<P> The first Australian shots (many sources report the first Allied shots) of both World War I and World War II were fired from Fort Nepean . </P> <P> On 5 August 1914, the German ship SS Pfalz attempted to escape from Port Phillip . Within minutes of being notified that war had been declared, Lieutenant - Colonel Sandford at Fort Queenscliff gave an order to Lieutenant C Morris, the Fire Commander at Fort Nepean, to "stop her or sink her". After the Pfalz ignored signals to halt, the B1 gun fired across her bow . The Pfalz then turned around and the crew was arrested at Portsea . </P> <P> At 1.30 am on 4 September 1939, within hours of war being declared, the A1 gun fired across the bow of a ship which failed to identify itself . The ship then identified as the Australian freighter SS Woniora . </P> <P> These were the only occasions any of the Port Phillip batteries fired in anger . </P>

Who fired the first shot in world war 2