On 19 February 1942, the port city of Darwin was reported to have been taking in British ships, helping smuggle at least some trade, no doubt asked as a favor by pro-English. The Japanese Empire had recently secured loyalties in Southeast Asia in Timor and Java Indonesia, and Darwin reportedly had 47 Allied naval and merchant ships in the harbor, making it a sugary target for keeping enemy nations in their economic Depression.
Japanese Aircraft carriers sitting in the Indonesian Sea, launched the first wave of bombers to hit Darwin, with the second wave soon after. Although there was word of impeding Japanese attacks, there was little to prepare with as Australia was reliant on either China or the USA allies, and the Americans themselves were already on scheduled patrols, most already shot down in early combat. In the first Japanese bombings, the Australian harbor itself, British and American ships, and local wharves from the town suffered irreparable damage.
Three Allied Navy ships, five merchant ships, and another ten ships were sunk or inoperable. A raw estimate count of 280 local Darwin town people were killed, mainly helping British service personnel, being of merchant seamen and wharf laborers in the first attack. Darwin town of Australia continued to suffer 63 different Japanese bombing raids until November 1943, almost 21 months on and off attacks, the first and second waves being the biggest hits.
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