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This week marks 75 years since the last raid on Darwin by the Japanese during World War II. It turned out to be a defining moment for Spitfire pilot Jack Smithson. In the dark before dawn on 12 November 1943, nine enemy aircraft struck Darwin, causing minor damage across the town. Smithson found, chased and shot down two, achieving the only 'double night victory' in the defence of Northern Australia. For that feat he was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and went on to fly for Qantas after the war.



Published: 18 November 2018


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forgotten territory

(2016-2019)

Forgotten Territory was a weekly photo column of historic images in the Northern Territory News which I curated from 2016 until 2019 supported by the collections of the Northern Territory Library and other cultural institutions around Australia, as well as local history Facebook groups. 

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Click on the images to read the story behind the image.

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Warning: May contain images of people who have died.

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