The First Japanese Air Raid on Townsville
on 25/26 July 1942

Townsville @ War - Air Defence Systems 1942
and the three Air Raids on Townsville

Two Emily flying boats (W45 and W46) captained by Asai and Mizukura left Rabaul at 4.18 pm on 25 July 1942 and arrived in the Townsville area from the north east at about 11.30pm and circled the city watching the bright lights on the wharves and in the city area.  It took over half an hour before the military presence in Townsville realised there may be problems. The lights went off and four searchlights threaded the sky looking for the two aircraft. They eventually spotted the aircraft, but lost them when they headed out to sea.

The two flying boats returned at 12.40am and dropped 15 of their 250 kg bombs near the Townsville wharves where three vessels were berthed. They were believed to be the SS Bantam, SS Burwah and the HMAS Swan.

Six bombs were seen falling into the sea  about 200 metres from the main jetties.  The two Emilys arrived back in Rabaul at 7.12 am the next day. The military in Townsville signalled 76 Squadron RAAF based at Milne Bay in New Guinea in an attempt to attack the Emilys on their return to Rabaul. Unfortunately their takeoff was delayed by an hour and their planned attack never happened.

Two ships, HMAS Swan and SS Time had a minor collision at about 2.10 am as they exited the harbour in haste.

A small group of prison warders from Stuart Prison were were playing a game of cards at home at the time of the raid. They heard some loud bumps in the distance and felt the ground shake slightly. At the time they had no idea that Townsville had been attacked by the Japanese. They heard about it in the news the next morning. Slit trenches were hurriedly dug in back yards for use during any further alerts. Off-duty warders were instructed to report for duty at the prison should they hear an air raid alert. 

The RAAF Townsville Museum has a translation of a Japanese log book describing this raid as follows:-

NOTE:- Minoru Kamada has advised me that the the translation for
  the 2307 entry above is incorrect. It should read as follows:-

2307 Enemy turns off the lights (Black out)               

The 5th Australian Division War Diary had the following entry:-

Townsville, 26 Jul, 0040 hr  Raid No. 1
6 bombs dropped east side of harbour about 500 yards from jetty. Bombs dropped from height of over 20,000 feet. No damage done. Attack carried out by 3 Serial 43 ??? No counter measures put into operations.

Irving Hamlin of the 208th Anti Aircraft Battalion told me the following story. This may have been in connection with this first bombing raid on Townsville:-

"A Japanese Flying Boat came over one night, no higher than 10-11,000 feet. The radar people picked him up, and eventually had him right over Garbutt Airfield, but the Commanding Officer, Colonel Meyer, forbade the batteries not to fire "For fear of giving away our positions!!!". 

"I saw the bomber that night, trapped like a butterfly in the lights, which suddenly went out."

"The Commanding Officer was immediately relieved of his duties and shipped home the next day, but the event was not forgotten by our Aussie Cobbers who going around with us at Barth's pub."

"We would do the buying, because the Aussie pay of 9 shillings per day did no last too long--not the way they slurped it down!"

Air Raid Wardens from South Townsville reported that one of the bombs in this first Japanese bombing raid on Townsville had not exploded. The 2nd and 3rd sections of a 1 Bomb Disposal Company under Lieutenant William George Solomon Huxley (QX42377), with Sapper Frederick Van Doorn (QX29768), Sapper Mens and Corporal Smith, were sent to investigate the report. The 6 bombs were dropped on the eastern side of the harbour about 200 metres from the main jetties. Sapper Mens was believed to be either Sapper Frederick Richard Mens (QX29106) of 18 Field Company or his brother Sapper Harold Francis Mens (QX22521) of 18 Field Company.

Photo:- AWM Accession No. 150165

Lieutenant William George Solomon Huxley (in middle in white singlet), Sapper Mens, Corporal Smith
and Sapper Frederick Van Doorn looking for an unexploded Japanese bomb

Reports by Axis Radio on the Townsville Bombing Raids

Japanese Air Raids in Australia

Townsville Saved from a 300 aircraft Japanese air raid

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Graham McKenzie-Smith, Ray McNab, Peter Huxley, and Minoru Kamada for their assistance with this web page.

REFERENCE

"The Hidden Chapters, Untold stories of Australians at war in the Pacific"
by Robert Piper

"Townsville raid: bomb disposal" AWM film of 1 Bomb Disposal Company

1 Aust Bomb Disposal Company War Diary AWM

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 22 October 2000

This page last updated 01 July 2022