CREW OF JAPANESE SUBMARINES
LAND NEAR CAPE UPSTART, QLD

John Barr worked with Mick Statham at the Goods Shed in Ayr during the 1980's. Mick was in Coastal Defence, and in Commonwealth Construction at Garbutt. One of the subjects they talked about was the landing of Japanese troops on Australian soil.

Japanese Submarine crews often landed on Cape Upstart before the war to take on fresh water. They never interfered with the people living there, often sharing their food and having BBQ's on the beach with the locals. John Barr often visited Cape Upstart when he was a youngster and often found Japanese Whisky bottles on the beach. John asked how they got there and was told this story. It was  common knowledge to the locals.

Mick Statham was a coast watcher at Cromarty when 106 Japanese Marines were supposedly spotted coming ashore at Cromarty.

Japanese Fishermen spying along the Queensland Coast
 including at Cape Upstart and the Burdekin River

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank John Barr for his assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 8 May 2002

This page last updated 14 January 2020