HISTORY OF DARWIN
Australia will conclude with its major set-piece, the first of the Japanese bombings of Darwin during World War II, and the subsequent exodus south, known as the 'Adelaide River Stakes'. Luhrmann has made it clear that he hopes to bring to light the events surrounding the bombings of Darwin in his movie. Many people will understandably be unfamiliar with these historical events and hopefully this page will help people learn more.
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'Bombs Over Darwin'
Click here to visit the official
'Bombs Over Darwin' website
Click here to
visit James Baines' official website
This stunning painting entitled 'Bombs Over Darwin' was painted by Australian artist James Baines in 1992, the year which marked the 50th anniversary of the first bombing of Darwin during World War II. As explained above, Baz Luhrmann's Australia will feature one of the Japanese bombings, and the painting gives us an idea of what kind of scenes we are likely to expect in the movie. Click here to view a larger version of the painting, including information on how to buy and view the artwork, and click here to read more about the artist, James Baines. The following description of events was provided by Mr Baines' London representative:
The First Air Raid on Darwin took place on 19th February 1942. On Thursday, 19th February 1942, at 9.58am, 188 Japanese planes launched the first attack on Australian soil by an enemy force. It was the first of 64 Japanese raids over northern Australia. The official death toll from the raids on the first day was 243 service personnel and civilians, and 300 to 400 people wounded. Australia was already officially at war with Japan, having declared war the day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on the 7th December 1941. The force that attacked Darwin consisted of elements of the Pearl Harbour force –the aircraft carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu and supporting vessel, 71 Val dive bombers, 81 Kate high level bombers and 36 Zero fighters. There were 45 vessels moored in Darwin Harbour as the first bombs fell. Eight ships were sunk in the harbour in the first raid. The USS Peary went down stern fist, guns blazing, with a loss of 91 lives, along with the vessels Meigs and Mauna Loa, the trader Zealandia, and the tanker British Motorist. Four more ships were sunk or put out of action, two were sunk north of Bathurst Island and several others damaged, including the hospital ship Manunda. Air raids continued over the Top End, but none were as devastating or as undefended as that of 19th February. The last raid on Darwin took place on the 12th November 1943. 'Bombs Over Darwin' was sponsored by the management of the Hotel Darwin to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first bombing raids over the town and its harbour.
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Recommended Website: Australian Travel
Australian Travel gives a detailed description of what happened during the first Japanese bombing on 19th February 1942, which I have posted below. The description also explains the meaning of the "Adelaide River Stakes". For more information about the Darwin bombings, other history about Darwin, and indeed information on all areas of Australia, I would recommend exploring this excellent website.
"In 1942 the Darwin population was approximately 2000. There was believed to be only 63 women, about 300 military personnel, with the balance made up of civilian workers. On Thursday 19 February, with the temperature hovering at 33 degrees in the shade and the humidity around 90 per cent, Darwin was waking to another hot day. The wet season was tailing off but you could still "cut the air with a knife". There were 44 ships in the harbour and their sailors were already sweating in the heat.
Unexpected Attack from The Air :
The incoming Japanese planes were first spotted by Father John McGrath at the Bathurst Island mission north of Darwin. He radioed Darwin at 9.30am and this message was passed to RAAF command at 9.37am. Strangely no general warning was given and there was no sounding of alarms. At the first sound of planes many were confused, believing they may be Australian or American because they flew in from the south. The first siren wailed at 9.58am as the Japanese began dropping their bombs. The air raid lasted more than an hour, with 188 planes dropping more than 300 bombs and 243 people killed and over 300 wounded.
Darwin was gripped by panic. Training went out the window as the stampede to exit Darwin as quickly as possible began. In what later became known as the "Adelaide River Stakes", people of all colours and creeds walked, ran, rode bikes, horses and drove cars, not stopping until they reached Adelaide River, 115kms south. Deplorable behaviour perhaps, but with no water and electricity, rumours abounding, no communication, and leaders lacking the skill to take charge, wholly understandable.
The following day headlines in eastern states announced 15 killed and 24 dead. General confusion or military propaganda?. We will never know for sure, but with Australia reeling under the fall of Singapore and other "bad" news, the woes of Darwin were quickly off the front pages. Between February 1942 and October 1943, the Japanese launched more than 60 air raids on Darwin. It was not until the Americans sent reinforcements in April 1942, that the Japanese started to endure heavy losses."
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News Article - February 2006
The following article by Bendigo News is of great interest regarding the bombings. 19 February 2006 was the 64th anniversary of the first bombing of Darwin. And Baz Luhrmann gave his first press conference regarding his plans for Australia just three days later. Whether this was coincidence or not remains to be seen, but I believe Luhrmann will have realised the significance of his timing, and it is fantastic that he wants to bring the story of what happened into the international spotlight.
Darwin bombing will never be forgotten
20 February 2006
"Bendigo's veteran community yesterday marked the 64th anniversary of the
bombing of Darwin.
For the men and women who defended Australia against the Japanese forces for
almost two years from February 19, 1942, it was an opportunity to acknowledge a
serious wartime attack largely ignored by the pages of history.
Alex Burgess is president of Bendigo's Darwin Defenders group, and one of about
18 branch members who served protecting the city.
"I don't think people really understand what happened in Darwin," said Mr
Burgess, who was deployed there in June, 1943, and later served in New Britain.
"A lot of the information about the attacks on Darwin was censored and only came
to light 50 years after it happened, so we are still trying to make people aware
of the full story."
More than 200 people learned more about the attack on Saturday at the Darwin
Defenders' memorial service at the Bendigo RSL hall in Pall Mall.
MC Murray Poustie told the gathering, which included many ex-servicemen, that
the Darwin Defenders were "very real Australian heroes" who protected the rest
of Australia by stoically withstanding an intense and prolonged attack by the
Japanese.
Guest speaker Jenny Ellis described her experiences accompanying a group of
veterans to Darwin for the 60th anniversary of the bomb.
Ms Ellis said few people would appreciate the magnitude of the Japanese assault
on Darwin, which saw 64 air raids and more bombs dropped on the city than were
dropped during the much-hyped battle at Pearl Harbour.
"Australians know so little about those who served in Darwin and the Northern
Territory; the dangers faced, the hardships endured, food and ammunition
shortages, lives lost and sacrifices made," she said."
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News Article - February 2001
The following article by The Weekend Australian from back in 2001 explains how the facts surrounding the Darwin bombings need demystification and how Australians should be made more aware about what happened. Baz Luhrmann has indicated this is what he hopes to do by bringing the Darwin bombings into the international spotlight in his film, Australia.
Darwin raids need
to be demystified
Editorial: The Weekend Australian, February 17-18, 2001
The real purpose of Monday’s 49th (sic) anniversary of the Japanese bombing of
Darwin in 1942 should be to expose what really happened on the day World War II
came to Australia. Too many legends and mistruths about the raids have overgrown
historic fact. They need demystification.
We argue strongly that countries like Germany and Japan should teach their
students about what actually happened during the war. Yet we have yet to do the
same. Stories of the Darwin raids have always been characterised by accusations
of cowardice; looting and flight. In effect, many courageous civilians and
troops who remained true to their posts have suffered silently into their old
age, resentful and depressed by the injustice of such misrepresentation.
Certainly, the unexpectedness of the attack and the dire unpreparedness. of
Darwin itself undermined any confidence its defenders might have. harboured. For
many, the only realistic action was to withdraw as rapidly as possible. Indeed,
they had military sanction. But what has never been faced resolutely is not only
the government's confusion.at the time, but its determination to cover up the
facts. Very few Australians, even today, are aware of the tragedy and horror of
the 64 air raids on Darwin, or of the deaths of more than 1000 people, usually
diminished to 243 for public consumption. Compared with Pearl Harbour (sic)
which sustained fewer attacks than Darwin, the reality of what happened has
always been fudged. Americans are fully aware of the Pearl Harbour outrage and
of the unpreparedness of its strategies in spite of warnings. Darwin has strong
similarities, but the students in our schools still seem to be protected from
knowing the full impact of the Darwin raids on Australian policy and thinking.
Many remain under the delusion that only Sydney Harbour experienced raids by
Japanese midget submarines, with minimal damage and loss of life. Few would know
that - in addition to Darwin - Broome, Derby, Port Hedland and Exmouth also
suffered raids. In Broome alone, about 70 people were killed.
It is fitting that the Prime Minister will attend Federation Frontline
celebrations in Darwin on Monday with the 1942 raid as the centrepiece of the
commemoration.
Nonetheless, there now needs to be complete openness about what really took
place - an amalgam of heroism and cowardice, of honest appraisal and official
deceit, Of course, wartime regulations and news blackouts made hiding the truth
easier, but the legends of our exploits in other tragedies such as Gallipoli
have become part of our essential history. It is also time we faced the ultimate
test of our own historic integrity and admitted our less honourable failures. It
is also time to restore an honourable place to those veterans of the raids who
had been left to defend Darwin without adequate resources, and were then so
unfairly vilified.
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Compiled for Baz the Great
Copyright