Australian Forces

Burning oil tanks, Darwin Australia 1942

National Archives of Australia

On 19 February 1942, 188 Japanese aircraft headed toward Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, for the first of 64 attacks over 21 months. The Allied death toll on that first morning was about 250 people. Between 300 and 400 were injured. Twenty aircraft, eight ships and most of Darwin’s civilian and military infrastructure were destroyed. Japan lost about 10 aircraft. The Japanese forces had no intention of landing in Australia. In fact, they were about to invade Timor and Java. The raids were designed not only to prevent an Allied counteroffensive, but also to damage Australian morale. This image is of damage to an oil storage site on Stokes Hill, above Darwin harbour during a later raid in 1942. The building is Darwin's Flying Boat Base.