LOPPED

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 149, 21 December 1945, Page 8

LOPPED

One morning in February. 1942, people living in a road leading to Fremantle Harbour woke to find that all the trees had been lopped. : They protested loudly, but no explanation was eiven. On the niaht of February 20. 1942, armed guards were placed along the blacked-out streets of Maylands, Perth, and Fremantle, through which 40 newly-assembled and tested Kittyhawks were to be taken to the harbour and placed aboard the United States aircraft-carrier, Langley. In-vasion-fearing Perth had only just read of the terrific Japanese Sir raid on Darwin, and for security reasons had been given only an inkling of the damage arid the toll of lives. The big trek heean soon after midnight from *he Maylßnds aerodrome. A railway fence had to be'cut down and trees had to be lopped. It was vitsl to get this precious cargo through. Tlip big job' ended Pbout 6 a.m. The planes were loaded aboard the carrier, and poon aflor the Langley set out on its task of helping to stop th« Japanese southward drive. But Ihe Kittvhawks never saw the air again. ■ Only four days out from Fremantle, the Langley was attacked and sunk. Most of the Lan.aley's complement was saved .by the tanker Pekos. but a day or so later the tanker was sunk, this time w?ttl the loss of almost all aboard.