1942 (continued)

Feb: Admiral Yamamoto, Japanese hero of Pearl Harbour, recommends landing of Japanese expeditionary force on north coast of Australia. General Yamashita, Japanese hero of Singapore, supports Admiral Yamamoto's recommendation and proposes landing of Division of Japanese troops in Darwin to drive south towards Adelaide and Melbourne. Proposal is vetoed by Emperor Hirohito and War Cabinet in Tokyo. About this time Australian War Cabinet agreed that no additional ground forces should be committed to defence of Australia north of a line from Brisbane to Perth.

21 Feb: RAAF No 32 Squadron formed Port Moresby with Hudsons, Beauforts.
23 Feb: 12 USAF Flying Fortresses (B-17s) from Townsville and two Catalinas from Port Moresby raid Rabaul. This was first involvement of US aircraft in operations against Japanese in New Guinea area.
24 Feb: Third Japanese air raid on Port Moresby by nine high-level bombers protected by Zeros, damages RAAF installations on shore of harbour. This was first daylight raid.
27 Feb: Japanese troops land in Java. Australian Chiefs of Staff decide not to reinforce army garrison at Port Moresby. RAAF HQ NE Area voices concern at morale of personnel in Port Moresby.
28 Feb: Fourth raid on Port Moresby Seven-mile airstrip by 11 bombers. Zero fighters destroy three Catalinas at their moorings in the harbour and damage one. The only serviceable aircraft remaining in Port Moresby—two Catalinas, one Hudson—withdrawn to Australian mainland.
3 Mar: Fifth Japanese air raid on Port Moresby by 15 bombers, 5 Zeros.
10 Mar: British Foreign Secretary, Anthony Eden, protests at Japanese atrocities, which, following those at Hong Kong, had included massacre of Chinese civilians in Singapore and Allied troops and Australian nurses near Banka Island, Sumatra.
Mar: Australian Government recalls AIF 6th and 9th Divisions from Middle East to Australia. US accepts responsibility for operations against Japanese in the Pacific theatre.
5 Mar: Australian Chiefs of Staff assess requirement for defence of Port Moresby as two flying boat reconnaissance squadrons, four fighter squadrons, two dive-bomber squadrons, one torpedo bomber squadron, two heavy bomber squadrons and two transport squadrons. Actual number of aircraft stationed in Port Moresby at this time was nil.

Bureau of Meteorology