JAPANESE AIR RAID
AT PELL AIRFIELD, NT
ON 21 AUGUST 1943

At 0300 hours on 21 August 1943, the air raid alarm was initiated at Pell airfield in the Northern Territory. Japanese aircraft were sighted heading southwards at about 3:15am. They returned overhead at about 3:30am. One aircraft broke away from the formation and came down towards the airfield. It dropped three anti-personnel bombs and an incendiary. An empty sentry box received superficial damage. There were no casualties. Telephone communications were temporarily cut to the airfield. It was a close call for the men of 4 Repair and Salvage Unit RAAF who were based at Pell airfield at the time.

REFERENCE

"Units of the Royal Australian Air Force - A Concise History"
Volume 7 - Maintenance Units

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"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 16 July 2000

This page last updated 23 February 2020