Oct 26, 2019
Welcome to the fourth episode of the Australian War history
podcast. In this episode, we look at the hallowed corridors of the
Australian War Memorial there is a section that is focussed on
Winnie the War Winner. This makeshift piece of equipment was
central to the Double Red Diamonds' ongoing survival on Timor. For
two months after the Japanese invasion on February 19, 1942,
Australia believed that the troops on Timor had been overcome by
the Japanese juggernaut pushing south. Australian
technicians/soldiers on Timor had been working on an apparatus that
would establish contact with the mainland. This episode deals with
this amazing story of Australian ingenuity and improvisation.
As well, the Japanese were searching for a panacea to alleviate the
difficulties dealing with these problematic Australians. They were
looked upon as phantoms because of their propensity to inflict
maximum damage and then disappear into the Timorese jungle. The
Japanese thought their saviour would be the Singapore Tiger. Their
hopes proved to be illusory.
Some of the books we use to cross-check facts:
A History of the 2nd Independent Company and 2/2 Commando Squadron