In 1940 the Territory received its only all-Indigenous army unit, the Northern Territory Special Reconnaissance Unit.
In 1947 Native Affairs Branch purchased Beswick station, near Mataranka, to provide a ‘good training station for natives.’
9.58am 19 February 1942, first two air raids on Darwin; 243+ people killed, hundreds of other casualties; 8 ships sunk and at least 15 others disabled. These were the most serious of at least 64 air raids on the Top End to 12 November 1943.