Sydney and Newcastle

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 133, 8 June 1942, Page 6

Sydney and Newcastle

EARLY MORNING ALARM

(B.v Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.)

(Special Australian Correspondent.) !(Kec. 2 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 8. Sydney and Newcastle were shelied from the sea in the early hours this morning. The attack is believed to have been made by submarines. In Sydney, the bombardment began at 12.5 a.m. Alarms were sounded shortly before 12.30 a.m. and the afl clear at 1.11 a.m. .

Six shells were fired into three suburbs causing slight damage to a few houses. The casualties were few and no military damage was done. In Newcastle, the shelling began about 1.32 a.m. and lasted about 15 minutes. The shells did no damage. ,

Thousands of people in Sydney Harbour suburbs were wakened from sleep by the screams of the shells and the boom of the coastal defence guns. It has been estimated that more than a,dozen enemy shells were fired but most fell harmlessly Snto^the"-harbour;- ■'."■.■■■ '■ \■' ■ ■■ / [ ..' .....• '... ■ ■•: .' .. •.'• .

Onlookers said the firing' appeared (td- come from about two miles Off the coast Adhere the flashes of guns , could be seen. Many people believed the warning Was for an enemy air raid and.went to shelters. Many stood in,'the open to watch, the flashes' of :tlie guns which lit up .the sky well inland.

Sydney was blacked out .within a few minutes of the sirens sounding, and 'therNsatjohal'Emergency Service personnel were at their posts. No alarm was sounded hi Newcastle, but

the whole district was quickly blacked out as soon as the firing began.