Skip to Main Content

The Secret Submarine

A RAAF Bomber Success Story

Published by Big Sky Publishing
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

Uncover the untold story of a forgotten battle off Australia's shores

The official history of the Royal Australian Air Force claims that no enemy submarines operating off the Australian coast during World War II were sunk. But what if history got it wrong?

In a fierce and decisive air action off the coast of New South Wales, RAAF Beaufort bombers engaged a colossal Japanese submarine over 100 meters long. What followed was a deadly duel between the submarine's anti-aircraft guns and the bombers' machine guns. The I-178, with her crew of 88, lies lost somewhere north of Sydney. The events of that day have remained buried—until now.

In this groundbreaking work - Tom Lewis- one of Australia’s leading military historians rewrites the history books. ‘The Secret Submarine’ not only reveals a forgotten victory but also immerses readers in the harrowing experiences of those who served in WWII bombers and submarines. Additionally, it chronicles the broader, brutal struggle between Japanese forces and the combined might of the USA and Australia, a conflict that saw over 40 ships sunk and countless lives lost off Australia’s east coast.

Praise for Tom Lewis
‘Tom Lewis has reminded us of the perils of lack of preparation in peacetime and the price to be paid in war for not recognising new technologies and methods for striking at Australians from the sea.’ [Attack on Sydney Harbour] - Lieutenant-Commander Desmond Woods OAM RAN

Tom Lewis never lets his readers down. He has embedded a narrative with all the necessary historical and political background, photographs, maps, diagrams, pen-pictures of key players as well as a closing epilogue. ’ [Attack on Sydney Harbour] - Neville Taylor RUSI Vic

Remarkable in its sweep of World War II’s Pacific theatre, and the terrible price all involved would have paid if it continued. Atomic Salvation would be ideal for a comprehensive documentary’– Ian Richards, film-maker

An effective blend of historical narrative and scholarly argument, Dr Tom Lewis’s Atomic Salvation is both a memorable and enlightening reading experience. – [Atomic Salvation] – Dr LFS Browne – Historian

The sanitized version of warfare in books and films omits the bloody and ferocious encounters at the sharp end of war, this book explains. [The Truth of War] – Newcastle Herald

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.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Big Sky Publishing (March 5, 2025)
  • Length: 440 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781923300064

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Doctor Tom Lewis