Northern Area Command (RAAF)
Northern Area Command | |
---|---|
Active | 1941–42 |
Allegiance | Australia |
Branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
Role | Air defence Aerial reconnaissance Protection of adjacent sea lanes |
Garrison/HQ | Townsville, Queensland |
Engagements | World War II |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Frank Lukis (1941–42) |
Northern Area Command was one of several
North-Eastern Area Commands
, to counter Japanese threats to northern Australia and Papua, respectively.
History
Prior to World War II, the
Air Officer Commanding (AOC) responsible for the administration and operations of air bases and units within his boundary.[2][3]
Northern Area Command, headquartered in
Townsville, Queensland, was formed on 8 May 1941 under the leadership of Air Commodore Frank Lukis. The command controlled units in northern New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Papua.[3] Lukis was thus responsible for air defence along the entire north coast of Australia.[4] The main air base in the Northern Territory, RAAF Station Darwin, was augmented by eight satellite bases in the region.[5] Between June and November 1941, Northern Area took the lead in tracking Japanese pearl luggers, whose increased presence off north-western Australia was regarded as "significant" by intelligence services.[6] Central Area was disbanded in August and its responsibilities divided between Northern Area, Southern Area, and the newly formed No. 2 (Training) Group in Sydney.[7]
By December 1941, Lukis' frontline strength in the Northern Territory consisted of
Namlea in the Dutch East Indies.[9] Nos. 11 and 20 Squadrons, flying PBY Catalinas, were based at Port Moresby in Papua and No. 24 Squadron, flying Hudsons and Wirraways, at Rabaul in New Britain.[10] Northern Area Command was instructed to "strike at Japanese bases or shipping wherever possible", "obtain such warning as is possible of any attempted southward movements by the Japanese", "keep open the shipping routes through the Coral, Arafura and Timor Seas", and "deny enemy access to Rabaul and to the Territories of New Guinea, Papua and the Mainland of Australia".[8] Nos. 2, 11, 13, 20 and 24 Squadrons undertook reconnaissance, maritime patrol and sporadic bombing missions against Japanese targets in the Dutch East Indies and Torres Strait.[11] Short of modern fighters and sufficient numbers of bombers, the RAAF units were, according to the official history of Australia in the war, "virtually powerless" to either attack or defend against Japanese forces building up in the region.[12]
On 15 January 1942, Northern Area was split into
North-Eastern Area, to counter distinct Japanese threats to LAmbon and Darwin in the former case, and Rabaul and Port Moresby in the latter.[1][13] Lukis remained at Townsville as AOC of the new North-Eastern Area Command.[4][14] North-Western Area Command was headquartered at Darwin, Northern Territory; its inaugural AOC was Air Commodore Douglas Wilson.[14]
Aftermath
Following the end of the war, the
Notes
- ^ a b Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 111–112
- ^ a b "Organising for war: The RAAF air campaigns in the Pacific". Pathfinder. No. 121. October 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
- ^ a b c Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 91–92
- ^ a b Stephens, The RAAF in the Southwest Pacific, pp. 37–38
- ^ Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, p. 126
- ^ Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 133–134
- ^ Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, p. 112
- ^ a b Helson, The Forgotten Air Force, pp. 57–60, 118
- ^ Helson, The Forgotten Air Force, pp. 65–67
- ^ Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 237–238
- ^ Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 240–242
- ^ Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 319–322
- ^ Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, p. 311
- ^ a b Ashworth, How Not to Run an Air Force, pp. 302–304
- ^ Helson, The Private Air Marshal, pp. 321–325
- ^ Stephens, Going Solo, p. 68
References
- Ashworth, Norman (2000). How Not to Run an Air Force! Volume One – Narrative. Canberra: RAAF Air Power Studies Centre. ISBN 0-642-26550-X.
- Gillison, Douglas (1962). Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume I – Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942. Canberra: OCLC 2000369.
- Helson, Peter (1997). The Forgotten Air Force: The Establishment and Employment of Australian Air Power in the North-Western Area, 1941–1945 (Masters). OCLC 224054611.
- Helson, Peter (2010). The Private Air Marshal. Canberra: Air Power Development Centre. ISBN 978-1-920800-50-5.
- Stephens, Alan, ed. (1993). The RAAF in the Southwest Pacific Area 1942–1945. Canberra: RAAF Air Power Studies Centre. ISBN 0-642-19827-6.
- Stephens, Alan (1995). Going Solo: The Royal Australian Air Force 1946–1971. Canberra: ISBN 0-644-42803-1.
- Stephens, Alan (2006) [2001]. The Royal Australian Air Force: A History. London: ISBN 0-19-555541-4.