Deborah O'Neill (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to speak on the commemoration services that were held at Broome in honour of those lives lost 70 years ago last Saturday, 3 March. I certainly endorse the remarks the Prime Minister made in the House on the last day of the last sitting week—the final Thursday. I also acknowledge the words of the member for Durack, who was in attendance at Broome. I was fortunate to be there on that day as well.

We know about the war in the Pacific and we honour the memory of the great sacrifices that were made but, having spent so much of my life in classrooms with students, I think that we really never talk about the war of the north—the war of the north that happened in our country. This year, 70 years on, the significant commemorations that happened in Darwin are an indication perhaps of a coming of age when we can admit to the vulnerability of our northern borders and our historical understandings have reached a point where we can talk about the challenges that face us as a nation and the great vulnerability that we were exposed to at that time.

Last week, on Saturday 3 March 2012, all of those who were gathered in the central area of the town—and I think there would have been close to 2,000 people, which is not a small number for such a remote community as Broome—were treated to the most compelling and eloquent representation of the events of that day in 1942 by the students of St Mary's College. It was simply an outstanding re-creation of the shock and the incredible drama and sadness of that morning 70 years earlier. This event in 1942 occurred at 9.30 in the morning, on a day that we heard from locals was a very common sort of day for that time of year, early March. A gentle breeze was blowing, the water was sparkling and no doubt those people who arrived in Broome on 3 March in 1942 felt a sense of peace.

As the member for Durack has already indicated, the Dutch ambassador, Willem Andrea, was in attendance at the re-creation. I particularly want to pay tribute to the Dutch ambassador for the work the Dutch embassy engaged in. They prepared a very nice piece of history in this little booklet that is about the strafing of Broome. It tells some of the stories that I think have been lost and forgotten over the years and puts them together in this one place for people who want to read about the great heroism and the tragic losses of that war in the north.

The Netherlands Naval Air Service was responsible for shifting as many people as possible out of the Netherlands East Indies, now Indonesia—from Java to Broome and then through to Perth. Before the fall of Singapore, there were significant numbers of Dutch planes leaving the East Indies and heading through to Broome. In fact 57 planes were being processed through Broome a day—which is absolutely phenomenal when you look at the size of Roebuck Bay and the landing strip they had. In the 14 days before the Japanese occupation of Java 7,000 to 8,000 refugees went through Broome. This stopped on 27 February. There was a short break and then a window opened on 2 March for the evacuation of the last nine flying boats that the Netherlands Naval Air Service had. There were five Dorniers and four Catalinas. With that opportunity on 2 March they flew to Broome to refuel on their way to Perth. When they landed in Roebuck Bay they joined the United States Navy planes that had a load of wounded soldiers and were refuelling there on their way back home. They also joined some members of a Royal Air Force squadron. There are reports that on 2 March 1942 there was a Japanese reconnaissance mission to see what was going on in Broome. After they reported back, nine Zeros returned at 9.30 on that fateful morning of 3 March 1942. You can imagine, with so many people having moved to Broome away from Java, that all the accommodation on land was pretty full. These last nine flying boats in Roebuck Bay had many women and children seeking refuge on board. When the Japanese Zeros suddenly arrived, all hell broke loose, as they described it. The strafing began. There was nowhere to run. There was no way to get away from the sudden and unexpected attack. It was significantly women and children who were impacted in this terrible event.

The member for Durack mentioned one very brave member of the Dutch navy who was there at the time, Gus Winckel. I had the pleasure, over 20 years ago, of travelling around Australia with my husband—not as grey nomads; in fact we were quite dark haired at the time. We travelled around Australia in a mobile home—'Harvey the RV', we used to call it. We spent a beautiful Christmas in Broome. Little did we know, as we drove around, that Gus Winckel Drive, on the way to the airport, was named after a real hero on that day. He simply pulled a machine gun up to his hip and fired and hit one of the Zeros. Gus Winckel Drive is just an ordinary looking street as you drive out to the airstrip. You would not remark on it if you did not know the story of Gus Winckel. His four sons were there to honour him on 3 March and to recall his great heroism and bravery on that day. One man with one machine gun against nine Zeros was an incredible mismatch.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge all the work of the local community of Broome in putting together such a fitting tribute to remember those lives lost on that day and the bravery that people showed throughout the entire war in the Pacific, and particularly the war in our own north. I would like to acknowledge the presence of the American Consul General, Aleisha Woodward, who gave a profound and moving speech about the loss of lives of men who had been injured in the theatre of war and who were on their way home, flying out of the peaceful haven that they thought Broome to be. They died that day and did not get home.

I would also like to acknowledge my colleague Gary Gray, the member for Brand, who was with me and gave an eloquent speech acknowledging the sacrifices of the day. I was very pleased to have his company on my journey to Broome. In honouring the people of Broome in their determination to not forget, I would like to acknowledge the mayor, Graeme Campbell, who is passionate in his leadership in that community. Obviously it is a community that really has taken on the responsibility of honouring this day in Broome on a regular and consistent basis. This 70th commemoration was particularly important. Eighty-eight people died on the morning of 3 March 1942. Many more were injured, and innocence was lost on that day. When we recall the sacrifice of those who fought for us, we finish by saying, 'We will remember them.' I can absolutely say with confidence that, on 3 March this year, the people of Broome very aptly and very fondly, with great respect, remembered all of those lives that were lost.

See this speech in context