Darwin remembers bombing

February 19, 2009
Territorians paused to remember the 1942 bombing of Darwin on Thursday, but for some the commemorations were marred by a Japanese research vessel docked in the harbour.

At least 243 people were killed and hundreds injured in two Japanese bombing raids on Darwin on February 19, 1942.

Veterans, survivors, dignitaries and the families of victims gathered to lay wreaths at the Darwin Cenotaph on Thursday, marking the first enemy attack on Australian soil 67 years ago.But controversy arose over the presence of the Tokyo University ship Umitaka Maru, docked at Stokes Hill Wharf, just metres from the ceremony.

"A lot of people are very upset about it being there," said Andrew Burford from the Maritime Union."We are concerned about the elderly people who had relations that were killed in the bombing."Mr Burford said he had been inundated with calls from people, outraged that the vessel, which arrived in Darwin on Wednesday to pick up supplies, could be berthed so close to the commemoration ceremony."It should have been put somewhere else in the harbour," he said.Terry O'Conner, from the Darwin Port Corporation, admitted there had been "an oversight" because the harbour was juggling a large number of ships.

"It is unusual to have it on Stokes Hill ... and to have it there on today of all days probably shows a fair degree of insensitivity," he said.As part of the commemoration service on the Esplanade, an air raid siren blared under clear blue skies at 9.58am (CST).

Two F/A-18 Hornets screamed over the cenotaph, while the army used machine guns and howitzers to re-enact anti-aircraft fire.An army bugler played the Last Post, and the hundreds of people gathered by the harbour stopped for a minute's silence.The Northern Territory was hit by at least 64 air raids during World War II, with the last in November 1943, but none was as deadly as the first two.

The first 40-minute raid devastated the town, demolished eight ships including the destroyer USS Peary, with the loss of 91 seamen, and destroyed all but one of the war planes in Darwin.While official figures put the death toll at less than 300, some veterans estimate as many as 1,500 died.

"A lot of people suffered losses, and a lot of people saw the horror of war virtually on their doorstep," said Darwin RSL's Peter Mansell."They say Darwin was worse hit than Pearl Harbour, and it needs to be recognised."

© 2009 AAP
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[Nathan]

Always been interested in the Darwin attacks. Thanks for the reminder. Also makes me think of my favorite fighter group of the war ,the fighting 49th!

[sgt hawk]

I have read, that the first two Japanese air attacks on Darwin were more destructive than the raid on Pearl Harbor. Also, a great deal of cover-up was maintained in order to minimize this destruction to the enemy. The casualty figures are no doubt low.