Japanese air attacks on Darwin Harbour, 19th February 1942

This historical painting is a reinterpretation of the Japanese air raid on Darwin on 19 February 1942. Japanese aircraft fly overhead, while the focus of the painting is the Royal Australian Navy corvette HMAS Katoomba, in dry dock, fighting off the aerial attacks. In 1972, artist Keith Swain, approached the Australian War Memorial with a sketch for the proposed large scale painting. Swain had based the painting on the records, photographs and descriptions of Captain Allan Coursins of HMAS Katoomba. He also sourced photographs and records from the US Navy vessel, USS Peary. The Memorial agreed to commission Swain to complete the painting. To assist him, the Memorial provided photographs to Swain, including images of Australian vessels and aerial shots of Darwin Harbour, as well as topographical maps of the area.