70th Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin - 19 February 1942 to 19 February 2012 (1 Viewer)

[TomNT]

Hi Fellas

Sorry I am late with this post, I have been flat chat like a lizard drinking!! Here is a bit of info on the first raids on Darwin and the subsequent raids that followed until the 12th of November 1943. I have included some pic's from the anniversary yesterday as well as a link to a short video showing war time film, photo's and interviews with diggers and people that were in Darwin at the time.

Darwin, the largest population centre in northern Australia, was considered a vital asset in Australia's defences against an increasingly aggressive Japanese Empire in the 1930s. Its port and airfield facilities were developed, coastal defence batteries constructed and its garrison steadily enlarged. The outbreak of war in the Pacific resulted in the rapid enlargement of the military presence in Darwin and it was used as a base from which to deploy forces for the defence of the Dutch East Indies. In January and February these forces were overwhelmed by Japanese landings, usually preceded by heavy air attacks.

On 19 February 1942 Darwin itself was bombed. Japanese fighters and bombers attacked the port and shipping in the harbour twice during the day, killing 252 Allied service personnel and civilians. On 3 March Broome, in Western Australia, was strafed. In succeeding months air attacks were made on many towns in northern Australia including Wyndham, Port Hedland and Derby in Western Australia, Darwin and Katherine in the Northern Territory, Townsville and Mossman in Queensland, and Horn Island in the Torres Strait. Despite popular fears these raids were not the precursor to an invasion but they did serve to interrupt the use of Darwin's port facilities. The raids also tied up anti aircraft defences and air force units that would have otherwise been sent to more forward areas.

The Japanese air raids on Darwin on 19 February involved, collectively, over 260 enemy aircraft. Subsequent raids in April, June, July and November 1942, and March 1943 were carried out with forces of 30 to 40 fighters and bombers. Between the large raids there were smaller operations by groups of under a dozen Japanese aircraft. Most of the raids occurred in daylight but there were some small scale night attacks.

The 64th, and last, air raid on Darwin occurred on 12 November 1943. In total there were 97 air attacks on northern Australia and enemy air reconnaissance over the region continued through much of 1944.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2012/02/19/289455_ntnews.html

 

[waynepoo]

Good stuff Tom, the bombing even tho it was kept quiet for a long time did wake up the powers that be, a lot of people don't realise that the Japanese dropped more bombs on Darwin that day than they dropped on Pearl Habour. My 90 year old mum tells me that on that day the air raid sirens went off here in Brisbane and she was sent home from her work after being told it was just a drill, enjoyed the rest of day with a swim and a icecream at the beach at Shorncliffe, she and everybody else had no idea until much later.
Wayne.

LEST WE FORGET.

 

[Mitch]

Tom..

Interesting stuff. Fortunately, your country was spared the systematic and prolonged bombing that my country was placed under. Terrifying stuff non the less. I remember watching war movies with my Gran and, she got a chill up her spine when she heard the wail of the air raid sirens. Looks like a good remembrance service
Mitch

 

[Jack]

Tom..

Interesting stuff. Fortunately, your country was spared the systematic and prolonged bombing that my country was placed under. Terrifying stuff non the less. I remember watching war movies with my Gran and, she got a chill up her spine when she heard the wail of the air raid sirens. Looks like a good remembrance service
Mitch

Mitch

Your use of the word prolonged is a good reminder that the Brits were bombed for years. It would be easy to think that September 15 1940 meant Britain was saved from aerial bombardment, yet it went on and on. When the end was in sight they then had the V-1s and V-2s!

I have a book on the shelf at home about combat stress - written by a doctor so it can get a bit heavy - and he made the now familiar point about the mistaken view that civilian morale would crumble. He also made the interesting observation that the destruction of one's home could in some instances be more traumatic than the death of friends. It apparently awakened something akin to a primal instinct.

Regards

Jack

 

[TomNT]

Good stuff Tom, the bombing even tho it was kept quiet for a long time did wake up the powers that be, a lot of people don't realise that the Japanese dropped more bombs on Darwin that day than they dropped on Pearl Habour. My 90 year old mum tells me that on that day the air raid sirens went off here in Brisbane and she was sent home from her work after being told it was just a drill, enjoyed the rest of day with a swim and a icecream at the beach at Shorncliffe, she and everybody else had no idea until much later.
Wayne.

LEST WE FORGET.

Thanks mate, my folks weren't in Darwin during the bombing and i haven't bumped into any old diggers or civilians that lived or were stationed here, but i do remember when i was a kid in the 70's living in an old house that my parents owned and it went through the bombing and suffered some bomb damage. We found this out after my dad found some shrapnel in one of the fibro walls while he was doing some minor repairs to the house. He confirmed through the army that it more than likely came from Jap bombs.

Tom

 

[waynepoo]

Gday Tom,
I am lucky that my mum is still with us and she still is sharp as a tack for 90, she hasn't forgotten a thing about the war years and is a great source of info of that era, I grow up listening to stories from her and my Dad and Grandfather, guess that's what started my interest in all things Military and lead to this hobby of ours. Have posted a couple of pics of some Darwin homes that needed a bit of a touch up after the raid, might be your old place, Hey? :wink2::rolleyes2:^&grin
Wayne.

 

[Mitch]

Jack...

Funnily enough I see the 15th september (victory day) as the beginning of phase two whereby the germans throw all of their bombers into heavy night attacks. Its also not widely realised that we continued to be bombed conventionally by bombers until january 1944. Through that time, and beyond we had V1's and, then V2's to deal with. five years nearly of bombing on different scales.

I think in relation to the other part of the post, death and injury were a common feature to everyday life for a considerable period, for many civillians. I read that it really was a trusim that an englishmans home is his castle. Your comments just back that statement up. I suppose we can deal with the death of loved ones and friends and, fall back on the comnfort ofg our surroundings but, lose that and, everything really does seem to fall apart.
Mitch

Mitch

Your use of the word prolonged is a good reminder that the Brits were bombed for years. It would be easy to think that September 15 1940 meant Britain was saved from aerial bombardment, yet it went on and on. When the end was in sight they then had the V-1s and V-2s!

I have a book on the shelf at home about combat stress - written by a doctor so it can get a bit heavy - and he made the now familiar point about the mistaken view that civilian morale would crumble. He also made the interesting observation that the destruction of one's home could in some instances be more traumatic than the death of friends. It apparently awakened something akin to a primal instinct.

Regards

Jack

 

[TomNT]

Gday Tom,
I am lucky that my mum is still with us and she still is sharp as a tack for 90, she hasn't forgotten a thing about the war years and is a great source of info of that era, I grow up listening to stories from her and my Dad and Grandfather, guess that's what started my interest in all things Military and lead to this hobby of ours. Have posted a couple of pics of some Darwin homes that needed a bit of a touch up after the raid, might be your old place, Hey? :wink2::rolleyes2:^&grin
Wayne.

Thanks for the pic's mate but nup, none of those houses resembled the old rickety joint that i grew up in! The old house is no longer standing as it burnt down in the 80's from an electrical fault. We had moved out many years before but it was a shame as the house not only survived WW2, but also cyclone Tracy which wiped out much of Darwin in 1974.

Tom

 

[wayne556517]

Thanks for the pic's mate but nup, none of those houses resembled the old rickety joint that i grew up in! The old house is no longer standing as it burnt down in the 80's from an electrical fault. We had moved out many years before but it was a shame as the house not only survived WW2, but also cyclone Tracy which wiped out much of Darwin in 1974.

Tom

WOW that must of been a well built house mate.

 

[waynepoo]

I reckon.
Wayne.

 

[TomNT]

WOW that must of been a well built house mate.

Yeah mate, i remember hiding under the kitchen table during the blow and hearing the wind howling outside. The house was relatively undamaged after the cyclone except for a few missing sheets of corrugated iron off the roof. The house location probably saved it as we lived out in the scrub about 20 clicks from Darwin and the wind wasn't as fierce as it was in the Darwin CBD and suburbs. My old man purchased the house in 1970 and got it moved to the block where we lived.

Tom

 

[Louis Badolato]

Jack...

Funnily enough I see the 15th september (victory day) as the beginning of phase two whereby the germans throw all of their bombers into heavy night attacks. Its also not widely realised that we continued to be bombed conventionally by bombers until january 1944. Through that time, and beyond we had V1's and, then V2's to deal with. five years nearly of bombing on different scales.

I think in relation to the other part of the post, death and injury were a common feature to everyday life for a considerable period, for many civillians. I read that it really was a trusim that an englishmans home is his castle. Your comments just back that statement up. I suppose we can deal with the death of loved ones and friends and, fall back on the comnfort ofg our surroundings but, lose that and, everything really does seem to fall apart.
Mitch

For once Mitch, we are completely in agreement. The courage and fortutude of the British public during the Blitz, and the aftermath of the Blitz right up through the end of the war is a testiment to strength of the human spirit. I wrote a historical fiction/alternate history novel about WWII, and here is a little bit of dialogue about the main character's feelings about the British public during WWII:

London. It was just like home, only the food stunk, everybody talked funny and there was always a miserable bone chilling fog. The most striking thing about London during the war was the spirit of the people. While the worst of the bombing had ended by May, 1941, what the Londoner’s called “nuisance raids” continued. Members of the Home Guard, the Air Raid Precautions Service, and the Auxiliary Fire Service cleaned the rubble, rescued the wounded, and buried the dead after each raid. Hell, even boy scouts did their part, guiding fire engines to where they were most needed. The locals called them the “Blitz Scouts.” Despite all this, the Londoners got up every morning and went about their business as if nothing had happened. New Yorkers are tough as nails, but we’ve got nothing on these guys.

 

[Mitch]

Louis...

That should shake the foundations of the forum for a while!!! I am fortunate to have had family members who fought and, were involved in that period and, to have spoken to literally hundereds of veterans and civillians. the germans could have bombed us every night or day for the whole war and, they would never have broken our spirit or resolve to beat them.
Mitch

 

[Louis Badolato]

Louis...

That should shake the foundations of the forum for a while!!! I am fortunate to have had family members who fought and, were involved in that period and, to have spoken to literally hundereds of veterans and civillians. the germans could have bombed us every night or day for the whole war and, they would never have broken our spirit or resolve to beat them.
Mitch

Again, I wholeheartedly agree with you (must be something in the water today . . . ^&grin). My Uncle Leo, who served in the U.S. Navy in WWII (he participated in Operation Overlord on a rocket boat) brought home my Aunt Margaret, a war bride born in Liverpool, who participated in the British War effort, and was present for a good part of the bombing, as was my Uncle Leo on one occasion. She was my favorite Aunt, and her spirit and good humor will for me always exemplify the wonderful spirit of the British public during those dark days.

 

[Mitch]

Louis...

scousers rather like Geordies have a very dry and unique type of humour. My Uncle Tommy (quite apt) was from Liverpool and, he was the funniest man I met. He must have been a real asset to have in battle
Mitch

Again, I wholeheartedly agree with you (must be something in the water today . . . ^&grin). My Uncle Leo, who served in the U.S. Navy in WWII (he participated in Operation Overlord on a rocket boat) brought home my Aunt Margaret, a war bride born in Liverpool, who participated in the British War effort, and was present for a good part of the bombing, as was my Uncle Leo on one occasion. She was my favorite Aunt, and her spirit and good humor will for me always exemplify the wonderful spirit of the British public during those dark days.

 

[Jack]

Jack...

Funnily enough I see the 15th september (victory day) as the beginning of phase two whereby the germans throw all of their bombers into heavy night attacks. Its also not widely realised that we continued to be bombed conventionally by bombers until january 1944. Through that time, and beyond we had V1's and, then V2's to deal with. five years nearly of bombing on different scales.

I think in relation to the other part of the post, death and injury were a common feature to everyday life for a considerable period, for many civillians. I read that it really was a trusim that an englishmans home is his castle. Your comments just back that statement up. I suppose we can deal with the death of loved ones and friends and, fall back on the comnfort ofg our surroundings but, lose that and, everything really does seem to fall apart.
Mitch

I know millions of people were doing it tough, but it must have been a double stress to be on active service perhaps thousands of miles away and to know that your family and neighbours were in the firing line as well. I have read letters from RAAF aircrew in England who felt the call of home and family after the entry of Japan into the war.

I know its a movie, but in The Battle of Britain, that scene where the pilot sees the evacuation centre his family were sheltering in destroyed while he is rescuing bombing victims and then having to return to his squadron. Hard to imagine that kind of stress.