Australia's Coastal War

For the first time, acclaimed military historian Dr Tom Lewis OAM uncovers the full scale of World War II’s forgotten battles along our coastline. From German surface raiders laying deadly mines to Japanese submarines prowling offshore and enemy aircraft launching hundreds of attacks, the war on the coast stretched across thousands of kilometres—from Darwin to Hobart, from Townsville to Melbourne.

This landmark book rewrites history, revealing a long and brutal struggle between German and Japanese forces and those of Australia, Britain, and the United States. Scores of ships were sunk, thousands of lives lost—yet much of this story remains unknown.

Among the tragedies are gripping accounts of heroism and heartbreak: the sinking of the cruiser Sydney with 645 lives lost in a duel with the raider Kormoran; a deadly mine explosion on a quiet South Australian beach; and the haunting fate of a priest abducted and executed by an enemy floatplane crew.

There are also tales of misjudgement and misadventure—like the flawed decisions during the Sydney midget submarine raids, partly redeemed by the courage of small ship commanders whose bravery remains unrecognised. Other stories are only now coming to light, including the daring attack by two RAAF bombers on a Japanese submarine still lost off the coast of New South Wales. Australian Coastal Wars reveals it all—a sweeping and deeply human account of a war far closer to home than most Australians ever realised.

About the Author

Dr Tom Lewis OAM is a military historian, the author of 23 books, and a public speaker and presenter. He is also a retired naval officer who served in combat; a retired secondary school teacher, pilot, and scuba divemaster. He was the Director of Darwin Military Museum in its redevelopment from 2009 to 2013. His Order of Australia was bestowed on him for services to naval history. He has won numerous prizes for his literary works, including as the national winner of both the 2021 and 2024 Australian Naval Institute’s Commodore Sam Bateman Book Prizes, for Teddy Sheean VC, and The Sinking of HMAS Sydney.