Japanese bombing raids on Wyndham, WA on 3 March 1942

JAPANESE BOMBING RAIDS ON WYNDHAM, WA
ON 3 MARCH 1942

Japanese aircraft carried out bombing raids on the Wyndham meatworks and Wyndham airfield in Western Australia on 3 March 1942.

A De Havilland DH-84 Dragon was attacked while landing at Wyndham airfield by a flight of Japanese Zeros during the first enemy air raid on the town on 3 March 1942. The crew and passengers abandoned the Dragon which trundled along the runway on fire. It stopped at the end of the runway where it burnt itself out. A group of nine "Betty" bombers then bombed the Wyndham airfield leaving a number of large mud holes in the runway.

One of the passengers on the Dragon was Snow Bradshaw, a RAAF Kana Operator who had been evacuated from the Darwin Intercept station following the major Japanese air raids on Darwin on 19 February 1942. Snow Bradshaw belonged to a special intelligence group attached to the RAAF involved in the interception of Japanese Naval and military traffic.

Note:- Another source indicated that this aircraft was a De Havilland Dragon Rapide. Can anyone please confirm the serial Number of the aircraft?

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Howard Young for his assistance with this home page.

REFERENCE BOOKS

"The Eavesdroppers - The best kept secret of World War 2"
by Jack Bleakley

"The Koolama Story"
by Bill Loane.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products