Japanese air raids on Australia

Although the main defence was provided by RAAF and Allied fighters, a number of Australian Army anti-aircraft batteries in northern Australia also defended against Japanese air raids.

A raid conducted by 54 land-based army bombers later the same day inflicted further damage on the town and RAAF Base Darwin and resulted in the destruction of 20 military aircraft.

[4] Japanese naval flying boats conducted four small air raids on the north Queensland city of Townsville and the town of Mossman in late July 1942.

The third raid on Townsville occurred in the early hours of 29 July when a single flying boat again attacked the city, dropping seven bombs into the sea and an eighth which fell on an agricultural research station at Oonoonba, damaging a coconut plantation.

The fourth raid on north Queensland occurred on the night of 31 July when a single flying boat dropped a bomb which exploded near a house outside of Mossman, injuring a child.

An Australian gun camera photograph of two Japanese Mitsubishi G4M2 "Betty" medium bombers of 753rd Air Group during a raid on Darwin in June 1943.
"Fighter Guide Map No. 1B, Darwin Area", March 1944. Produced for air defence purposes by the Royal Australian Air Force. The map includes many of the air fields which were targeted by Japanese aircraft.
The explosion of the MV Neptuna , hit during the first Japanese air raid on Darwin. In the foreground is HMAS Deloraine , which escaped damage.
Two Australian soldiers searching for fragments of a bomb dropped during the third raid on Townsville.
Two Australian Supermarine Spitfire fighters taking off from Darwin to intercept Japanese raiders in March 1943
HMAS Maroubra sinking after being attacked off Millingimbi on 10 May 1943