Bombing of Darwin

John Morcombe wrote a commemorative article in the Manly Daily on Anzac Day about the Spitfire ace Raymond Thorold-Smith, DFC. Thorold-Smith, born in Manly, who lived on North Steyne and was a standard-bearer for Queenscliff SLSC before the war, flew with the RAAF's No 1 Wing in the defence of Darwin in 1943. Among the photos in the collection of memorabilia assembled by his mate Fred Woodgate and donated to Manly's Local Studies Collection are several rare images of bomb damage in Darwin. These photos would not have been published during the War, as efforts were made to suppress news of the heavy damage sustained by Darwin at the hands of the Japanese. Click on this image to see the Darwin branch of the Bank of New South Wales. Sqn Ldr Thorold-Smith was shot down on 3 March 1943, during the last big raid on the city.