Desmond Anthony Stephen 'Des' Lambert, as a Private, 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, interviewed by Jane Fleming for The Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-1945.

Lambert discusses his early life and cadet training in Fremantle, W.A., including aspects of his uniform; joining Coastal Defence; transfers around Australia and to Darwin in December, 1941; impressions of Darwin and his initial work there; recollections of the air raids on Darwin including where he had been when it started and hearing 'unidentified aircraft approaching' from the south-east; gun crew members responding to the air raid alarm wearing only towels and tin hats; 'Australia's Pearl Harbour'; strafing on the Berrimah gun site; running for rifles; mention of 'Darkie' Hudson who shot down a Zero fighter; excitement and reaction of troops to the raid and feelings about it, including lack of warning and misadjustment of the artillery guns; casualties in the town and harbour, including the American destroyer 'Peary' and the Australian hospital ship 'Manunda'; burial of postal office staff on the beach; comments about the evacuation of Darwin and view of the book about it ('Darwin's Day of Shame'); response of RAAF, army and medical staff to the raids; gun crew firing sequence and procedures; watching air battles between Kittyhawks and Spitfires with Japanese aircraft; experiencing his 21st birthday at Berrimah; various aspects of military service and governance such as leave and correspondence; embarking to Borneo after the Japanese surrender and going to Labuan Island; assisting in the management of Japanese prisoners and working parties.