When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941, Australia’s focus in the war turned to the Pacific. After the raid on Darwin in February 1942, many felt that as Brisbane was the largest city in Queensland, it would be the next to experience a large-scale raid by the Japanese.

The city was already designated as a staging point, with a significant US build-up underway, and the best port facilities in Queensland. Between March and July 1942 the Japanese conducted regular reconnaissance missions over Cairns and Townsville using long range twin-engine aircraft. Townsville was actually bombed three times in late July and the town of Mossman once. While the Japanese were able to penetrate Australia’s defences on these occasions, the May Battle of the Coral Sea prevented Japan from completing its objective of achieving large scale carrier based raids along the Queensland coast.