Newcastle And Sydney Under Fire

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 133, 8 June 1942, Page 6

Newcastle And Sydney Under Fire

SUBMARINE ATTACK Little Damage Done And Few Casualties Reported

(United Press Association.—Copyright.—Rec. 3 p.m.) SYDNEY, this day. Syd ncy and Newcastle were shelled from the sea in the early hours this morning. The attack is believed to have been made by submarines. The Sydney bombardment began at 0.5 a.m. The alarms were sounded shortly before 0.30 a.m., and the-all-clear at I. I I a.m. Six shells were fired into three suburbs, causing slight damage to a few houses. Casualties were few, and no military damage was done. In Newcastle the shelling began about 1.30 a.m. and lasted for about I 5 minutes. The shells exploded but did no damage. Ihousands of people in Sydney s h.irbour suburbs were awakened from their sleep by the scream of shells and the boom of the coastal defence guns. It has been estimated that more than a dozen enemy shells were fired, but most of them fell harmlessly into the harbour. Onlookers said that the firing appeared to come from about two miles off the coast, where gun flashes could be seen. Many people believed that the warning was for an enemy air raid and went to the shelters, while many stood in the open to watch the gun flashes, which lit up the sky well inland. Sydney was blacked out within a few minutes. Sirens were sounded and the National Emergency Service personnel were at their posts. No alarm was sounded in Newcastle, but the whole district was quickly blacked out as soon as the firing began.