Alright....cameras rolling, action!

Finally, the advancing Japanese fleet was spotted. As the small warships scrambled to get out of Rabaul harbour, it was already too late for the half dozen Gloucester Gladiators that had overflown the Japanese Battle Group in D16. 

Zero fighters swarmed from the decks where they had been readying. Like angry hornets they fell upon the hapless Gladiators and within a few short minutes, all six were shot out of the sky. More aircraft poured skywards as Val Dive Bombers joined Zeros here and in G19 where a second carrier group now revealed its presence.

At Rabaul airfield, preparations were now frantically under way. The news was filtering through that landing ships were inbound.  The platoon allocated to defence of the airfield was on the move but would they be in time?  Some were saying the Japanese had already made landfall.

A command unit screeched into the airfield yard, delivering Corporal Freddie Haynes and his team to add their strength.  The signals man was busy keeping the command truck informed about the other squads.

To the rear, Platoon Commander, Lieutenant Pryce Parker enthusiatically led his squad in a sweep around Hammond's Farm to ensure the area was secured.

While on the left wing of the battle zone, a bedford truck dropped off another squad under Lance Corporal Mick Sims.  They begun looking for positions as they realised that their current position would be too vulnerable to aerial attack.

It was only an hour or so after dawn.  If the radio messages were right, Japanese aircraft were heading this way.  There wasn't long to find cover.