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Darwin Bombing - Civilians Plaque 4 / May 2013
Darwin Bombing - Civilians Plaque 4 / May 2013

Photographs supplied by Peter F Williams

The plaque details the hardships faced by Darwin civilians in World War Two during the bombing of Darwin and its aftermath.

During the war the civilian population of Darwin suffered great hardship and dislocation. The Government ordered the evacuation of around 1,500 women and children before the first Japanese air raid. Most Aborigines were relocated to distant settlements or to Delissaville (Belyuen), across Darwin harbour. Some civilians remained to maintain essential services and Darwin effectively became a military base.

By April 1942, there were over 14,000 military personnel in the Territory, peaking at 64,000 in 1944. Numerous aerial attacks on Darwin and subsequent military appropriation caused irreparable damage to many buildings. Most of Darwin`s houses were lost and Chinatown burnt down in 1943.

Location

Address:The Mall, Smith Street, Darwin, 0800
State:NT
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -12.464654
Long: 130.843251
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Plaque
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:WW2
Actual Event Start Date:03-September-1939
Actual Event End Date:15-August-1945
Designer:Ross J. Bastiaan (Melbourne, VIC)
Artist:Ross J. Bastiaan (Melbourne, VIC)
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au