Leading Cook Francis (Dick) EmmsPrint Page

The plaque commemorates Leading Cook Francis Bassett (Dick) Emms who was killed in action in the bombing of Darwin in February 1942.

On 19 February 1942, Leading Cook Francis Emms was serving onboard the boom defence vessel HMAS Kara Kara when the Japanese conducted their first air raid on Darwin.  During this raid dozens of Japanese aircraft attacked ships in the harbour, the RAAF airfield and indiscriminately bombed the city.  Eight ships were sunk, dozens of aircraft destroyed and nearly 300 people were killed.  During the attack, Kara Kara was singled out by several Japanese aircraft that commenced strafing the vessel.  Emms manned one the vessels machine guns and returned fire and continued to do so even after he had been seriously wounded.  His mates called to him to take cover, but he stood by his gun as another wave of Japanese zeros and bombers moved in devastating fashion over Darwin.  His constant and accurate fire forced the Japanese aircraft to break off their attack and probably saved the lives of several of his shipmates.

Dick Emms was badly wounded as a result of the attack and despite being transferred to the hospital ship Manunda he died later that day and was buried at sea.  He was subsequently awarded a posthumous Mention in Dispatches “For courage and devotion to duty in HMAS Kara Kara during an enemy air raid on Darwin on 19 February 1942”.  Many of his shipmates believed he should have been awarded the Victoria Cross.

Location

Details

Dedication