Charles A. Lockwood
The location was first used as a military base in World War II. US Admiral James F. Calvert in his memoir, "", and US Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood in "Sink 'Em All", his narrative of Allied submarine warfare, describe its history. After the retreat from Java in March 1942, Allied naval forces had need of a forward base for replenishing submarines, then the sole form of offensive warfare against the Japanese. Both Darwin, Northern Territory, and Broome, Western Australia, were too exposed to air attack, so a 500-ton unmotorized lighter was placed as a refuelling barge near the mouth of Exmouth Gulf, where the Allies were already maintaining a seaplane tender.