SUNDAY marked the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin.
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The bombing was the first time an enemy attack had been launched against Australia on Australian soil.
Nine hundred people were killed in the bombing and hundreds more injured.
A commemoration service was held Bendigo District RSL on Sunday morning with more than 100 people attending the ceremony.
Darwin Defenders Bendigo Committee secretary Nicole Cordy’s grandfather was a Darwin Defender.
She helped organise the service, which was close to her heart.
“It was never really spoken of because the official records were sealed until 1995,” she said.
“I think there was a sense that people didn’t expect it. The soldiers were extremely brave and courageous to (defend) like they did.
“Nobody expected that they would have to fight on Australian soil.”
Veteran Bendigo soldiers Bernie Lenaghan, Norm Smart and Gordon Ellis (now from Barham) attended the services.
Bendigo veteran Bill Hosking attended the service in Darwin.
Elmore RSL secretary and treasurer Fred Wawrzik was the guest speaker at Sunday’s services.
He recounted some of the reports that came back from soldiers.
“I was appalled at how soldiers (who were there) were treated for 50 years. They were considered people who had stayed at home,” Mr Wawrzik said.
“That was until files were opened and what had gone on.
“People couldn't believe the stories the diggers were telling, they weren't recognised for war service, it was the Americans on the air bases that actually knew about it.”
Japanese planes dropped 683 bombs on Darwin compared to the 271 bombs and torpedoes that hit Pearl Harbor and killed more than 2000 people.
The Darwin bombing saw eight ships sunk and 23 aircraft shot down or destroyed on the ground.
“The records were sealed so the public wouldn’t know how close the country had come to being invaded or overrun,” Mr Wawrzik said.
“People had this mentality of the war being able to happen again.
“When people learn about what went on in the bombing of Darwin, the reaction is, ‘I didn't know that. It must have been horrific’.”