Interview with John Slee and stills (When the war came to Australia)

At the outbreak of war, Mr Slee was an engineering student at Melbourne University. He left university, joined a Militia engineer unit and trained compulsory trainees. He discusses the policy of wiring beaches, building trenches and placing gelignite under bridges against the Japanese. The defensive works included checking bridges for load capability. Two airfields were wired for bombs - Mallacoota and Yanakie near Wilson's Promontry. Defensive measures were used for delaying tactics. In hindsight, Mr Slee observes that the Japanese High Command had decided they could not invade Australia because of the Australian reputation to fight to the last man. The Japanese may not have had the logistics, troops or ships. Mr Slee felt that some of this type of militia activity was unnecessary in Victoria. Queensland and the Northern territory were the more likely places a land invasion from the Japanese would have occurred. Local people knew what the unit was doing and were concerned but not frightened.