Katherine to Darwin – Adelaide War Cemetery

Adalaide River War Cemetery Entrance
Adelaide River War Cemetery is less than a kilometre from the township and well worth a visit. Everytime we come here it has an atmosphere of peace and quiet. If you need to take a break from driving and reflect for a while there is no better place than in the parks around this tranquil area.
The war cemetery was created especially for the burial of service personnel who died in this part of Australia. There are 434 war graves here. 
Adelaide River War Graves
On 19 February 1942 Japanese bombs fell on mainland Australia for the first time. The port and city of Darwin suffered two devastating attacks by over 242 Japanese aircraft that day. Most Australians are aware of this raid however I am always amazed that most Australians do not know and seem to never have been told of the extent of the Japanese attacks right across the top of Australia. In fact Over the next twenty months northern Australia was to endure almost a hundred air raids, from Exmouth in the west to Townsville in the east.
Adelaide River War Graves
If you are from Holland and planning a trip to Broome you should visit the Broome museum  which has the accounts and stories of one of the worst attacks on Broome which killed many Dutch families fleeing from the Dutch East Indies.
“a scene of ghastly devastation! Our flying boats all over the place were sending up huge clouds of black smoke. Burning petrol in sinister patches floated all over the sea… All around us there fell a ceaseless stream of tracer bullets. Several of the Dutch Dorniers had been full of women and kids, waiting to take off to … safety.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_raids_on_Australia,_1942%E2%80%9343

On a brighter note we managed to find a Geocache in the park across the Road.
The river was up indicating a wet Christmas here as well!!
Adelaide River in the Wet Season

Adelaide River Rail Bridge in the Wet Season

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