Darwin, as the largest population centre in
northern Australia was considered vital to Australia's defences. The increasing
threat from the aggressive Japanese Empire in the 1930s led to the port and
airfield being increased in size. The military forces had been strengthened prior to Japan entering
the war with the bombing of Pearl Harbour, USA in 1941. The Royal Australian
Air Force (RAAF) and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) both had bases in Darwin,
although the RAAF had no fighter planes to repel an attack.
The Japanese Imperial army first bombed Darwin, Australia on 19 February 1942. Japanese fighters and bombers attacked the port and shipping in the harbour twice during the day, killing 252 allied service men, women and civilians and wounding another 400.
The first attack began just before 10.00 am and lasted only 42 minutes. It was followed by the second attack just over an hour later. Despite civilian women and children being evacuated from Darwin earlier in the year the remaining population ignored warnings of an threat. Missionaries on Bathurst Island and a coastwatcher on Melville Island were ignored when they radioed in sightings of Japanese planes. Pilots from America were also caught unawares and shot down before they could mount an attack.
The Japanese air raids on Darwin on 19 February involved over 260 enemy aircraft. The two attacks, which were planned and led by the commander responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbour, involved 54 land-based bombers and approximately 188 attack aircraft which were launched from four Japanese aircraft-carriers in the Timor Sea. Heavy bombers pattern-bombed the harbour and town; dive bombers escorted by Zero fighters attacked shipping in the harbour, the military and civil aerodromes, and the hospital at Berrimah. The second attack, which began an hour later, involved high altitude bombing of the Royal Australian Air Force base at Parap which lasted for 20–25 minutes. Twenty military aircraft were destroyed, eight ships at anchor in the harbour were sunk, and most civil and military facilities in Darwin were destroyed.
There was widespread panic after the attacks and almost half of the civilians “went bush” to escape. The RAAF base also suffered from servicemen deserting their posts. Three days after the attack 278 servicemen were still missing. In response to the desertions and looting that occurred after the bombing the government appointed Mr Justice Lowe to hold a Commission of enquiry. Order was gradually restored and military bases rebuilt and strengthened. Despite the fears of the population that the raids were a precursor to an invasion of Australia, this was not the case. The Japanese wanted to disrupt Australia’s ability to defend Timor and other smaller pacific nations that Japan attacked.
More raids occurred in April, June, July and November 1942, and March 1943. In total there were 97 air attacks on northern Australia.
The Japanese Imperial army first bombed Darwin, Australia on 19 February 1942. Japanese fighters and bombers attacked the port and shipping in the harbour twice during the day, killing 252 allied service men, women and civilians and wounding another 400.
The first attack began just before 10.00 am and lasted only 42 minutes. It was followed by the second attack just over an hour later. Despite civilian women and children being evacuated from Darwin earlier in the year the remaining population ignored warnings of an threat. Missionaries on Bathurst Island and a coastwatcher on Melville Island were ignored when they radioed in sightings of Japanese planes. Pilots from America were also caught unawares and shot down before they could mount an attack.
The Japanese air raids on Darwin on 19 February involved over 260 enemy aircraft. The two attacks, which were planned and led by the commander responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbour, involved 54 land-based bombers and approximately 188 attack aircraft which were launched from four Japanese aircraft-carriers in the Timor Sea. Heavy bombers pattern-bombed the harbour and town; dive bombers escorted by Zero fighters attacked shipping in the harbour, the military and civil aerodromes, and the hospital at Berrimah. The second attack, which began an hour later, involved high altitude bombing of the Royal Australian Air Force base at Parap which lasted for 20–25 minutes. Twenty military aircraft were destroyed, eight ships at anchor in the harbour were sunk, and most civil and military facilities in Darwin were destroyed.
There was widespread panic after the attacks and almost half of the civilians “went bush” to escape. The RAAF base also suffered from servicemen deserting their posts. Three days after the attack 278 servicemen were still missing. In response to the desertions and looting that occurred after the bombing the government appointed Mr Justice Lowe to hold a Commission of enquiry. Order was gradually restored and military bases rebuilt and strengthened. Despite the fears of the population that the raids were a precursor to an invasion of Australia, this was not the case. The Japanese wanted to disrupt Australia’s ability to defend Timor and other smaller pacific nations that Japan attacked.
More raids occurred in April, June, July and November 1942, and March 1943. In total there were 97 air attacks on northern Australia.