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The bombing of Darwin consisted of two air raids on the 19th of February 1942; it was the first time mainland Australia had been attacked. The raids involved 54 Japanese land-based bombers and 188 attack aircraft. The first attack started at approximately 10 o’clock AM, targeting communication links and lasted for approximately 40 minutes, the second began an hour later, concentrated at the air force base at Parap, lasted another 25 minutes, Australia was severely outnumbered during the raids, leaving Darwin devastated and killing at least 240 people with more than 300 others wounded. During the raids; Australia lost 23 aircraft and 10 ships, Japan losing only 7 aircraft. Luckily Australia had a prior knowledge of the attacks and managed to evacuate around 3000 of the original 5000 people, mostly women and children.
Further attacks on Darwin continued until late 1943, after 64 individual bombings and 33 in other Northern towns of Australia. |