Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin

19 Feb 2013

A tribute to honour and remember those who helped defend Darwin, the Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin is commemorated each year on 19 February at the Cenotaph, Bicentennial Park, Darwin and attracts many vetrans who served in Darwin around that time.

On 19 February 1942, World War II was brought to the shores of Australia when the Japanese dropped bombs over Darwin. On this day over 243 people, both armed forces personnel and civilians, lost their lives. Eight ships were sunk and 11 damaged. A section of the wharf was destroyed, killing 22 waterside workers. Over the next 21 months, Darwin, Adelaide River, Katherine and Milingimbi in Arnhem Land were bombed 64 times.

The service begins at 9.30am with the sounding of the WWII air raid siren at 9.58am - the same time it sounded years ago as waves of Japanese bombers flew over the city. A number of regiments, based in Darwin today, re-enact the historic attack to show what it was like the first time that war had come to the Australian mainland.