▁total ▁of ▁ 4 4 1 ▁plan es . ▁ ▁Bomb ing ▁of ▁Dar win ▁ ▁The ▁Bomb ing ▁of ▁Dar win ▁on ▁ 1 9   F ebru ary ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁single ▁attack ▁ever ▁mounted ▁by ▁a ▁foreign ▁power ▁on ▁Australia . ▁On ▁that ▁day , ▁ 2 4 2 ▁Japanese ▁aircraft , ▁in ▁two ▁separate ▁ra ids , ▁attacked ▁the ▁town , ▁ships ▁in ▁Dar win ' s ▁har bour ▁and ▁the ▁town ' s ▁two ▁air fields ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁Al lies ▁from ▁using ▁them ▁as ▁bases ▁to ▁contest ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Tim or ▁and ▁Java ▁The ▁town ▁was ▁only ▁light ly ▁def ended ▁and ▁the ▁Japanese ▁inf lic ted ▁heavy ▁losses ▁upon ▁the ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁at ▁little ▁cost ▁to ▁themselves . ▁The ▁urban ▁areas ▁of ▁Dar win ▁also ▁suffered ▁some ▁damage ▁from ▁the ▁ra ids ▁and ▁there ▁were ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁civil ian ▁cas ual ties . ▁ ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁Ra id ▁ ▁Between ▁ 3 1 ▁March ▁and ▁ 1 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁the ▁Japanese ▁conducted ▁a ▁naval ▁sortie ▁against ▁Al lied ▁naval ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean . ▁The ▁Fast ▁Car rier ▁Task ▁Force ▁( K id ō ▁But ai ), ▁consisting ▁of ▁six ▁carri ers ▁commanded ▁by ▁Admir al ▁Ch ū ichi ▁Nag um o , ▁inf lic ted ▁heavy ▁losses ▁on ▁the ▁British ▁fleet , ▁with ▁the ▁s inking ▁of ▁ 1 ▁car rier , ▁ 2 ▁cru is ers ,