75th Anniversary of Bombing of DarwinPrint Page

Two murals commemorate the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin in World War Two.

The Bombing of Darwin, also known as the Battle of Darwin, on 19 February 1942 was the largest single attack ever mounted by a foreign power on Australia. On that day, 242 Japanese aircraft, in two separate raids, attacked the town, ships in Darwin`s harbour and the town's two airfields in an attempt to prevent the Allies from using them as bases to contest the invasion of Timor and Java during World War Two. 

Darwin was lightly defended relative to the size of the attack, and the Japanese inflicted heavy losses upon Allied forces at little cost to themselves. Some 243 civilians perished in the air attacks on Darwin during World War Two including wharfies and post office staff. For those that survived the initial attacks they would experience being separated through evacuation and they also stepped into vital communications, essential services and other roles. For more than 18 months residents lived in the most difficult circumstances and it was years before the residents could rebuild their town and their lives.

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