Someone out there must have some info on 548 & 549 Squadrons, RAF who served in Australia during the second world war.
The pilots were RAF, the groundcrew were RAAF. This is a significant and unique piece of history in the defence of Australia yet info is exremely difficult to find.
My dad was a LAC in both squadrons but he is of little use as he died in 1975!
Someone help!
By: kev35 - 7th October 2002 at 18:09
RE: 548 & 549 squadrons, Spitfires
Patrick.
I’ve had a look at ‘Squadrons of the Royal Air Force’ by James J Halley. It was published in 1980 by Air Britain and the ISBN number is 0 85130 083 9. It contains the following information:
548 Sqdn, was formed at Lawnton, Queensland, on 15 December 1943 as one of three RAF squadrons based in Australia for air defence duties with Spitfires, the Kittyhawks with which the majority of RAAF squadrons were equipped being inadequate for interception missions. The Spitfire VIIIs to equip the squadron did not arrive until April 1944 and it was mid-June before the squadron reached the Darwin area where the main threat of Japanese air activity existed. A sweep over Selaroe Island, 300 miles north of Darwin was carried out on 5 September 1944 and the airstrip at Cape Chater in Timor was attacked on 3 June 1945 but these were the only operations carried out before the Japanese surrender. On 9 October 1945 the squadron was disbanded and its personnel returned to the UK.
549 Sqdn, was formed at Strathpine on 15 December 1943 as a sister unit to 548 and shared it’s activities, the third RAF squadron being 54 which had been in action in the Darwin area since 1942. Its Spitfires arrived in April 1944 and it moved to Darwin with 548 squadron in June. It joined 548 on a sweep on 5 September 1944, and went on its own to Timor on 27 November 1944, but the remainder of its service in Australia was uneventful and it disbanded on 9 October 1945.
Hope this is helpful.
Regards,
kev35
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October 7, 2002 at 11:25 am