
Being over 300 kilometres inland was not enough to save the town of Katherine from Japanese bombing during World War II. This week, 75 years ago, nine Mitsubishi G4M1 Betty bombers took off from Koepang in the occupied Netherland East Indies. At 12.20pm they appeared above Katherine, circling the town looking for strategic targets like the airfield. After disappearing for a bit, they returned about 15 minutes later and dropped their bombs. An Aboriginal man, Dodger Kodjalwal was sheltering behind a rock when he was killed and at least two other people were injured. In this photo, Jack Corbell, Post Master General linesman stands in a bomb crater left by one of 90 bombs dropped on Katherine that day during the furthest inland attack during the war.
Published: 19 March 2017
Picture: Katherine Historical Society
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