He told the gathering yesterday of the frustration of being stationed in the swamps a few miles from Darwin, with fixed guns aimed at the sea rather than the sky and unable to fire at the planes dropping their deadly rain. During another bombing raid, on Anzac Day, he saw three mates badly wounded next to him, his gun-carrier destroyed and two Americans killed. Mr Ruwoldt noted dryly that the official report had declared no injuries and little damage. Over the years, the one story that did circulate was that everyone in Darwin had panicked and run away - a story which reflected the understandable terror and confusion of many at the time but not the typical response of the majority who stayed. Then the air-raid sirens sounded as they had at 9.58am 59 years ago.
Heroes do live forever after all, even neglected ones.