Historian Mat McLachlan on the Bombing of Darwin, 22 February 2026Mat McLachlan Historian
Bombing of Darwin (19 February 1942)
On 19 February 1942, mainland Australia came under attack by the Japanese. The first air raid on Darwin involved over 260 enemy aircraft. They bombed military bases, the town and the harbour sinking several ships including a US destroyer. Hundreds of people were killed and wounded.
During this air attack, an Australian soldier shot down a Japanese Zero (fighter plane), and the plane crash landed on Melville Island where the pilot was the first Japanese soldier taken Prisoner of War by Australia. He was incarcerated in Cowra NSW, and was instrumental in the Cowra Prisoner of War Breakout that occurred in August 1944.
The Bombing of Darwin on 19 February 1942 was the first of 64 air raids on Darwin, the last occurring on 12 November 1943.
As well as the air attacks on Darwin, throughout 1942 and 1943 there were additional air attacks on northern Australia, including Katherine in the Northern Territory, Townsville and Mossman in Queensland, Horn Island in the Torres Strait and Wyndham, Port Hedland and Derby in Western Australia. In total, there were 97 air attacks on northern Australia.
The first air attack on Darwin was by far the largest. Most raids were carried out with forces of 30 to 40 fighters and bombers, with smaller operations by groups of under a dozen Japanese aircraft.
