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RAF squadrons in Australia?

I saw a reference some time back when my computer was bung so didn’t post this question then, but it had a photo of Spitfires which it said were an RAF squadron based in Australia in WWII.

Would this have been a typo and meant RAAF? Or did the RAF have squadrons based in Aussie? Maybe pulled back from their invaded territories?

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By: Dave Homewood - 15th September 2005 at 22:14

Thanks, all news to me. So, which books are around on these squadrons and their Pacific activiities?

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By: Ross_McNeill - 15th September 2005 at 16:22

Quite a few Dave,

I’m suprised that you have not read of No.618 Sqn HighBall Mossies at Melbourne and Narrowmine.

Darwin. 54 Sqn Spits
Darwin Civil. 548 Sqn Spits, 549 Sqn Spits

Cocos Islands. 95 Sqn Liberators, 136 Sqn Spits, 203 Sqn Liberators, 205 Sqn Liberators, 205 Sqn Catalinas, 321 Sqn Catalinas, 356 Sqn Liberators, 684 Sqn Mosquito/Beaufighters

Port Blair. 139 Sqn Hudsons, 28 Sqn Lysanders

Just a selection off the top of my head. Possibly your reading material is not wide enough 🙂

Regards
Ross

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By: mark_pilkington - 15th September 2005 at 16:06

Dave,

I dont have the sqn numbers near by but there were:

Transport Sqn moved from Burma to Australia operating C-47’s

Anti Shipping Sqn operating modified Mosquitos with a version of the dambusting bomb for use of ships.

these both in preparation for the Tiger Force? against Japan.

perhaps a remanent of an RAF Sqn also came down with Buffallo’s from Malaysia/Signapore but I dont think they remained operational as an RAF Sqn with the A/c transfering to the RAAF?

Then there were the FAA Sqns from the Royal Navy.

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By: Dave Homewood - 15th September 2005 at 14:37

That must have been it. Thanks Mark.

Did any other RAF squadrons take part in the Pacific campaign? I don’t mean in India and Burma, and I refer to post-collapse of Singapore and Malaya region. Were any RAF squadrons or units used in the Solomons or PNG campaigns, etc? I have never read of any.

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By: Mark12 - 15th September 2005 at 14:03

54 Squadron RAF.

DL Codes.

Arrived September 1942 for the defence of Darwin.

Mark

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