Neil Roberts

Today we remember Neil Roberts, who was serving with the Navy on the barrack ship, HMAS Kuttabul.

Neil Roberts audio file (MP4 23.89 MB)

Neil Roberts audio script

75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War

Audio actuality

“Fellow Citizens, the War is over” — (The Hon J B Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia)

On the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War, Australia remembers Neil Roberts, who was serving with the Navy on the barrack ship, HMAS Kuttabul.

On the night of June the 1st 1942, a Japanese mini-submarine entered Sydney Harbour and torpedoed the ship in the dead of night.

Neil Roberts

I was conscious of the fact that about 10 o'clock at night, there was some activity on the Harbour. But at 12 o'clock, I was to be relieved by another rating. He came out about 20 past 12. He suggested that I sleep in his hammock. And so I went back onto the Kuttabul, and took my boots off and climbed into his hammock and I just dozed off to sleep. And then there was this terrible explosion. My first reaction of course, was to get out. And as I went to the steps and I started to go down them and I found that the water was just rushing up and the vessel was sinking. So I dived and I swam to the sea-wall and climbed up. A young rating came running around and he said to me, "Where are the officers?" And I started thinking everybody's dead. This initial thing of course gave me a real appreciation of the dangers of war because up to that stage, I'd never been outside The Heads. And I have the unique experience of being torpedoed before I'd ever been to sea.”

Saturday, August 15 marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War. Let’s pay our respects to that amazing generation of Australians.