Exmouth
Exmouth, on the North West Cape,came into being as a submarine and air base during WW2. With the establish ment of the joint US-Australian Naval Communications Station in the 1960s the town started to grow to it's present population of 3500. ;1260kms. North of Perth it is a popular holiday destination. The War Memorial stands in a park opposite the public library and comprises a curved wall of masonry blocks in the centre of which is a bronze plaque bearing the words "Lest WE Forget" surrounded by a laurel wreath. At various places on the wall are stainless steel plates, each one bearing the name of a conflict from WW1 on. A few metres away,on the right, is a granite boulder bearing a plaque recording the details of Operation Jaywick and the names of the men who took part in it; 14, of whom six subsequently died in Operation Rimau*. In addition to this Memorial the town also has a Truscott* Memorial Club and a Truscott Drive.
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On the road from Exmouth to the Coastal Highway on the left hand side just before the Learmonth Air Base is a cairn built just above the beach, it marks the spot where the MV Krait departed on Operation Jaywick.
* The history of Operations Jaywick & Rimau are related in the book "The Heroes" by Ronald McKie, Angus & Robertson,1960
*K.W.'Bluey' Truscott DFC & Bar, RAAF became an air ace flying Spitfires over Europe in the early stages of WW2, subsequently posted back to Australia, he flew Kittyhawks in 76 Sqdn. repulsing the Japanese attempt to invade Port Moresby, New Guinea. He died when his plane crashed in the sea off Heron Head,North West Cape March 28th.,1943.