The Japanese bombing of Darwin
Darwin is the largest town in the north of Australia, it was a key defensive position against Japan. Australia developed Darwin's military airfields and its ports, as well as building coastal protection with additional batteries, anti-aircraft guns and increased troop numbers. Darwin was seen as a key port for the Allied ships, planes and forces defending the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia and Timor).
Defences were planned, and an anti-submarine boom net was constructed across Darwin Harbour. The net, supported by floatation buoys, was six kilometres long – the longest floating net in the world. Warning of approaching ships or submarines was given by submarine indicator loops that lay on the seabed and ASDIC (sonar) devices fitted to ships.
The first raid on Darwin
· On 19 February 1942, 188 Japanese planes were launched against Darwin. There were 46 ships packed into Darwin Harbour at the time.
· The Japanese aircraft were launched from Japanese land bases and aircraft carriers in the Timor Sea. The Japanese fighters strafed land targets and shipping. Dive bombers attacked the ships in the harbour, as well as the military and civilian aerodromes. Even the hospital was attacked. The dive bombers were escorted by fighter planes to protect them from Australian and allied planes. The only air defences the allies had were ten fighter planes that engaged the Japanese planes and only one survived the first attack..
· Eight allied ships were sunk and most of the others were damaged by bombs or machine gunfire.
· The first attack lasted approximately forty minutes. The land targets included the Post Office, Telegraph Office, Cable Office and the Postmaster's Residence, where postal workers were killed as was the Post Master General and his family.
· The second attack began an hour after the first ended. Heavy bombers attacked the Royal Australian Air Force Base at Parap and lasted about 25 minutes.
· The Japanese two raids killed at least 243 Australians and allies. Almost 400 were wounded. 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 is debate over the number of Japanese aircraft shot down during the air raid on 19 February 1942 – some sources report that two aircraft were shot down, while others state four aircraft were destroyed.
· During the Second World War, the Japanese flew 64 raids on Darwin and 33 raids on other targets in Northern Australia.
· From the first raid on 19 February 1942 until the last on 12 November 1943, Australia and its allies lost about 900 people, 77 aircraft and several ships. Many military and civilian facilities were destroyed. The Japanese lost about 131 aircraft in total during the attacks.
· At the time, there were many rumours alluding to the Australian Government's suppression of information about the bombings - it was thought that reports of casualties were intentionally diminished to maintain national morale.
Darwin is the largest town in the north of Australia, it was a key defensive position against Japan. Australia developed Darwin's military airfields and its ports, as well as building coastal protection with additional batteries, anti-aircraft guns and increased troop numbers. Darwin was seen as a key port for the Allied ships, planes and forces defending the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia and Timor).
Defences were planned, and an anti-submarine boom net was constructed across Darwin Harbour. The net, supported by floatation buoys, was six kilometres long – the longest floating net in the world. Warning of approaching ships or submarines was given by submarine indicator loops that lay on the seabed and ASDIC (sonar) devices fitted to ships.
The first raid on Darwin
· On 19 February 1942, 188 Japanese planes were launched against Darwin. There were 46 ships packed into Darwin Harbour at the time.
· The Japanese aircraft were launched from Japanese land bases and aircraft carriers in the Timor Sea. The Japanese fighters strafed land targets and shipping. Dive bombers attacked the ships in the harbour, as well as the military and civilian aerodromes. Even the hospital was attacked. The dive bombers were escorted by fighter planes to protect them from Australian and allied planes. The only air defences the allies had were ten fighter planes that engaged the Japanese planes and only one survived the first attack..
· Eight allied ships were sunk and most of the others were damaged by bombs or machine gunfire.
· The first attack lasted approximately forty minutes. The land targets included the Post Office, Telegraph Office, Cable Office and the Postmaster's Residence, where postal workers were killed as was the Post Master General and his family.
· The second attack began an hour after the first ended. Heavy bombers attacked the Royal Australian Air Force Base at Parap and lasted about 25 minutes.
· The Japanese two raids killed at least 243 Australians and allies. Almost 400 were wounded. 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 is debate over the number of Japanese aircraft shot down during the air raid on 19 February 1942 – some sources report that two aircraft were shot down, while others state four aircraft were destroyed.
· During the Second World War, the Japanese flew 64 raids on Darwin and 33 raids on other targets in Northern Australia.
· From the first raid on 19 February 1942 until the last on 12 November 1943, Australia and its allies lost about 900 people, 77 aircraft and several ships. Many military and civilian facilities were destroyed. The Japanese lost about 131 aircraft in total during the attacks.
· At the time, there were many rumours alluding to the Australian Government's suppression of information about the bombings - it was thought that reports of casualties were intentionally diminished to maintain national morale.
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