68th Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin
 

68th Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin
Date: 19 February 2010

Venue: The Cenotaph, Bicentennial Park, The Esplanade

Contact Details: Darwin City Council

Telephone +61 (8) 8930 0684

Fax +61 (8) 8930 0669

Free Entry

The 68th Commemoration Ceremony of The Bombing of Darwin on 19th February, 1942 will take place at the Cenotaph in Bicentennial Park at 9.30am, with the sounding of the WWII air raid siren at 9.58am. This is the same time it sounded when waves of Japanese bombers flew over the city, claiming more than 240 lives and devastating a large part of the city. There were 8 ships 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.

A number of regiments, based in Darwin today, re-enact anti-aircraft ground fire and just before 10am there will be an RAAF low level 'fly by' to signify the historic attack, which is first time that war had come to the Australian mainland. A wreath laying ceremony will take place to honour a nd remember the men and women, military and civilian who came to the defence of Darwin on this most important day in the Northern Territory Calendar.


When: 9.30am

Where: Cenotaph, Bicentennial Park, The Esplanade, Darwin.

Road closures will be minimal - Herbert to Knuckey Streets onto the Esplanade


Their is also a military vehicle display & the East Point Military Museum will be having a open day as well as a historic vehicle display at the old 1940's Qantas Hanger. good week to be in Darwin if interested in Australia's involvement in ww2

Interesting...
 

This sounds like an excellent event, pitty it is sooo far away.
Maybe if we plan to make it for the 2012 70th Commemoration...???

Darwin - so far away??
 

Well - it wasn't so far away for the Japanese on the day they attacked!.

But, at the same time, Darwin was so 'so far away' from mainstream Australia that it took a while for news to reach the est of the country.

And now, it is a mere few hours flight from anywhere in Oz.

My father was stationed in Darwin with the Darwin Mobile Force (he left Darwin a few months before the attack). It took him several days by flying boat from Darwin to Sydney via Qld.

A note for Brent Shevlin - I happen to be reading the first edition of the 'Defence Force Journal' (Nov/Dec 1976), and in it I found an article entitled "A New Amphibious Capability for the Australian Services', written by Commander P J M Shevlin, AM, RAN. The article focussed on the introduction of HMAS Tobruk. Is this person any relation to you??

As you are, or were, a turret Head, the same journal also has an article "Put Your Head in the Sand - Here Comes their Armour." Reviews use of armour from WW2, Yom Kippur War through to our 106 RCL on short-base Rovers, Centurians and the impending intro of the Leopard 1 MBT.

Regards

Bruce Gilbert
Sydney.

it is on the day that it actually happened .
the first bombs dropped during the time the service commences during the time when the fist jap planes flew over :salute:

yes im still a turret head and yes PJ is a uncle
i also have another uncle who is the current base commanding officer of HMAS PENGUIN :thup2:

this is me busted in the media a few days ago as the lead vehicle commander

http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/globa...1201/index.htm :cheers: