In remembrance of the Bombing of Darwin

Today is a national day of remembrance honouring those who served and lost their lives in the attacks on Darwin and across northern Australia during the Second World War.

From December 1941, Japanese forces swept southward, invading Thailand, Malaya, parts of the Netherlands East Indies (present-day Indonesia) and New Guinea. On 15 February 1942, the Japanese captured Singapore, representing a major symbolic and strategic defeat for the Allies.

Four days later, the Japanese launched a raid on Darwin from aircraft carriers in the Arafura Sea and a base on the island of Ambon. More than 240 bombers and fighters descended on the coastal town and harbour in two devastating waves.

The attack overwhelmed Darwin’s defences, with Japanese aircraft bombing and strafing their targets, the port, ships and the airfield. Eight of the 47 ships in the harbour – three naval and five merchant vessels – were sunk, including the American naval destroyer USS Peary, killing 88 sailors.

Tragically, the two raids claimed more than 250 lives, including members of the three Australian armed services, and other Allied personnel. Many merchant mariners and other civilians were also killed, including the postmaster, his family and several postal workers when the trench in which they were sheltering outside Darwin’s post office suffered a direct hit.

The raids on Darwin marked the first attacks on the Australian mainland during the Second World War.

A mere two weeks after the initial raids on Darwin, Japanese forces continued their attacks on northern Australia. Japanese fighters struck Broome without warning, resulting in dozens killed or wounded and more than 20 Allied aircraft destroyed.

These were the first in a series of raids throughout 1942 and 1943, with almost 100 air raids against northern Australia from Wyndham, Port Hedland and Derby in Western Australia, to Darwin and Katherine in the Northern Territory, Townsville and Mossman in Queensland, and Horn Island in the Torres Strait.

Today, we pause and remember those who died in the attacks on Darwin in 1942, those who lost their lives in the air raids across northern Australia, and all those who bravely served in the defence of our nation during the Second World War.

Lest we forget.

To learn more about the Bombing of Darwin visit our Anzac Portal.