On the day in question, the Nazis invaded Norway and Denmark to make their sources of iron ore secure.
That very day the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD carried the following item :
"Canberra,Monday. The Federal Cabinet to-morrow will probably discuss
the banning of all references in the newspapers to the departure of a
certain ship from Honolulu.
The arrival and departure of the ship was broadcast by the B.B.C. short
wave station, but, nevertheless, censorship authorities in Australia
prohibited any reference to the vessel. When the Prime Minister Mr.
Menzies, was asked to-day whether he had any comment to make, he said
that Ministers would probably discuss censorship with particular
reference to this question to-morrow."
Hmmm!
In the same copy of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, English "MORRIS"cars were
advertised under banner headlines crying: "Buy from those who buy from
you."and "If you don't buy MORRIS at least buy British." But in the case
of locomotives....
On that same day, a 19 ton single piece 43'feet long steel casting
arrived in Sydney from the United States. It was the very first cast
steel locomotive bed ( or frame) to be used in Australia, Historically
the frames had been built up out of steel plate and riveted together. It
was to be used in the construction of the new C 38 Class Express Steam
Locomotives capable of hauling heavy passenger trains over long
distances at up to the maximum permitted :70 MPH.The first of the Class
was the streamlined 3801 now well -advanced in a complete overhaul with a
new (German it must be said) boiler!
On that same day, at around 5.00 p.m. at Nurse Bignell's Cottage
"Hospital"on Nottinghill Road, Lidcombe....it happened ... and things
have not been the same since.
We'll follow this up a little closer to the day. Steel yourself indeed!
No comments:
Post a Comment