In the massive coverage of the WWl centenary , the Gallipoli bloodbath in particular, it is hard to detect much, if any , mention that the Japanese were our allies in the conflict and their warships protected Australia from German raiders and submarines , a portion of New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago German colonial territory. The above 1915 photograph showing the Japanese flag flying at the rear of volunteers marching down to the wharf in Darwin to embark for overseas service is from the collection of the late historian , journalist and publisher , Glenville Pike . At the Darwin send off in the Town Hall for the volunteers the Japanese flag was flown and a Japanese businessman, Mr Yamamoto , wished the contingent well on behalf of his nation . Contingent leader ,Captain R.J. Lewis , was reported as saying Japanese reservists were available to defend Darwin . The first troop convoys from Fremantle to Aden and then Egypt were escorted by Australian warships and the Japanese battleship , Ibuki. Two Japanese cruisers ,Chikuma and Yahagi , patrolled North Australian from Broome to the Torres Strait. Another two warships , Aso and Soya , patrolled an area from Fremantle to Brisbane in May-July 1915. A large number of Japanese cruisers and battleships escorted troopships across the Indian Ocean in 1917.
