background

By M. McCarthy & Jon Davison

Introduction
In May and August 2001, the WA Maritime Museum
and Prospero Films recorded a documentary
Zero Hour' for release by the National Geographic
Channel in 2002. This is the background to the
Museum's work at the submerged aircraft
since the mid 1980's and the subsequent diary of the dive operations and film in 2001.
Merv Prime
Aviation historian Merv Prime has written the only book published to date that deals
with the actual raid and its aftermath. His
book 'Broome's One Day War' is on sale
primarily at the Broome Historical Society
and The RAAF Association The Aviation
Heritage Museum (AHM).

Another work is 'Flight of Diamonds',
produced by Hesperian Press. See the
Carnot Bay page.

The aircraft wrecks in Roebuck Bay, Broome, Western
Australia, come in three categories
1) Those that 'dry' at low water spring tides
2) Those partly visible at the lowest tide
3) Those that remain submerged
By agreement, the wrecks were managed on behalf of their
owners, the services (e.g. Dutch and Australian military )
and their governments by a 'management group'
comprising:
• Broome Historical Society (BHS)
• The Aviation Heritage Museum (AHM)
• WA Maritime Museum(WAMM)
• The Public Relations Officer (RAN/RAAF)

What follows is a description of activities after the
1990/91 period following concerns about interference on the
deep water wrecks. These concerns were
raised around the time the photo (lower right)
of one aircraft's machine guns were taken. A child's doll
was also raised, adding further to concerns.

Protection of the sites at the time was by a mix of
State and Federal legislation;
• importation of aircraft parts
• Entering a crash site
• Removing materials from a crash site
• War grave philosophies.

Following further concerns raised by Broome residents and
the Historical Society, the Museum
conducted 2 sidescan sonar searches sponsored
and conducted by Fugro Survey of Perth (Ted Graham
liaison).

The inability to cover the wrecks under the
1990 Heritage Act led to a continuation of the use of
the legislation above. A lack of funds also precluded
any coordinated effort to examine the Fugro strikes/
The museum was also fully committed to shipwreck
archaeology at the time and with the cessation of the
looting a decision was made to do nothing further until the occasion demanded. That occasion arrived with the advent of GPS and
a growing awareness of the wrecks, causing the
Museum, with the blessing of the other stakeholders
to seek funding for a program that would result in the location and inspection of all the wrecked
warplanes in Roebuck Bay.

Prospero Productions
Following the dissapointment from the ABC, Jon
Davison submitted the proposal for 'Zero Hour'
to Ed Punchard of noted WA filmakers Prospero
Productions.

One of the first images taken at Roebuck
Bay prior to the current expedition. Here
a diver holds the butts of a twin aircraft
machine gun - Eve Boogaard

Contact was then made with McCarthy's
colleague Jeremy Green (JNG) who was working
with Ed Punchard on his proposed ‘Shipwreck
Detectives’ program. All (including the RAAF Aviation
Heritage Museum, the Broome Historical Society and
the Public Relations Officer of the RAN/RAAF)
were delighted with the proposal because it was
clearly the only way to fund an inspection and
management program for the sites

This has seen a 3-part series emerge of which
the Broome Aircraft program is one. Others are;
• Batavia
• Rottnest Graveyard
• Broome Aircraft

The 2001 fieldwork

As indicated, the proposed film was seen to be the
only way to obtain the funds neccessary to enable
the wrecks at Broome to be located, inspected
and tested for the archaelogical deposit.
Following discussions with local stakeholders
(eg, BHS, AHM and local dive operators), they
were then to be appropriately managed
in a mix of cultural tourism and preservation
strategies. This was to involve signage,
pamphlets and maps, conservation and
exhibition.

The Museum's team was to include;
Jeremy Green (JNG - remote sensing, underwater
archaeology ),
Corioli Souter - underwater archaeology
(CS - oral histories),
Jon Carpenter, (JC) conservator
Silvano Jung - historical and tecxhnical advisor,
Jeff Parker (JP - consultant/diver),
Geoff Kimpton (GK - boat operator/diver),
Patrick Baker (PEB - photographer),
John Lashmar (JL - boat operator)
Mike McCarthy (MM - site inspection
and OIC underwater archaeology).
Jon Davison (JD - photographer/research)
worked with both the Museum team and the
Prospero crew.

Corioli Souter and the Prospero camera on site
in Roebuck Bay

Mitsubishi A6M2 ' Zero' - Jon Davison

Aim of the fieldwork (From the wreck inspection journal):
To inspect and record the Deep Water wrecks at
Broome and to close the loop in regard of our work
since 1990. Management plan and wreck access
programs will ensue.


Go to the Dive day  book


Jeremy Green's Sidescan trace at Roebuck Bay, 
showing the broken wings of a PBY Catalina.
Silvano Jung helped identify this site.

Very pistol retieved from a PBY Catalina

Forks and other items on PBY Catalina Y59: Corioli
Souter interviewd crew members on this aircraft!

Go to the 'Zero Hour' story


	• Aim • Background • Jon Davison • Merv Prime • Parker & Kimpton • Prospero Films • 2001 fieldwork • The Dive day book • The Film story



	By M. McCarthy & Jon Davison Introduction In May and August 2001, the WA Maritime Museum and Prospero Films recorded a documentary Zero Hour' for release by the National Geographic Channel in 2002. This is the background to the Museum's work at the submerged aircraft since the mid 1980's and the subsequent diary of the dive operations and film in 2001. Merv Prime Aviation historian Merv Prime has written the only book published to date that deals with the actual raid and its aftermath. His book 'Broome's One Day War' is on sale primarily at the Broome Historical Society and The RAAF Association The Aviation Heritage Museum (AHM). Another work is 'Flight of Diamonds', produced by Hesperian Press. See the Carnot Bay page. The aircraft wrecks in Roebuck Bay, Broome, Western Australia, come in three categories 1) Those that 'dry' at low water spring tides 2) Those partly visible at the lowest tide 3) Those that remain submerged By agreement, the wrecks were managed on behalf of their owners, the services (e.g. Dutch and Australian military ) and their governments by a 'management group' comprising: • Broome Historical Society (BHS) • The Aviation Heritage Museum (AHM) • WA Maritime Museum(WAMM) • The Public Relations Officer (RAN/RAAF) What follows is a description of activities after the 1990/91 period following concerns about interference on the deep water wrecks. These concerns were raised around the time the photo (lower right) of one aircraft's machine guns were taken. A child's doll was also raised, adding further to concerns. Protection of the sites at the time was by a mix of State and Federal legislation; • importation of aircraft parts • Entering a crash site • Removing materials from a crash site • War grave philosophies. Following further concerns raised by Broome residents and the Historical Society, the Museum conducted 2 sidescan sonar searches sponsored and conducted by Fugro Survey of Perth (Ted Graham liaison). The inability to cover the wrecks under the 1990 Heritage Act led to a continuation of the use of the legislation above. A lack of funds also precluded any coordinated effort to examine the Fugro strikes/ The museum was also fully committed to shipwreck archaeology at the time and with the cessation of the looting a decision was made to do nothing further until the occasion demanded. That occasion arrived with the advent of GPS and a growing awareness of the wrecks, causing the Museum, with the blessing of the other stakeholders to seek funding for a program that would result in the location and inspection of all the wrecked warplanes in Roebuck Bay. Jeff Parker & Geoff Kimpton As part of the Museum's wreck inspection program, McCarthy asked his colleague Geoff Kimpton(GK) to ‘suss’ out the scene while he was in Broome visiting his son Lee, a leading pearl diver. GK had unearthed Jeff Parker, a colleague of noted wreck diver John Riley and part-time diver in Broome - he located 2 sites and both GPS’d and drew them in a [useful 3D] fashion for the Museum. GK attempted to video them, without success. Silvano Jung of the Northern Territory University in Darwin was also conducting work on Catalina's at the time and he was bought on board following his successful work at Darwin in ’97 Jon Davison joins the team Jon Davison, a specialist aviation photographer and researcher, whilst following his own leads under his company Eye in the Sky Productions, became associated with WAMM as a natural progression of his work. He proposed a TV documentary on the Broome wrecks and the sunken Catalinas at Rottnest to the ABC with McCarthy and he organised a number of meetings with them. Whilst interested in running the Broome story, the ABC could not commit to funding the dive operations, so this particular avenue closed. Jon subsequently rewrote the proposal with a view to resubmitting the idea to other interested parties. A digital rendering of the raid by Jon Davison, as featured on a proposal cover. Top To Main menu	Prospero Productions Following the dissapointment from the ABC, Jon Davison submitted the proposal for 'Zero Hour' to Ed Punchard of noted WA filmakers Prospero Productions. One of the first images taken at Roebuck Bay prior to the current expedition. Here a diver holds the butts of a twin aircraft machine gun - Eve Boogaard Contact was then made with McCarthy's colleague Jeremy Green (JNG) who was working with Ed Punchard on his proposed ‘Shipwreck Detectives’ program. All (including the RAAF Aviation Heritage Museum, the Broome Historical Society and the Public Relations Officer of the RAN/RAAF) were delighted with the proposal because it was clearly the only way to fund an inspection and management program for the sites This has seen a 3-part series emerge of which the Broome Aircraft program is one. Others are; • Batavia • Rottnest Graveyard • Broome Aircraft The 2001 fieldwork As indicated, the proposed film was seen to be the only way to obtain the funds neccessary to enable the wrecks at Broome to be located, inspected and tested for the archaelogical deposit. Following discussions with local stakeholders (eg, BHS, AHM and local dive operators), they were then to be appropriately managed in a mix of cultural tourism and preservation strategies. This was to involve signage, pamphlets and maps, conservation and exhibition. The Museum's team was to include; Jeremy Green (JNG - remote sensing, underwater archaeology ), Corioli Souter - underwater archaeology (CS - oral histories), Jon Carpenter, (JC) conservator Silvano Jung - historical and tecxhnical advisor, Jeff Parker (JP - consultant/diver), Geoff Kimpton (GK - boat operator/diver), Patrick Baker (PEB - photographer), John Lashmar (JL - boat operator) Mike McCarthy (MM - site inspection and OIC underwater archaeology). Jon Davison (JD - photographer/research) worked with both the Museum team and the Prospero crew. Corioli Souter and the Prospero camera on site in Roebuck Bay Mitsubishi A6M2 ' Zero' - Jon Davison Aim of the fieldwork (From the wreck inspection journal): To inspect and record the Deep Water wrecks at Broome and to close the loop in regard of our work since 1990. Management plan and wreck access programs will ensue. Go to the Dive day book *Jeremy Green's Sidescan trace at Roebuck Bay, showing the broken wings of a PBY Catalina. Silvano Jung helped identify this site.* Very pistol retieved from a PBY Catalina Forks and other items on PBY Catalina Y59: Corioli Souter interviewd crew members on this aircraft! Go to the 'Zero Hour' story