John Cubillo by Amelie Martin

 


John Cubillo (1906-1942)

John Roque Cubillo (b.1906) was one of many recorded fatalities from the Darwin bombing of 1942. He is one of over 234 of Australian citizens who perished in this attack, and their stories make up an integral part of Australian identity and our connection to military History.

Born to Antonio and Magdelena Cubillo, John (Juan) was of Filipino-Larrakia descent, and a part of the Northern territory’s South-Asian population. He was one of ten children; and the fourth-oldest of his family.

In addition to his Filipino heritage, Cubillo was a part of the Larrakia mob, an indigenous man from the area. In 1942, he was working as a wharf labourer, while his five children and wife, Louisa escaped Darwin to safety due to the known threat of Japanese attacks; remaining in Katherine, and eventually Adelaide (South Australia) until the war had ended. Like many other Aboriginal families, they received temporary accommodation at the Adelaide showgrounds during the conflict, and they found shelter in a horse-stall; where many of the animal exhibits are held today. 

 

The bomb hit after Cubillo Helped unload resources from the merchant ship MV Neptuna. As he left on his ‘Smoko’ break with good friend, George Tye, the first bomb hut the Darwin harbour. Prior to the bomb bays on the jet opening, Cubillo and Tye assumed that the planes were sent as American re-enforcements. Tye jumped into the water, but Cubillo remained on the shore as he couldn’t swim. Following the attacks, Tye stated that the last words he heard from his good friend were “See you in the next life, Boys!” showing his somewhat-humorous nature in the admission for the events that Darwin was facing. Cubillos was likely one of the first men killed in the 64 attacks on the Darwin area that extended from February 1942-November 1943.

Not only does Cubillos story inform us of the bravery, resourcefulness, and persistence of many of the Bombing victims and workers, but it demonstrates the valour and good-will of the South-Asian community in such a politically-driven conflict. Filipino-Australian contribution to the Australian armed services in a small community like Darwin is honoured and upheld through his family’s extensive legacy.

 

Two of Juan Cubillos sons, and two of his other siblings children continued the Cubillo family’s connection to the Australian armed forces, with his son, Private 7701 John Lawrence ‘Laurie’ Cubillo being one of the only Filipino-Australians to serve in the Korean War.

Following Louisa Cubillo’s return to Darwin in 1961, work has been done by the family to perverse Cubillos story. As commemoration of the fallen citizens during the bombing, “Cubillo Street” in Wanguri was named after Louisa Cubillo passed in 1971, in honour of her and her husband. This commemoration highlights the acknowledgement of the sacrifices made not just by the workers in Darwin on that day, but the sacrifices and resilience of their family members.

While The history of the battles fought on the Western-European front have been extensively covered and contain massive significance in shaping our rights, freedoms, and lives today, the events that occurred in “our own backyard” tell the importance of Australian remembrance, and acknowledge the true fighting spirit has shaped modern Australia.


Reference List.

www.awm.gov.au. (2019). Australia under attack: A family tragedy | Australian War Memorial. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/underattack/bombed/tragedy [Accessed 3 Apr. 2023].

Herritage on Point 365. (2016). Our Heritage. [online] Available at: https://www.onpoint365.com.au/about-us/our-heritage/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2023].

2012, The bombing of Darwin: 70 years on, dailytelegraph, dailytelegraph, viewed 3 April 2023, <https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/the-bombing-of-darwin-70-years-on/news-story/8af0b441bc63c97f5fa2bedad087bc04>.

Rosenzweig, P. (2018). FILIPINO-AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERYMEN. [online] www.linkedin.com. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/filipino-australian-artillerymen-paul-rosenzweig-oam-jp [Accessed 3 Apr. 2023].

Digger, T. (2017). Thanks Digger - Darwin Streets named after Filipinos... [online] www.facebook.com. Available at: https://m.facebook.com/Thanks.Digger/posts/1315616281810118:0 [Accessed 3 Apr. 2023].

Links to images used

Figure 1

https://m.facebook.com/Thanks.Digger/photos/juan-roque-cubillo-1906-1942killed-on-darwin-wharf-19-february-1942the-cubillo-f/666863263352093/

Figure 2

https://www.onpoint365.com.au/about-us/our-heritage/

 

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