The Bombing of Darwin

How is it that we never learned in school that Darwin was bombed over 60 times in WWII??!! Today we visited an exhibition on Stokes Hill Wharf that brilliantly described the events of 19th February 1942 when Darwin was devastated by two Japanese bombing raids. Through very clever virtual reality and holograms we experienced just what it was like on that day. It was so realistic that one poor little girl started crying as the bombs exploded. Over 235 people - allied personnel & civilians - died, with more than 300 injured. 10 weeks earlier the same Japanese bombers had attacked Pearl Harbour, and 4 days earlier, Singapore. Their purpose for bombing Darwin - to keep the Australian troops in Australia and out of the fight for the Pacific.

Now, we’ve seen the film ‘Australia’ (yes, that’s the one with Hugh and Nicole) but I thought they were taking some artistic licence with the facts. Not so, it would seem.

With virtual reality headsets on, we spent a very realistic 8 minutes experiencing the war from the first bombs to the shooting down of “Mac” in one of the ten US Kitty Hawks (that’s how many planes were in the air to defend us!) to the final explosion of Neptuna at the Darwin wharf that rained down hot metal and shrapnel over the harbour. Treading water in that harbour was Etheridge Grant (US Commander of the “Willie B”) who had been trying to get back to his ship. His story was told through a hologram ‘movie’ which was amazing.

With Britain engaged in defending Singapore and fighting in Europe, it was the US who came to our aid. Darwin was, & still is, important to them as a strategic base for the south-east Pacific. In fact, we’ve been able to sit in our comfy camping chairs at the campervan and have our very own personal air show. The US Marines are here at the moment for some exercises, along with six of their F-15C fighter jets. They were buzzing around us for a couple of hours this morning. Very exciting when it’s peacetime!!

Following the bombing of Darwin, most people were moved to Adelaide River or Alice Springs. As you come in along the Stuart Highway to Darwin you pass a number of WWII airstrips alongside the road which were created after the RAAF base was destroyed and activity moved inland to try to limit any further damage.

Poor Darwin - destroyed by bombs in 1942 & flattened by Cyclone Tracey on Christmas Eve 1975.Baca selengkapnya