No. 1 Wing RAAF
No. 1 Wing RAAF | |
---|---|
Active | 1917–1919 1942–1945 |
Country | Australia United Kingdom |
Branch | Australian Flying Corps Royal Australian Air Force |
Role | Training (World War I) Air defence (World War II) |
Size | Four flying squadrons (World War I) Three flying squadrons, one mobile fighter sector headquarters (World War II) |
Nickname(s) | "Churchill Wing" |
Engagements | World War I World War II |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Oswald Watt (1918–1919) Allan Walters (1942–1943) Clive Caldwell (1943) Peter Jeffrey (1943–1944) |
No. 1 Wing was an
During its first months at Darwin, No. 1 Wing intercepted several of the
World War I
The 1st Training Wing was formed at Minchinhampton, England on 1 September 1917. It commanded No. 5, No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 Squadrons of the AFC.[1][2] The wing's role was to train replacement pilots for the four operational AFC squadrons in Palestine and France.[3] Each of the training squadrons provided replacements to a specific operational squadron; No. 5 trained pilots for No.1 Squadron, No. 6 supported No. 2 Squadron, No. 7 was aligned with No. 3 Squadron and No. 8 supported No. 4 Squadron.[4][5][6] By the time Lieutenant-Colonel Oswald Watt was appointed to command the wing in February 1918, its headquarters had moved to Tetbury.[7] In keeping with their varied responsibilities, the 1st Training Wing's squadrons operated a wide variety of aircraft and most were split between several bases.[4] From the spring of 1918 No. 5 and No. 6 Squadrons were stationed at Minchinhampton Airfield while No. 7 and No. 8 Squadrons were at Leighterton Airfield. Both facilities had been purpose-built for the AFC over the autumn and winter of 1917/1918.[8] As of April 1918 the wing's units were manned by approximately 1000 personnel, making it the largest single body of Australian airmen anywhere in the world at that time.[9] Watt proposed moving the 1st Training Wing to France, but this did not eventuate.[10]
Following the war the 1st Training Wing continued to conduct pilot training courses in England. This activity was undertaken to strengthen the AFC and keep pilots and ground crew occupied until they were repatriated to Australia.[11] Most of the wing's personnel were given leave in April 1919 and several of its pilots took part in a fly-past over London on Anzac Day.[12] The four training squadrons were disbanded on 6 May 1919, the day the wing left Minchinhampton to begin the journey back to Australia.[13][14] The last entry in the 1st Training Wing's war diary had been made in April that year.[15] Watt placed a strong emphasis on safety, but the 1st Training Wing's trainee pilots inevitably suffered flying accidents, resulting in at least 17 fatalities between 1917 and 1919. At least 15 other members of the wing died from disease or were killed in accidents on the ground.[16]
In 1919 the AFC was disbanded and succeeded by the Australian Air Corps, which was in turn replaced with an independent Australian Air Force on 31 March 1921 (the "Royal" prefix was added in August).[17][18] The first proposal for the RAAF's force structure considered by the Australian Air Board included two fighter wings, designated No. 1 Wing and No. 2 Wing, each comprising two fighter squadrons. In July 1920 the Air Council, which oversaw the Air Board, approved the establishment of a base at Laverton, Victoria, to house No. 1 Wing and its component squadrons (No. 1 and No. 2 Squadrons) as well as No. 1 Aircraft Depot.[19] No. 1 and No. 2 Squadrons were formed in January 1922, but in July that year No. 2 Squadron was disbanded and No. 1 Squadron reduced to a cadre.[20] The RAAF's proposed force structure was subsequently amended in 1924 so as not to include any fighter squadrons or wing headquarters.[21]
World War II
Reestablishment
On 20 September 1939 the Australian War Cabinet approved the formation of a RAAF Expeditionary Force for overseas service which would have included a wing designated No. 1 Fighter Wing as well as two wings of bombers. Under the approved structure for the Expeditionary Force, No. 1 Fighter Wing was to command No.7 and No. 15 Squadrons. This plan proved short-lived as on 20 October the Government announced that the formation of the Expeditionary Force would not proceed, with the Empire Air Training Scheme instead being the RAAF's main contribution to overseas campaigns.[22]
At the outbreak of the
Japanese air units attacked the Darwin area multiple times during 1942. The P-40 equipped United States Army Air Forces' (USAAF) 49th Fighter Group was deployed to Darwin following the 19 February raid, and its first squadron became operational there in mid-March. The group's three squadrons were ready for operations in late April, and subsequently intercepted all Japanese daylight raids on the area. The 49th Fighter Group began to withdraw from Darwin in August 1942 and was replaced by two Australian P-40 squadrons; No. 77 Squadron arrived in August and No. 76 Squadron in October. During its time at Darwin the 49th Fighter Group shot down 79 Japanese aircraft and lost 21 P-40s.[24] As well as bombing targets near Darwin, Japanese air units also occasionally struck other small Australian towns, attacked shipping sailing off the north coast and flew reconnaissance sorties over Allied bases.[25]
In May 1942 the Australian Minister for External Affairs H.V. "Doc" Evatt travelled to the United States and Britain to seek additional aircraft for the RAAF. Evatt first visited the United States, where the government agreed to increase the number of aircraft it would provide to Australia. He then travelled to London and met with Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In this meeting, Evatt requested that Britain provide an aircraft carrier to serve with the Royal Australian Navy, and an allocation of Spitfire fighters for the RAAF. Evatt had not received advice from the RAAF on the Spitfire's suitability for Australian conditions, and appears to have assumed that it would perform as well in Australia as it had in Europe. While Britain could not spare an aircraft carrier, after several days of discussions Churchill agreed on 28 May to send three fully equipped Spitfire squadrons to Australia.[26][27] The squadrons selected were No. 452 Squadron RAAF, No. 457 Squadron RAAF and No. 54 Squadron RAF, all of which had seen combat over Europe against the Luftwaffe. Under the agreement each squadron would be initially equipped with 16 Spitfires and a further 15 aircraft would be sent to Australia each month as replacements.[28] Churchill's role in sending Spitfire units to Australia led to No. 1 Wing often being referred to as the "Churchill Wing".[29]
Delays in shipping Spitfires to Australia disrupted No. 1 Wing's formation. In late June 1942 the British Government diverted all but six of the initial 48 aircraft to Egypt to reinforce the three RAF Spitfire squadrons there after the German victory in the
The deployment of Spitfires to Australia was kept secret so that the Japanese were not alerted to their presence, and the Australian Government directed that the aircraft be referred to as Capstans (after the brand of cigarettes) and their Merlin engines as Marvels.[32][36] General Douglas MacArthur, the commander of Allied forces in the South West Pacific Area, agreed that the Australian Government could choose when to announce the presence of the Spitfires, but warned against exaggerating the impact they were likely to have.[37]
No. 1 Wing was formed at RAAF Station Richmond on 7 October 1942.[38] Its initial commander was Group Captain Allan Walters and the wing leader was Wing Commander Clive Caldwell, Australia's top-scoring flying ace of the war. At this time the RAAF had received 71 tropicalised variants of the Spitfire Vc and another 33 were en route to Australia.[39] These aircraft differed from the standard Spitfire Vc in that they were optimised for use in desert and tropical areas and had been fitted with a Vokes air filter beneath their nose to reduce the amount of sand and dust which entered the engine; Caldwell believed that this modification reduced the Spitfires' performance.[40] As well as the three Spitfire squadrons, No. 1 Wing also included No. 10 Mobile Fighter Sector Headquarters.[39][41] Many of the squadrons' most experienced pilots were posted to other units before they departed Britain, and only 37 of the 95 pilots in the wing as at May 1943 had previously seen combat.[42]
Following its formation the wing undertook training in the Richmond area until late December 1942. Its performance during these exercises was hindered by a lack of previous contact between the Australian and British pilots which was exacerbated by the three squadrons being based at different airstrips in the Sydney region.
Early engagements
The wing was ready for combat operations at the end of 1942 and was assigned responsibility for defending Darwin against Japanese air attacks. The bulk of the units departed Richmond in air, land and sea parties during January 1943, following an advance party that had set out on 31 December.[44][45] No. 54 and No. 452 Squadrons' air parties arrived at RAAF Station Darwin and Batchelor Airfield respectively on 17 January, and No. 457 Squadron began to operate from Livingstone Airfield on 31 January. No. 452 Squadron subsequently moved to Strauss Airfield on 1 February.[46][47] The Darwin area had been attacked 50 times by the time No. 1 Wing arrived.[48] Conditions at Strauss and Livingstone were primitive, with these airfields comprising narrow dirt runways and tree-lined taxiways. The pilots were not familiar with operating from such under-developed airfields, and the squadrons at Strauss and Livingstone suffered a high accident rate during February and March 1943.[45][49] The airmen also found the region's hot and humid climate to be oppressive.[45] This was the first time that Spitfires had operated in a tropical environment, and the aircraft were found to have lesser performance than in other climatic conditions.[34] The region's remoteness also contributed to supply difficulties, and No. 1 Wing continually suffered from a shortage of spare parts for its Spitfires.[45] Despite these limitations to Spitfire operations, the wing's arrival improved the morale of Allied military units near Darwin and allowed No. 77 Squadron to be transferred from Darwin to Milne Bay in New Guinea.[39] No. 1 Wing first saw combat on 6 February 1943 when a No. 54 Squadron Spitfire shot down a Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" reconnaissance aircraft near Darwin. Another Dinah overflew Darwin the next day but was not intercepted, and no further Japanese aircraft ventured into the area during the month.[50]
No. 1 Wing engaged in its first large-scale battles during March 1943. On 2 March, No. 54 and No. 457 Squadrons intercepted 16 Japanese aircraft, which had attacked Coomalie Creek Airfield. Four of the raiders were shot down, two of them by Wing Commander Caldwell.[51] This engagement led Prime Minister John Curtin to announce on 4 March that Spitfires were operational in Australia. His statement in the House of Representatives was greeted with cheers from the members of parliament present and No. 1 Wing received positive media coverage.[52] Winston Churchill also took an interest in the wing's operations and sent a cable expressing satisfaction with its combat debut.[37] On 7 March four No. 457 Squadron aircraft intercepted and shot down a Dinah about 15 miles (24 km) from Darwin.[53] The entire wing intercepted a force of over 40 Japanese bombers and fighters that attacked Darwin on 15 March, shooting down eight raiders but losing four Spitfires and three pilots. No. 452 Squadron's commander, Squadron Leader R.E. Thorold-Smith, was one of those killed. Thorold-Smith was leading the wing at the time, and its attacks were uncoordinated for the remainder of the engagement as none of the other pilots assumed his responsibilities. Nine military personnel and five civilians were also wounded by approximately 100 bombs dropped on Darwin during the raid.[54] The Spitfires used dogfighting tactics during the battle, causing some to run dangerously low on fuel; the USAAF units previously based at Darwin had discovered that these tactics were not effective against the highly maneuverable Japanese fighters.[55] No. 1 Wing did not see action again during March and April, and its flying was limited to training exercises which usually lasted for less than an hour.[56]
The wing's
The raid of 2 May marked the start of an upsurge in Japanese aerial activity over northern Australia. A detachment of six No. 457 Squadron aircraft was deployed to Milingimbi Island on 9 May after the airfield there was attacked. This detachment intercepted subsequent raids on 10 and 28 May, shooting down four Japanese for the loss of three Spitfires.[60] On 20 June No. 1 Wing intercepted two Japanese raids on Darwin. While the raiders bombed the suburb of Winnellie and RAAF Station Darwin, the Allied fighters shot down nine bombers and five fighters and damaged another ten aircraft for the loss of two Spitfires. This was the most successful engagement fought by the RAAF over Darwin up to that time, and General MacArthur sent a congratulatory message to the defenders.[61] The battle also received positive media coverage which restored public confidence in No. 1 Wing.[62] The facilities which housed No. 54 Squadron's photographic and parachute sections were badly damaged during the raid, but the unit's ground crew did not suffer any casualties.[63] Several days after the engagement Group Captain Walters was posted to take command of No. 5 Service Flying Training School and Caldwell was appointed the wing's acting commanding officer.[64] On 22 June No. 1 Wing was scrambled to intercept two large forces of incoming aircraft, but was subsequently directed by ground control to not engage them after it was determined that the Japanese force was made up only of fighters.[65]
Air combat continued over Darwin in late June. The wing intercepted a further raid on the town on 28 June when 42 Spitfires were
No. 1 Wing saw further action in July 1943. On 3 and 4 July, Dinahs flew over the Darwin area without being intercepted. These preceded a major raid against Fenton on 6 July by 26 bombers and 21 fighters. The wing scrambled 33 aircraft to meet this force, and shot down nine of the raiders, losing seven Spitfires due to air combat or mechanical problems; a B-24 was also destroyed on the ground.
Final engagements
In late July 1943, No. 1 Wing's headquarters was disbanded to make it easier to deploy the Spitfire squadrons to different areas as the need arose. Under the new command arrangements, the squadrons reported directly to the North-Western Area's headquarters for administrative purposes and No. 5 Fighter Sector Headquarters controlled all fighter operations. This change also aimed to end the confusion which existed at the time between whether the wing leader or senior ground controller in the fighter sector headquarters was responsible for directing the Spitfires during battle. No. 5 Fighter Sector Headquarters was redesignated No. 1 Wing on 25 September when Wing Commander Peter Jeffrey assumed command from Caldwell, who had been appointed No. 2 Operational Training Unit's chief flying instructor. The headquarters' role remained unchanged.[76][77]
In the meantime, No. 1 Wing continued to respond to Japanese aerial activity over northern Australia. On the night of 13–14 August, eighteen Japanese aircraft raided Fenton and Coomalie Creek airfields. No. 57 and No. 452 Squadrons scrambled Spitfires but they were unable to intercept the raiders. At this time the remainder of the wing was holding a dinner at Darwin to celebrate the anniversary of its return to Australia.[78] No. 1 Wing had greater success on 17 August when it shot down all four of the Dinahs dispatched to the Darwin area that day; three were destroyed by No. 457 Squadron and the fourth by Caldwell who was flying with No. 452 Squadron. This success led to celebrations within the wing and Baldin sent the pilots a message congratulating them for "100 per-cent de-lousing Fenton. Appreciate the pageant".[79] Another night raid took place on 20/21 August, but the ten Spitfires scrambled did not make contact with the 18 raiders. From August the Japanese bomber units mainly conducted attacks on the Darwin area at night so that their aircraft were not intercepted by Spitfires.[78]
No. 1 Wing fought its last major engagements during September and November 1943. On 7 September, the Japanese dispatched a twin-engined reconnaissance aircraft escorted by 20 fighters to the Darwin area. The 48 Spitfires scrambled in response to this force were led by Flight Lieutenant Bob Foster. This was Foster's first experience in leading the wing, and he misdeployed No. 54 and 452 squadrons' aircraft, leading to them being 'bounced' by Japanese fighters. In the subsequent combat three Spitfires were shot down while the wing claimed one fighter destroyed and two 'probables'. No. 457 Squadron was able to gain a height advantage on the Japanese and shot down four fighters without loss.[80][81] A further two night raids were made against Fenton on 15 and 27 September but the Spitfires scrambled in response were unable to find the bombers on either occasion.[82] No. 1 Wing experienced a major turnover of personnel during September as pilots completed their nine-month tours of duty. This led to a loss of experienced airmen, but the new pilots were often better trained than the men they replaced.[83] No attacks took place during October, and the wing did not make contact with the Japanese until 6 November when a flight of six Spitfires which been deployed to Drysdale River Mission, Western Australia on the 3rd of the month failed in an attempt to intercept a reconnaissance aircraft near the settlement. In the early hours of 12 November nine Spitfires were scrambled to intercept nine Japanese aircraft which were bound for Darwin and Fenton. Two Betty bombers were shot down over Darwin Harbour by Flying Officer John Smithson and no Allied aircraft were lost.[84][85] Both these aircraft were commanded by senior officers, and their deaths led to the cancellation of further Betty bomber operations in the Darwin area.[86]
Garrison duty
The raid on 12 November 1943 was the last Japanese attack on northern Australia.[87] In December the Japanese transferred several of the air units based in the islands north of Australia to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to counter Allied offensives. Few Japanese aircraft were subsequently based within 600 miles (970 km) of Darwin, and the focus of the Allied forces in the North-Western Area shifted from defending northern Australia to attacking Japanese positions in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) and western New Guinea.[88] As a result, No. 1 Wing had little to do and morale declined. Spitfires were scrambled in response to several false alerts during the last months of the year, but flying was heavily curtailed by the monsoon from November.[84] Most of the wing's veteran pilots were posted to other units at the end of 1943 and were replaced with less experienced aircrew.[89]
On 25 February 1944 Wing Commander
No. 1 Wing was restructured from July 1944. On 1 July, No. 452 and No. 457 Squadrons were transferred to No. 80 Wing RAAF, which had been formed to conduct offensive operations in the NEI under the command of Clive Caldwell. They were replaced by two British units; No. 548 and No. 549 Squadrons RAF.[98] This put the wing in a unique position: all of its flying squadrons were now British units. The new RAF squadrons had been formed in Australia, as a result of a further meeting between H.V. Evatt and Winston Churchill in July 1943, at which Evatt had requested additional RAF units. They were formed from British pilots and Australian ground crew at Lawnton, Queensland on 15 December 1943 but did not receive their Mark VIII Spitfires until April the next year.[99] No. 548 Squadron was initially stationed at Livingstone Airfield, and its air echelon arrived there on 10 June after a flight in which four Spitfires made forced landings when they ran low on fuel.[100] No. 549 Squadron's air echelon arrived at Strauss Airfield on 16 June and its rear echelon completed its movement from Queensland on 14 July.[101] On 20 July, two No. 54 Squadron Spitfires operating out of Truscott Airstrip shot down a Dinah. This was the last Japanese aircraft to be destroyed over Northern Australia.[102]
After July 1944, No. 1 Wing's combat flying was limited to occasional raids on Japanese positions. Aircraft from the wing strafed
Boredom continued to be a major problem for No. 1 Wing, and morale declined sharply in 1945 after No. 80 Wing left Darwin for the NEI and most of the Spitfires were grounded due to cooling system problems.[94] Frustrations caused by a lack of opportunities for air combat were a common problem across the RAAF's fighter squadrons in the SWPA, and contributed to the "Morotai Mutiny" of April 1945 when Caldwell and seven other officers attempted to resign in protest against their units being primarily tasked with attacking isolated Japanese garrisons.[108] The Australian and British governments discussed replacing the RAF pilots with Australians or transferring the squadrons to a more active area, and in July 1945 Air Vice Marshal William Bostock, who led RAAF Command, proposed transferring two No. 1 Wing squadrons to Borneo to operate in the ground attack role.[94][109] This did not eventuate and the only action undertaken by the wing during 1945 was an attack made by six Spitfires on Japanese positions at Cape Chater, Timor on 3 June.[94][110] Following the end of the war, No. 1 Wing's headquarters closed at Darwin on 12 October 1945,[111] and the three British squadrons were disbanded on 31 October.[112]
Notes
- ^ Mallett, Ross (2003). "Aviation". First AIF Order of Battle 1914–1918. UNSW @ ADFA. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ^ Lax (2000), p. 29
- ^ Garrison (1999), p. 12
- ^ a b Eather (1995), pp. 14–16
- ^ "5 (Training) Squadron AFC". Australian Military Units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ "6 (Training) Squadron AFC". Australian Military Units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ Johnston, Susan (1990). "Watt, Walter Oswald (1878–1921)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Online Edition. Australian National University. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ Goodland and Vaughan (1992), pp. 6–7
- ^ Clarke, Chris (2017). "Oswald Watt: a legend of the Australian Flying Corps". Military History & Heritage Victoria.
- ^ "Colonel Watt: Drowned Near Newport". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 May 1921. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- ^ Goodland and Vaughan (1992), pp. 74 and 107
- ^ Goodland and Vaughan (1992), p. 113
- ^ Lax (2000), p. 40
- ^ Goodland and Vaughan (1992), p. 115
- ^ "First World War Diaries – AWM4, Sub-class 8/2. 1st Wing Headquarters, Australian Flying Corps". First World War Diaries. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ Goodland and Vaughan (1992), pp. 74 and 99
- ^ Parnell and Lynch (1976), pp. 41–42
- ^ Stephens (2006), pp. 26–31
- ^ Parnell and Lynch (1976), pp. 42–43
- ^ RAAF Historical Section (1995) Volume 2, pp. 1–2 and 7–8
- ^ Parnell and Lynch (1976), p. 44
- ^ Clark (2009), pp. 5–6
- ^ Wilson (1988), p. 29
- ^ Clayton (1986), pp. 42–43
- ^ Clayton (1986), pp. 35–37
- ^ Gillison (1962), pp. 563–564
- ^ Weston (2013), p. 7
- ^ Gillison (1962), p. 650
- ^ Thomas (2009), p. 6
- ^ Price (1997), pp. 63 and 69
- ^ Day (1992), pp. 9–11
- ^ a b RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 121
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 102–104
- ^ a b c Price (1997), p. 69
- ^ RAAF Museum. "A58 Spitfire". RAAF Aircraft. RAAF Museum. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 102–103
- ^ a b Powell (1988), p. 183
- ^ Alexander (2006), p. 102
- ^ a b c Gillison (1962), p. 651
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 103–104
- ^ Helson (1997), p. 167
- ^ Alexander (2006), p. 126
- ^ a b Alexander (2006), p. 104
- ^ a b c Roylance (1991), pp. 83–84
- ^ a b c d Alexander (2006), p. 105
- ^ Thomas (2009), p. 8
- ^ "457 Squadron RAAF". Australian Military Units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ Alexander (2006), p. 107
- ^ Cooper (2011), p. 120
- ^ Alexander (2006), p. 106
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 109–111
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 113–114
- ^ Gillison (1962), p. 652
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 115–116
- ^ a b Clayton (1986), p. 44
- ^ Alexander (2006), p. 118
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 120–121
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 48–49
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 131–133
- ^ Thomas (2009), pp. 15–16
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 59–60
- ^ Alexander (2006), p. 139
- ^ Cooper (2011), p. 277
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 140–141
- ^ Cooper (2011), pp. 292–293
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 60–61
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 61–62
- ^ Thomas (2009), p. 20
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 63
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 63–65
- ^ a b Alexander (2006), p. 146
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 66
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 105
- ^ Powell (1988), p. 185
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 104
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 105–106
- ^ Alexander (2006), p. 152
- ^ a b Odgers (1968), pp. 109–110
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 148–150
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 110–111
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 151–152
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 112
- ^ Cooper (2011), pp. 465–466
- ^ a b Odgers (1968), p. 118
- ^ Cooper (2011), p. 470
- ^ Tagaya (2001), p. 69
- ^ Thomas (2009), p. 26
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 120–121
- ^ Powell (1988), pp. 185–186
- ^ a b Odgers (2008), p. 48
- ^ Odgers (1968), pp. 136–139
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 136
- ^ RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 86
- ^ a b c d Powell (1988), p. 187
- ^ a b RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 122
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 229
- ^ Helson (1997), p. 170
- ^ Thomas (2009), p. 77
- ^ Powell (1988), p. 186
- ^ Possé (2003), p. 39
- ^ Possé (2003), p. xiv
- ^ Powell (1988), pp. 186–187
- ^ Alexander (2006), pp. 164–165
- ^ Possé (2003), pp. 110–111
- ^ Possé (2003), p. 52
- ^ Helson (1997), p. 186
- ^ Possé (2003), pp. 62–63
- ^ Wilson (1988), pp. 38 and 40
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 477
- ^ Possé (2003), p. 80
- ^ Helson (1997), p. 268
- ^ Helson (1997), pp. 176, 185–186
References
- Alexander, Kristen (2006). Clive Caldwell, Air Ace. St. Leonards: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-74114-705-0.
- Clark, Chris (2009). "RAAF Expeditionary Operations in World War II". In Brent, Keith (ed.). Air Expeditionary Operations from World War II Until Today: Proceedings of the 2008 RAAF History Conference. Tuggeranong, Australian Capital Territory: Air Power Development Centre. pp. 5–16. ISBN 978-1-920800-40-6.
- Clayton, Mark (1986). "The north Australian air war, 1942–1944". Journal of the Australian War Memorial. No. 8. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. )
- Cooper, Anthony (2011). Darwin Spitfires : The Real Battle for Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press. ISBN 978-1-74223-227-0.
- Day, David (1992). Reluctant Nation: Australia and the allied defeat of Japan 1942–45. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-553453-0.
- Eather, Steve (1995). Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force. Weston Creek: Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1-875671-15-3.
- Garrisson, A.G. (1999). Australian Fighter Aces 1914–1953. Canberra: Royal Australian Air Force. ISBN 0-642-26540-2.
- Gillison, Douglas (1962). Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 3 – Air. Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
- Goodland, David; Vaughan, Alan (1992). ANZACs Over England: The Australian Flying Corps in Gloucestershire 1918–1919. Dover: Alan Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-0277-9.
- Helson, Peter (1997). The forgotten Air Force : the establishment and employment of Australian air power in the North-Western area, 1941–1945. Masters Thesis. Canberra: Australian Defence Force Academy, UNSW.
- Lax, Mark (2000). "A Hint of Things to Come – Leadership in the Australian Flying Corps". In Sutherland, Barry (ed.). Command and Leadership in War and Peace 1914–1975: The Proceedings of the 1999 RAAF History Conference. Canberra: Air Power Studies Centre. ISBN 0-642-26537-2.
- Odgers, George (1968). Air War Against Japan 1943–1945. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 3 – Air (reprint ed.). Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
- Odgers, George (2008). Mr Double Seven : A Biography of Wing Commander Dick Cresswell, DFC. Tuggeranong: Air Power Development Centre. ISBN 978-1-920800-30-7.
- Parnell, N.M.; Lynch, C.A. (1976). Australian Air Force since 1911. Terry Hills: A.H. & A.W. Reed. ISBN 0-589-07153-X.
- Possé, Victor (2003). Together Up There: Unit History of 549 RAF/RAAF Fighter Squadron in Northern Australia During World War II. Loftus: Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 1-876439-92-0.
- Powell, Alan (1988). The Shadow's Edge: Australia's Northern War. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press. ISBN 0-522-84371-9.
- Price, Alfred (1997). Spitfire Mark V Aces 1941–45. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. Botley: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-635-3.
- "Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History", RAAF Historical Section, vol. 2: Fighter Units, Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995, ISBN 0-644-42794-9
- "Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History", RAAF Historical Section, vol. 3: Bomber Units, Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995, ISBN 0-644-42795-7
- Roylance, Derek (1991). Air Base Richmond. RAAF Base Richmond: Royal Australian Air Force. ISBN 0-646-05212-8.
- Stephens, Alan (2006). The Royal Australian Air Force: A History. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-555541-4.
- Tagaya, Osamu (2001). Mitsubishi Type 1 Rikko 'Betty' Units of World War 2. Osprey Combat Aircraft. Botley: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-082-7.
- Thomas, Andrew (2009). Spitfire Aces of Burma and the Pacific. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. Botley: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-422-0.
- Wilson, Stewart (1988). The Spitfire, Mustang and Kittyhawk in Australian Service. Sydney: Aerospace Publications. ISBN 0-9587978-1-1.
- Weston, Brian (2013). A Coming of Age for Australia and its Air Force. Canberra: Air Power Development Centre. ISBN 978-1-920800-96-3.
Further reading
- Birkett, Gordon (2014a). "The Churchill Wing Offensive Operations". Flightpath. 24 (4): 62–67.
- Birkett, Gordon (2014b). "The Churchill Wing Offensive Operations Part II". Flightpath. 25 (1): 62–67.
- Clark, Chris (2016). The High Life of Oswald Watt: Australia's First Military Pilot. Warriewood, New South Wales: Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 9781925275797.
- Manera, Brad (2002). "The last kill". Wartime (19). Canberra: Australian War Memorial: 9–15. ISSN 1328-2727.