! Nice

[@StephenMortimer]

Nah.. it's VERTICALLY CHALLENGED !!

[@ezragoldberg3132]

Nice

[@brettshea8623]

Awesome...mark...as an Aussie I really enjoyed it.. especially like the fact you included my home town of Hobart..

[@geezergeezer1]

Hobart, Mr. Shea? And what was Errol Flynn doing at the time?

[@brettshea8623]

@@geezergeezer1 I think at boarding school in Hobart or maybe that was before?🤔

[@markfryer9880]

Either way he would have been cavorting with the ladies all of the time.

[@brettshea8623]

@@markfryer9880 no doubt mate ..no doubt 😅

[@Otokichi786]

24:39 "Pago Pago" is pronounced "Pango Pango." Fascinating look at the early Pacific War where East Coast Americans weren't the only ones to flout Blackout regulations.

[@simondalton3726]

As an Australian who loves history I had no idea this was something that the Japanese had done. Thank you sir!

[@paullewis2413]

I guess it's a generation thing. When I was growing up in Australia in the 1960's we knew about these attacks but of course they occurred only around 20-25 years beforehand.

[@leeaa01]

Fascinating - as always!

[@squint04]

Thank you Dr!!!!

[@baileychisholm3255]

I was just thinking yesterday about how I wish you’d make a video on this topic :)

[@adeh503]

The man is the best on KZbin

[@Rusty_Gold85]

I never knew this initial exploit . Interesting to learn they flew over Melbourne . Across the Gulfs of Adelaide a few sea mines were laid by German ships . The Tasman Sea can be a wild ocean due to the South westerlies and the easterlies converge . (We had a disastrious Sydney Hobart Yacht race a decade ago wiping the famous competiiton out and killing a lot of the Yachties )

[@JoeyCarb]

I bet that engine was just tired of carrying around Fujitas gigantic balls.

[@franciscodiaz7557]

Con cada video aprendo cosas nuevas, gran contenido. With each video i learn new things, great content.

[@sailordude2094]

Great war history, thanks Mark! I think the German's used mine warfare to good effect in this area during WWI.

[@roberttbrockway]

The definite article is never used with "Bass Strait".

[@MrBCRC]

It's worth pointing out that any attempt to blackout any Australian city during WW2 was utterly pointless due to the prevalence of tin roofs on a huge percentage of buildings. It only took a tiny bit of moonlight to light up the cities.