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Hello everyone today's facts are about the bombing of Darwin.
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 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.
Japan wanted to destroy our country's northern defences, so it could invade Timor and in the process send Australia a warning. Just before 10 a.m., Japanese forces launched 188 fighter planes from ships in the Timor Sea and headed for Darwin.
Darwin would be bombed a total of 64 times, the last raids occurring in November 1943. None of these subsequent raids would, however, match the ferocity of those on 19 February 1942.
The first two raids killed 235 people with a further 300 to 400 wounded. Thirty aircraft were destroyed, including nine out of the ten flying in defence, nine ships in the harbour and two outside were sunk, and some of the civil and military facilities in Darwin were destroyed.
I didn't know about this sad episode. Hope there will be no more war.
ReplyDeleteWow, I did not know this. So many casualties---how sad.
ReplyDeleteNancy........Not enough people do know
ReplyDeleteMama........Indeed very sad
Dear Jo-Anne, I, too, knew nothing about this. Somehow, the United States education system and news media needs to do a much better job of looking beyond the boundaries of our country and seeing that all the world is covered. Peace.
ReplyDeleteWe just watched a documentary on this on one of our channels. We have a neighbor who is from Australia and served and we used to get together at the place where he would host Australia Day at his place - he told us a lot of your history.
ReplyDeleteI also saw a movie about this - Can't remember what it was called.
All war is sad and cruel, but to hear the details is to really understand the person tragedy of war.
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding to my historical knowledge!
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of this bombing, either! Horrible!
ReplyDeleteNo more war. I wish there would be no more wars at all. :(