Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

70th anniversary of bombing of Darwin

Updated at 6:06 am on 18 February 2012

Darwin on Sunday will mark the 70th anniversary of the day World War II came to Australia.

At least 243 people were killed and up to 400 people were wounded when Japanese bombers attacked the town on 19 February, 1942.

Twenty military aircraft were destroyed and eight ships in the harbour were sunk.

More than 260 enemy planes were involved, from land bases and aircraft carriers in the Timor Sea.

The ABC reports intermittent air attacks continued for almost two years. Ultimately about half of Darwin's population fled south.

Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand