In February 1942, the Second World War came to Australia. The same Japanese fleet that had attacked Pearl Harbor only ten weeks before had set its sights on a new target. The harbour town of Darwin. In two separate attacks on February 19 1942, nearly 250 Japanese aircraft wreaked havoc on the lightly-defended town.
By the time the smoke had cleared, 11 ships lay at the bottom of the harbour. Dozens of buildings had been destroyed and more than 300 people had been killed. It was the largest attack ever mounted on Australia. Historian Mat Mclachlan visits this now bustling tropical city, to explore the places that tell the story of Darwin’s wartime past. Featuring Norm Cramp, Rob Marchant and Steve McIver.
Up Next in World War Two
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Beam Benders
Alongside the use of RADAR in World War Two, a special wing of the RAF was set up to intercept, disrupt and 'bend' radio signals from Germany. Luftwaffe planes from Germany followed these signals in order to drop bombs effectively on their targets. Because of the untold story of the RAF 80 Wing U...
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The Ghost Army of World War Two
The Allied plans for Normandy stretched far beyond the D-Day landings themselves. Alongside the plans for DDay, the Allies created a series of deception plans to trick the Germans as to where the Allies would launch their invasion. This plan included inflatable tanks, jamming their radar systems ...
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The Channel Islands: Guernsey
Dan's on the road again. This time he's in Guernsey, an island rich in history and within sight of the French coast. From the house of the exiled, 19th century French writer Victor Hugo to the extensive, underground, concrete tunnels constructed by the Germans during World War Two, join Dan as he...
