70 years on...bombing of Darwin

[AMTG]

With the 70 th anniversary of the fall of Singapore, as mentioned by Sandgroper....feb 19 is the anniversary of the bombing of Darwin.

The same carrier group that bombed pearl harbour bombed Darwin on Feb 19 1942... This began a campaign of bombing that continued thru to 1943... There were over 200 raids on Darwin and the surrounding areas....raids were also sent against Broome and a mini sub raid in Sydney harbour.

Many lives were lost, Darwin was almost wiped off the map.....the casualties are buried at the Adelaide river war cemetery, the largest cemetery of its kind in Australia, including the family of and post master general of Darwin....during th first raid he took shelter with his family in a slit trench at the back of the post office, however it took a direct hit from a bomb and all were killed. The Northern Territory parliament house occupies the spot now, but inlaid into the floor is a marker the marks the actual spot....Alongveith the shrapnel riddled Australian flag that once flew from the post office roof....the only Austrslian flag to be damaged by enemy action on Australian soil

Lest we forget

Bombing of Darwin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Peary_(DD-226)

[Wagriff]

Not to worry...they were avenged just a few months later when the 4 carriers responsible were sent to the bottom in the Battle of Midway!