Frontline Australia
On the 19th of February 1942 an event occurred which changed Australia forever. Australia was bombed by enemy forces at Darwin.
The official government death toll was more than 240 with hundreds of other casualties. Many more died and were injured in subsequent attacks on Northern Australia over the following 21 months. It was a defining moment in Australia’s history, one which highlighted the tenacity of those living in Darwin and the Australian spirit.
The events of 19 February 1942 were as shocking and calculated as the attack on Pearl Harbour just weeks before. It brought the war home to a country previously untouched by foreign conflict.
70 years on, we remember
The City of Darwin, in partnership with the NT Government and the Department of Veterans' Affairs marked the 70th Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin in 2012 with a special commemoration. A two week commemorative program of events recognised the people who fought to defend our northern border, the men, women and children who were forced to evacuate and those who lived through the nightmare.
Rebuilding Darwin took courage and commitment and helped shape our city. Remembering honours that commitment. The program celebrated the lives of those lost in the series of attacks across the north and ensured these events are remembered by a new generation of Australians.
Every year, survivors and their families come together in Darwin to remember. The City of Darwin will commemorate each anniversary of the first bombing raid, enabling the older generation to pass the baton of remembrance on to younger Australians to ensure our nation never forgets the horrors of war and the value of peace.
19 February is now a national day of observance, Bombing of Darwin Day.
