The Bombing of Darwin: The Diary of Tom Taylor, Darwin, 1942

My Australian Story #10

by Alan Tucker

It only took a moment. It was a moment that Tom would always remember - that morning of 19 February 1942, when everything changed...

...changed from peace to war.

When fourteen-year-old Tom Taylor moves to Darwin with his family, he hardly guesses that tragedy will soon change his life forever.

Although Tom helps to dig slit trenches, and though the Japanese edge closer through Malaysia and Singapore, the war seems so far away.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Young Adult, Diary, Middle Grade, World War II, Australia

199 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Reviews

[Sally906 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many Australians were unaware that Darwin was extensively bombed by the Japanese. 242 aircraft in two waves bombed Darwin in February 1942. Overall there were a total of 100 raids over the next year.

This looks at the first raid through the eyes of a 14 year old boy.

While he wrote the facts - I didn’t get much insight into Tom himself. Having said that - this is aimed at Middle School, so wasn’t the target audience. I do recommend that kids from this age group, especially Aussie kids, read this.

Interesting fact - there were more planes used at the Darwin bombing than at Pearl harbour two months earlier - but the size of the bombs dropped at Darwin were less than Pearl Harbour. The raids were launched from the same carrier though.

[Nate Rawdon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book having only recently moved to Australia, with the novel offering me an accurate insight on Australia's time during wartime. I enjoyed the writing style featured in the novel, as it allowed you to properly connect with the emotions of those featured. The story-line was at time dull compared to other parts of the novel, though this was acceptable in that it was a diary. Though I am unlikely to read it again, it allowed me an insight into this period of Australian history that I was not previously aware of.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to the 'My Australian Stories' series, this short book from the 'My Story' series was a great book for anyone who loves history, and especially our Australian history. It's a quick read but very interesting and full of facts I never knew, with supporting historical notes at the end. Told in the form of a diary, condensed over less than a year, you fall in love with the characters and get an insight into life during one of Australia's critical events. Makes you realise how lucky we are and how close things came to being very different. And to treasure what we do have.

[old account (rl) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Bombing of Darwin was an interesting book that offered a fresh insight into the mind of fourteen-year-old Tom Taylor who moved to Darwin with his parents at the end of 1941, two years into the Second World War. It managed to subtly blend many historical references into the plot and was overly very informative.

Why the low rating then? Well, for starters, this book is suited for a much younger age group. I can normally read middle grade novels and still enjoy them despite my older age, but this book was rather... childish? Most certainly targeted at a much naiver audience anyway. Tom wasn't immature by any means but the writing was obviously dumbed down a notch and there were parts that Tom skipped writing about (this is written as his journal) because they were too "inappropriate". Things such as the stories and jokes the soldiers told him while they were on the way to Darwin and what his father said about this of that - its implied some swearing was involved so he couldn't possibly write that down! This didn't accomplish anything but make me feel stupid and immature - too young to know what was happening even if Tom was younger than me.

Another problem that I had, and what disappointed me most of all, was that the actual bombing of Darwin was completely glazed over. There was one diary entry about it. One. That was it. Now as a book that is literally named "The Bombing of Darwin", there needed to be a lot more time and effort spent on the actual bombing. It was all leading up to that point... and it just collapsed. Not good.

What I did enjoy about this was the how engrained all the references to the war and the times was. It was very realistic and it really hit home to me that this was my country that this was all happening to. It was happening to my people, my great-grandparents were alive and lived through this - which is scary to say the least! Maybe it doesn't seem a big deal to people who live in countries that have seen a lot of wars like in Europe and Africa, but Australians haven't seen much war on our home ground. In fact, this was the worst and biggest attack in our history! I loved that Alan Tucker was able to drive that point home and it really made me appreciate the book more.

To end, while this wasn't really bad it wasn't anything to praise. It is by no means the worst school novel I have ever read but I won't be picking it up again. I would recommend it to upper primary students looking for a fun introduction into the subject but no one else really. Rather boring and dull, nothing more to say add - accept that I want to add a special thanks to all the amazing soldiers that protect our wonderful country, your sacrifices - whether your life or your mind; you husband, your brother, your sister, your child - it is appreciated beyond anything else. RIP to all the brave people's lives that were taken in the name of Australia. May you all rest in peace.

[Sena Koga · Rating 2 out of 5]

Less than expected.
I am Japanese and I wanted to read the Australian point of view toward what we did in World War 2.
But his diary is mainly made up from fact, what he saw, and what he heard, and it rarely talks about his internal emotion.

Also this diary ends in 26th April of 1942, and didn't mentioned about after that. Really short term.

Although, this book shows exact event from people's perspective and it also gave me many little pieces of information in everyday diary, and it can be connect to the deeper research.

I found this book in my school's library. Flat display using a book shelf, as world war 2 corner. I guess one of the school librarian choose it. Easy book, I could finish in four days. I think this rate can be change depends on age of reader. Even I rated as two stars, I might recommend it to junior high school student to read if they have some interests to World War 2.

I am really glad about the setting that boy move to Darwin from Adelaide, because these are the only cities I have ever been in Australia, and it helped my imagination.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing!
It really taught me a lot more about Australian history and what really happened and what life was like in Australia during WWII. This book was really sad when the bombing of Darwin happened, but that was life and it happened and I found this super interesting-the evacuation journeys and what happened and how they got off trains-meeting up with family at the station and what went on in Darwin during the war. Definitely read this book because it is amazing and a touching story of a young boy, living during The Bombing of Darwin in WWII!!!! :)

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book of the series not as quite thrilling as the others. I have no memory of being taught about the bombing of Darwin, so I felt like I didn't learn as much as I could have. The storyline was perfect though for an older child/early teen reader, but as an adult going into teaching I felt like it lacked history.

[Tom Watson]

This is a ... Strange and long book

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good easy to digest history of this period written through the eyes of Tom Taylor in diary form. I learnt quite a bit

[Cheryl Deville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great perspective of Darwin during the Bombing through a young boys eyes.

[Karen Holliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

i hve read the book at school but i want to read it on here but it will not let me so it sucks

[TC · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it. i had used many of the facts for school assignments

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great children's book. Isak loved it!

[Sammy McGregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a child and it stayed with me. At the time I thought it was a true story and a real diary, a bit like Anne Frank. Returning as an adult is still just as interesting even with it being historical fiction.

There is enough truth to the characters and what they deal with that they could be real! I'm so glad I could find another copy to read Tom's story again.

[Thomas.V · Rating 2 out of 5]

my parents made me read it and i was fine with that because it was good and fast with lots of drama until about half way when it got slow and boring but if you like slow historical books then you should read it if you get the chance.

[Kingston Strickland · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like war books this is for you, i personally loved this book because i enjoy reading about war. It was a very well told story about the darwin bombings and what it was like to be in those times. would reccomend.

[Jane Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book. I found it very interesting. The only thing is that Tom's mother dies during the bombing.