The Bombing of Katherine was a Japanese air attack on the town of Katherine, Northern Territory, conducted on 22 March 1942. As part of the Japanese air raids on Australia, it marked the southernmost point reached by air raids in the Northern Territory.[1][2]
| Bombing of Katherine | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Japanese air raids on Australia | |||||||
 Off-duty military personnel outside accommodation, Katherine, Northern Territory c. 1942 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Japan |
 Australia | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Tokao Kokutai | Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 9 aircraft bombers | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None reported |
1 killed 1–2 wounded | ||||||
Following the Bombing of Darwin, nine Mitsubishi G4M1 "Betty" bombers of the Imperial Japanese Navy under Tokao Kokutai[3] dropped approximately 90 high-explosive bombs known as "Daisy Cutters" on Katherine's airfield.[2][3]
The raid resulted in one fatality, an Indigenous man named Dodger Kodjalway,[2] and one or two injuries.[3][4]
Wing Commander Shane Smith described the raid's legacy:
While damage to infrastructure was limited and just one life lost, the attack changed Katherine in many ways and it continues to impact people's lives to this day.[2]
References
edit- ↑ "Katherine in WWII". Northern Territory.
- 1 2 3 4 "Remembering the war, 80 years on". Defence News and Events. Department of Defence. March 29, 2022.
- 1 2 3 Dunn, Peter. "Japanese bombing raid on Katherine, NT 22 March 1942". www.ozatwar.com. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ↑ Coulthard-Clark, Chris (2001). The Encyclopedia of Australia's Battles. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. p. 215.
14°26′42″S 132°16′19″E / 14.44500°S 132.27194°E
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