No. 12 Squadron RAAF
No. 12 Squadron RAAF | ||
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Trainer Wirraway | |
No. 12 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) general purpose, bomber and transport squadron. The squadron was formed in 1939 and saw combat in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II. From 1941 to 1943, it mainly conducted maritime patrols off northern Australia. The squadron was based at Merauke in western New Guinea from November 1943 to July 1944, when it was withdrawn from operations. After being re-equipped, it operated as a heavy bomber unit from February 1945 until the end of the war. The squadron continued in this role until it was redesignated No. 1 Squadron RAAF in February 1948. The squadron was reformed in 1973 to operate transport helicopters but was again disbanded in 1989.
History
World War II
No. 12 Squadron was formed as a general purpose unit at
The squadron experienced considerable changes in 1940 and 1941. During the early months of 1940, its activities were expanded to include gunnery and bombing training and a No. 9 Squadron Supermarine Seagull was attached to the unit to assist with air gunnery practice. On 1 June No. 12 Squadron was split to form RAAF Station Darwin and No. 13 Squadron. As part of this reorganisation the squadron's headquarters became the RAAF Station's headquarters, Eaton, who was by now a Wing Commander, was appointed the commander of the station and all of the Ansons were transferred to No. 13 Squadron;[4] only No. 12 Squadron's 'C' Flight remained with the unit.[3] The squadron continued to conduct anti-submarine and maritime patrols and began a program of exercises with Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army units based at Darwin from July 1940. No. 12 Squadron relocated to the new military airfield in Darwin in April 1941 and reached a strength of 18 Wirraways in May.[5] The squadron increased its flying in the later months of 1941 as war with Japan became increasingly likely.[6]
Following the outbreak of the Pacific War on 8 December 1941 (local time), No. 12 Squadron was dispersed between two air bases; the squadron's 'B' and 'C' flights were transferred to Batchelor Airfield while 'A' flight returned to the civil aerodrome.[7] On 12 December, the unit had a strength of 18 Wirraways but was down to 14 aircraft by mid-February 1942.[8] Two of the aircraft based at Darwin were destroyed on the ground in the devastating first Japanese air raid on Darwin which took place on 19 February 1942. The squadron also lost a considerable portion of its stores when a new hangar was destroyed at the civil aerodrome in this raid.[7] Following the attack, No. 12 Squadron's surviving aircraft dropped supplies to the survivors of sunken ships and conducted patrols of the area around Darwin. It was stationed at Pell Airfield from 15 July – 16 September 1942 while Batchelor was being used by United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) units.[5]
No. 12 Squadron began to be re-equipped with Vultee Vengeance dive bombers from October 1942.[5] The squadron was the first unit in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) to receive these aircraft and their arrival was popular with the squadron's personnel as it was believed that the Vengeances would allow them to play an active part in the war. This did not eventuate, however, and No. 12 Squadron continued its routine program of patrols after all the Vengeances had arrived. The only exception to this was a bombing raid conducted on 18 June 1943 by twelve of the squadron's Vengeances against villages on Selaru in the Tanimbar Islands which were believed to house workers employed by the Japanese to build a new airstrip.[7][9] This was the first attack to be conducted by Vengeances in the SWPA.[10]
In May 1943, No. 12 Squadron was ordered to move to Merauke in western New Guinea, where it would come under the command of No. 72 Wing. The squadron's 270-man strong advance party arrived in Merauke on 8 July but found that no facilities had been constructed for the unit. As a result, its aircraft were stationed at Cooktown, Queensland, where they were used for anti-submarine patrols and the escort of shipping.[11] No. 12 Squadron gradually moved to Merauke between September and November 1943, and continued to be employed mainly in maritime patrols. The squadron's only contact with the Japanese during its period at Merauke took place on 9 October when a Vengeance unsuccessfully attacked a float plane.[12][13]
In July 1944, No. 12 Squadron moved to
In June 1947, No. 12 Squadron's aircrew moved to RAAF Base East Sale to begin conversion training for Avro Lincoln heavy bombers. The squadron continued operating these aircraft until 22 February 1948 when it was redesignated No. 1 Squadron.[12]
Helicopter squadron
No. 12 Squadron was re-formed at Amberley on 3 September 1973 to fly the RAAF's twelve new
Due to the need to reduce defence expenditure, the Australian government decided to retire the Chinook helicopters in 1989. Following the retirement of the Chinooks on 30 June 1989, No. 12 Squadron was disbanded on 25 August 1989.[21] While it was hoped that the Army's new S-70A Blackhawk helicopters could fulfill some of the Chinook's roles, this was not successful.[22] As a result, four of the ex-RAAF CH-47Cs were upgraded to CH-47D standard and assigned to 'C' Squadron of the Army's 5th Aviation Regiment from 1995.[23]
See also
References
Notes
- ^ RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 33
- ^ RAAF Historical Section (1995), pp. 33–34
- ^ a b Eather (1995), p. 47
- ^ a b c RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 34
- ^ a b c RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 35
- ^ Eather (1995), pp. 47–48
- ^ a b c d e Eather (1995), p. 48
- ^ Gillison (1962), pp. 238, 425
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 58–59
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 58
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 114–115
- ^ a b c d e RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 36
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 116
- ^ Nelmes (1994), p. 120
- ^ Nelmes (1994), pp. 120–121
- ^ Nelmes (1994), p. 119
- ^ Nelmes (1994), p. 122
- ^ "12 Squadron RAAF". Units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ^ a b "A15 Boeing-Vertol CH-47 Chinook". RAAF Units. RAAF Museum Point Cook. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
- ^ RAAF Historical Section (1995), pp. 36–37
- ^ a b Eather (1995), p. 49
- ^ Eather (1995), pp. 49, 151
- ^ Eather (1995), p. 151
Bibliography
- Eather, Steve (1995). Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force. Weston Creek: Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1-875671-15-3.
- Gillison, Douglas (1962). Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 3 – Air. Vol. 1. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 2000369.
- Nelmes, Michael V. (1994). Tocumwal to Tarakan. Australians and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. Belconnen: Banner Books. ISBN 1-875593-04-7.
- OCLC 246580191.
- RAAF Historical Section (1995). Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 3 Bomber Units. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42795-7.