No. 451 Squadron RAAF
Encyclopedia
No. 451 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force
army cooperation and fighter
squadron of World War II
. The squadron was formed at Bankstown
in New South Wales
on 12 February 1941 and began flying operations on 1 July that year as part of the North African Campaign
in Egypt and Libya. In early January 1942 No. 451 Squadron was withdrawn for refitting and spent the remainder of the year performing garrison duties in Syria. In January 1943 the squadron was transferred to Egypt and contributed to the air defence of Egypt but saw almost no combat. This inactivity caused morale among the squadron's personnel to greatly deteriorate.
The squadron returned to combat in April 1944 when, operating from bases in Corsica
, it took part in the Italian Campaign
and Allied invasion of Southern France
until September. No. 451 Squadron moved to Italy between September and October 1944, but was transferred to the United Kingdom
in November. From January to April 1945 the squadron took part in the liberation of Europe
by escorting Allied bomber units and conducting air strikes against German V-2 rocket sites and transportation targets. Following the war No. 451 Squadron was deployed to Germany from September 1945 as part of the Allied occupation forces, but was disbanded on 21 January 1946 when the Australian Government dropped plans for a permanent Australian contribution to the occupation of Germany due to a shortage of volunteers for this duty.
it was intended that the squadron would serve overseas as part of the Royal Air Force
(RAF). The squadron's personnel departed Sydney on 9 April on board the ocean liner Queen Mary
and arrived in Egypt on 5 May. While it had been intended that the squadron would be issued with aircraft from British stocks on its arrival in Egypt, the difficult situation facing Allied forces in the region meant that all available aircraft were needed by the experienced squadrons engaged in combat and none could be spared. It was not until 1 July 1941 that No. 451 Squadron took over No. 6 Squadron RAF's
Hawker Hurricane
fighters and other equipment at Qasaba. The Australian War Memorial states that the squadron also operated Westland Lysander
aircraft.
The squadron began flying operational missions on 1 July 1941. As an army cooperation unit its main duties were photographic and tactical reconnaissance and artillery spotting
. From 13 September No. 451 Squadron maintained a detachment of two pilots and two aircraft in the besieged Libyan town of Tobruk
to support the Allied garrison; this detachment remained until the siege
was lifted in December and several Hurricanes were shot down by Axis fighters. The remainder of No. 451 Squadron was attached to XIII Corps
and participated in Operation Crusader
during November and December 1941. The squadron frequently operated from airstrips near the front line, and some of its personnel were captured on 26 and 27 November when German forces attacked the airstrip at Sidi Azeiz. All but three of these men were liberated when Bardia
fell to the South African 2nd Infantry Division on 2 January 1942. Following the conclusion of Operation Crusader No. 451 Squadron was withdrawn from operations on 24 January 1942 and was refitted at Heliopolis
.
In February 1942 No. 451 Squadron was deployed to Syria to operate with the Ninth Army
. From March the squadron also maintained a detachment at Cyprus
to counter German reconnaissance flights over the island and in June it took over responsibility for providing air defence to Haifa
. As there were more Army cooperation units in the Middle East than were required and the Australian Air Board would not agree to convert No. 451 Squadron to a fighter unit, it saw little action during 1942. As a result, the squadron's morale deteriorated and aviation historian Steve Eather has written that "no other RAAF squadron, before or since, has suffered such a widespread loss of morale and combat effectiveness".
No. 451 Squadron was transferred to Mersa Matruh in Egypt on 8 January 1943 and redesignated a fighter squadron. The squadron was responsible for air defence of part of the Nile Delta
and nearby convoy
s and in February it received a detachment of Supermarine Spitfire
fighters for high-altitude interceptions. Aircraft from the squadron saw combat on only one occasion during the first six months of 1943 and morale remained low; the RAAF Historical Section has written that this period marked "the nadir of the squadron". In January No. 451 Squadron's commander Wing Commander D.R. Chapman proposed to RAAF Overseas Headquarters that the unit be transferred to Australia but this was rejected. Chapman was replaced early in May after he wrote a letter to the headquarters of No. 219 Group RAF in March which complained about the squadron's lack of employment and appeared to condone the poor morale within the unit. No. 451 Squadron's only offensive action during the year was a raid against Crete
on 23 July in which it contributed six Hurricanes to a force of Beaufighter
heavy fighters and Baltimore
bombers. Three of these Hurricanes were lost during the operation.
and arrived there on 18 April. This move was very popular with the squadron's pilots as it gave them an opportunity to participate in offensive action. The squadron's role was to support Allied operations in Italy and southern France by escorting bombers and conducting armed reconnaissance patrols. It flew its first operation from Corsica on 23 April and engaged German fighters on a number of occasions. In mid-June the squadron supported the Free French-led Invasion of Elba
. On 12 June eight personnel were killed and all but two of No. 451 Squadron's Spitfires were damaged when 25 German Ju 88
bombers raided the unit's base at Poretta airfield. The squadron's ground crew were able to return ten Spitfires to service by the afternoon of 13 June, however. In August the squadron participated in Operation Dragoon
, the Allied landings in southern France on 15 August. Following the successful landings No. 451 Squadron began operating from Cuers
in southern France on 24 August. By this time the front line was beyond the range of the squadron's Spitfires, however, and it saw little combat.
On 16 October No. 451 Squadron's aircraft began to be redeployed to Foggia
in Italy. By the time the ground crew arrived at Naples
on 23 October the headquarters of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces
had decided that there was no need for the squadron in Italy and recommended that it be returned to Australia. By this time it was not practical to deploy the squadron to the Pacific as the RAAF fighter units there were under-employed, and the squadron's training and equipment were not suited to it joining the other RAAF squadrons in Italy with the Desert Air Force
. As a result, it was eventually decided to transfer No. 451 Squadron to the United Kingdom, and its personnel embarked at Naples on 17 November after handing its Spitfires over to No. 251 Wing RAF.
After arriving in the UK No. 451 Squadron was issued with Mark XVI Spitfires and based at RAF Hawkinge
in Kent from 2 December 1944. It began flying combat operations in early 1945 and was initially used to escort RAF Bomber Command
heavy bomber
s and No. 2 Group RAF
medium bombers during daylight raids. From 14 February the squadron was based at RAF Matlaske
from where it operated alongside No. 453 Squadron RAAF
against V-2 rocket launch sites and railway targets in the Netherlands. From 20 March 1945 the two squadrons were mainly focused on attacking German transportation targets after the V-2 campaign against the UK ended. As the war in Europe draw to a close No. 451 Squadron's activities decreased, and it flew its last attack sorties from the UK on 3 April. The squadron flew only 61 operational sorties for the remainder of April and none in May.
Following the end of the war No. 451 Squadron was deployed to Fassberg
and then Wunstorf
in Germany as part of the British occupation force. The squadron was deployed to RAF Gatow
near Berlin
during November and December 1945. While it was intended that No. 451 and No. 453 Squadron
s would form a long-term Australian contribution to the occupation of Germany, insufficient RAAF personnel volunteered for this duty to make the deployment viable. As a result, No. 451 Squadron was disbanded at Wunstorf on 21 January 1946. During the war the squadron suffered 28 fatalities, 18 of them Australians.
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
army cooperation and fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
squadron of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The squadron was formed at Bankstown
Bankstown, New South Wales
Bankstown is a suburb of south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bankstown is located 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Bankstown.-History:Prior to European...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
on 12 February 1941 and began flying operations on 1 July that year as part of the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
in Egypt and Libya. In early January 1942 No. 451 Squadron was withdrawn for refitting and spent the remainder of the year performing garrison duties in Syria. In January 1943 the squadron was transferred to Egypt and contributed to the air defence of Egypt but saw almost no combat. This inactivity caused morale among the squadron's personnel to greatly deteriorate.
The squadron returned to combat in April 1944 when, operating from bases in Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, it took part in the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
and Allied invasion of Southern France
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
until September. No. 451 Squadron moved to Italy between September and October 1944, but was transferred to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in November. From January to April 1945 the squadron took part in the liberation of Europe
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
by escorting Allied bomber units and conducting air strikes against German V-2 rocket sites and transportation targets. Following the war No. 451 Squadron was deployed to Germany from September 1945 as part of the Allied occupation forces, but was disbanded on 21 January 1946 when the Australian Government dropped plans for a permanent Australian contribution to the occupation of Germany due to a shortage of volunteers for this duty.
North Africa and Syria
No. 451 Squadron was formed as an army cooperation unit at Bankstown, New South Wales on 12 February 1941. As one of Australia's Article XV squadronsArticle XV squadrons
Article XV squadrons were Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand air force squadrons formed from graduates of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , during World War II....
it was intended that the squadron would serve overseas as part of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF). The squadron's personnel departed Sydney on 9 April on board the ocean liner Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line...
and arrived in Egypt on 5 May. While it had been intended that the squadron would be issued with aircraft from British stocks on its arrival in Egypt, the difficult situation facing Allied forces in the region meant that all available aircraft were needed by the experienced squadrons engaged in combat and none could be spared. It was not until 1 July 1941 that No. 451 Squadron took over No. 6 Squadron RAF's
No. 6 Squadron RAF
No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 at RAF Leuchars.It was previously equipped with the Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was based at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk until April 2006, moving to RAF Coningsby until...
Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
fighters and other equipment at Qasaba. The Australian War Memorial states that the squadron also operated Westland Lysander
Westland Lysander
The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
aircraft.
The squadron began flying operational missions on 1 July 1941. As an army cooperation unit its main duties were photographic and tactical reconnaissance and artillery spotting
Artillery observer
A military artillery observer or spotter is responsible for directing artillery fire and close air support onto enemy positions. Because artillery is an indirect fire weapon system, the guns are rarely in line-of-sight of their target, often located tens of miles away...
. From 13 September No. 451 Squadron maintained a detachment of two pilots and two aircraft in the besieged Libyan town of Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
to support the Allied garrison; this detachment remained until the siege
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
was lifted in December and several Hurricanes were shot down by Axis fighters. The remainder of No. 451 Squadron was attached to XIII Corps
XIII Corps (United Kingdom)
XIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II.-World War I:XIII Corps was formed in France on 15 November 1915 under Lieutenant-General Walter Congreve to be part of Fourth Army. It was first seriously engaged during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. On the First day on...
and participated in Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader was a military operation by the British Eighth Army between 18 November–30 December 1941. The operation successfully relieved the 1941 Siege of Tobruk....
during November and December 1941. The squadron frequently operated from airstrips near the front line, and some of its personnel were captured on 26 and 27 November when German forces attacked the airstrip at Sidi Azeiz. All but three of these men were liberated when Bardia
Bardia
Bardia is a geographic region in the Democratic Republic of Nepal.Bardia comprises a portion of the Terai, or lowland hills and valleys of southern Nepal. The Terai is over 1,000 feet in elevation, and extends all along the Indian border...
fell to the South African 2nd Infantry Division on 2 January 1942. Following the conclusion of Operation Crusader No. 451 Squadron was withdrawn from operations on 24 January 1942 and was refitted at Heliopolis
Heliopolis (Cairo Suburb)
Modern Heliopolis is a district in Cairo, Egypt. The city was established in 1905 by the Heliopolis Oasis Company, headed by the Belgian industrialist Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Empain, as well as Boghos Nubar, son of the Egyptian Prime Minister Nubar Pasha.-History:The Baron Empain, a well known...
.
In February 1942 No. 451 Squadron was deployed to Syria to operate with the Ninth Army
Ninth Army (United Kingdom)
The Ninth Army was a formation of the British Army during World War II, formed on 1 November 1941 by the re designation of Headquarters, British Troops Palestine and Transjordan...
. From March the squadron also maintained a detachment at Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
to counter German reconnaissance flights over the island and in June it took over responsibility for providing air defence to Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. As there were more Army cooperation units in the Middle East than were required and the Australian Air Board would not agree to convert No. 451 Squadron to a fighter unit, it saw little action during 1942. As a result, the squadron's morale deteriorated and aviation historian Steve Eather has written that "no other RAAF squadron, before or since, has suffered such a widespread loss of morale and combat effectiveness".
No. 451 Squadron was transferred to Mersa Matruh in Egypt on 8 January 1943 and redesignated a fighter squadron. The squadron was responsible for air defence of part of the Nile Delta
Nile Delta
The Nile Delta is the delta formed in Northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas—from Alexandria in the west to Port Said in the east, it covers some 240 km of Mediterranean coastline—and is a rich...
and nearby convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s and in February it received a detachment of Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
fighters for high-altitude interceptions. Aircraft from the squadron saw combat on only one occasion during the first six months of 1943 and morale remained low; the RAAF Historical Section has written that this period marked "the nadir of the squadron". In January No. 451 Squadron's commander Wing Commander D.R. Chapman proposed to RAAF Overseas Headquarters that the unit be transferred to Australia but this was rejected. Chapman was replaced early in May after he wrote a letter to the headquarters of No. 219 Group RAF in March which complained about the squadron's lack of employment and appeared to condone the poor morale within the unit. No. 451 Squadron's only offensive action during the year was a raid against Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
on 23 July in which it contributed six Hurricanes to a force of Beaufighter
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
heavy fighters and Baltimore
Martin Baltimore
The Martin 187 Baltimore was a two-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States, originally ordered by the French in May 1940 as a follow-up to the earlier Martin Maryland, then in service in France. With the fall of France, the production series was...
bombers. Three of these Hurricanes were lost during the operation.
Europe
After being completely re-equipped with Spitfires in early 1944, No. 451 Squadron was transferred to CorsicaCorsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
and arrived there on 18 April. This move was very popular with the squadron's pilots as it gave them an opportunity to participate in offensive action. The squadron's role was to support Allied operations in Italy and southern France by escorting bombers and conducting armed reconnaissance patrols. It flew its first operation from Corsica on 23 April and engaged German fighters on a number of occasions. In mid-June the squadron supported the Free French-led Invasion of Elba
Invasion of Elba
The Invasion of Elba, codenamed Operation Brassard, was part of the Italian Campaign in the Second World War.The invasion was carried out by Free French Forces supported by British and American ships and aircraft. It came as a complete surprise to the German garrison although it had been reinforced...
. On 12 June eight personnel were killed and all but two of No. 451 Squadron's Spitfires were damaged when 25 German Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
bombers raided the unit's base at Poretta airfield. The squadron's ground crew were able to return ten Spitfires to service by the afternoon of 13 June, however. In August the squadron participated in Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
, the Allied landings in southern France on 15 August. Following the successful landings No. 451 Squadron began operating from Cuers
Cuers
Cuers is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-External links:****...
in southern France on 24 August. By this time the front line was beyond the range of the squadron's Spitfires, however, and it saw little combat.
On 16 October No. 451 Squadron's aircraft began to be redeployed to Foggia
Foggia
Foggia is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".-History:...
in Italy. By the time the ground crew arrived at Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
on 23 October the headquarters of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces
Mediterranean Allied Air Forces
The Mediterranean Allied Air Forces was the major Allied air force command organization in the Mediterranean theater from mid-December 1943 until the end of the Second World War.-Formation:...
had decided that there was no need for the squadron in Italy and recommended that it be returned to Australia. By this time it was not practical to deploy the squadron to the Pacific as the RAAF fighter units there were under-employed, and the squadron's training and equipment were not suited to it joining the other RAAF squadrons in Italy with the Desert Air Force
Desert Air Force
The Desert Air Force , also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, AHQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force, Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force , was an Allied tactical air force initially created from No...
. As a result, it was eventually decided to transfer No. 451 Squadron to the United Kingdom, and its personnel embarked at Naples on 17 November after handing its Spitfires over to No. 251 Wing RAF.
After arriving in the UK No. 451 Squadron was issued with Mark XVI Spitfires and based at RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge was an airfield in Kent, near to the south coast and the closest airfield to the French coast.It took part in the Battle of Britain and it was home to No. 79 Squadron RAF. After the war, the station hosted the Home Command Gliding Centre, and is fondly remembered by many Air Cadets as...
in Kent from 2 December 1944. It began flying combat operations in early 1945 and was initially used to escort RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
heavy bomber
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
s and No. 2 Group RAF
No. 2 Group RAF
Number 2 Group is a Group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Command....
medium bombers during daylight raids. From 14 February the squadron was based at RAF Matlaske
RAF Matlaske
RAF Matlaske was a satellite air station to RAF Coltishall of the Royal Air Force, situated near Matlaske in Norfolk, England. RAF Matlaske opened in 1940 and closed in 1945.-History:...
from where it operated alongside No. 453 Squadron RAAF
No. 453 Squadron RAAF
No. 453 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force air traffic control unit. It was first was formed at Bankstown in New South Wales on 23 May 1941 during World War II and was disbanded in March 1942 after suffering heavy losses in combat during the Battle of Malaya...
against V-2 rocket launch sites and railway targets in the Netherlands. From 20 March 1945 the two squadrons were mainly focused on attacking German transportation targets after the V-2 campaign against the UK ended. As the war in Europe draw to a close No. 451 Squadron's activities decreased, and it flew its last attack sorties from the UK on 3 April. The squadron flew only 61 operational sorties for the remainder of April and none in May.
Following the end of the war No. 451 Squadron was deployed to Fassberg
RAF Fassberg
The former Royal Air Force Station Fassberg, more commonly known as RAF Fassberg, was a Royal Air Force airbase in Germany situated in the northern suburbs of Fassberg, Lower Saxony...
and then Wunstorf
Wunstorf
Wunstorf is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the city of Wunstorf: Blumenau , Bokeloh, Grossenheidorn, Idensen , Klein Heidorn, Kolenfeld, Luthe, Mesmerode, Steinhude, Wunstorf....
in Germany as part of the British occupation force. The squadron was deployed to RAF Gatow
RAF Gatow
Known for most of its operational life as Royal Air Force Station Gatow, or more commonly RAF Gatow, this former British Royal Air Force military airbase is in the district of Gatow in south-western Berlin, west of the Havel river, in the borough of Spandau...
near Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
during November and December 1945. While it was intended that No. 451 and No. 453 Squadron
No. 453 Squadron RAAF
No. 453 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force air traffic control unit. It was first was formed at Bankstown in New South Wales on 23 May 1941 during World War II and was disbanded in March 1942 after suffering heavy losses in combat during the Battle of Malaya...
s would form a long-term Australian contribution to the occupation of Germany, insufficient RAAF personnel volunteered for this duty to make the deployment viable. As a result, No. 451 Squadron was disbanded at Wunstorf on 21 January 1946. During the war the squadron suffered 28 fatalities, 18 of them Australians.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1941 | January 1943 | Hawker Hurricane Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force... |
Mk.I |
| January 1943 | October 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIc |
| March 1943 | March 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s... |
Mk.Vc |
| June 1943 | October 1943 | Hawker Typhoon Hawker Typhoon The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied... |
Mk.Ib |
| December 1943 | October 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IX |
| August 1944 | October 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.VIII |
| December 1944 | January 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IXb |
| January 1945 | June 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.XVI |
| August 1945 | January 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | F.14 |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 February 1941 | 8 April 1941 | Bankstown, New South Wales Bankstown, New South Wales Bankstown is a suburb of south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bankstown is located 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Bankstown.-History:Prior to European... |
|
| 8 April 1941 | 5 May 1941 | en route to Middle East Middle East The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East... |
|
| 5 May 1941 | 12 May 1941 | RAF Kasfareet, Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world... |
|
| 12 May 1941 | 1 July 1941 | RAF Aboukir Abu Qir Abū Qīr is a village on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, northeast of Alexandria by rail, containing a castle used as a state prison by Muhammad Ali of Egypt.... , Egypt |
|
| 1 July 1941 | 10 October 1941 | Qasaba, Egypt | Dets. at LG.75, Egypt and LG.90, Egypt |
| 10 October 1941 | 24 November 1941 | LG.75, Egypt | Dets. at LG.131, Egypt; LG.132, Egypt and LG.148/Sidi Azeiz Airfield Sidi Azeiz Airfield Sidi Azeiz Airfield , or Sidi Azeis is an abandoned World War II military airfield in the eastern desert of Libya. It was located near the Egyptian border near Jabbanat Sidi, about 100 km west of Tobruk... , Egypt |
| 24 November 1941 | 25 November 1941 | LG.132, Egypt | |
| 25 November 1941 | 29 November 1941 | LG.75, Egypt | Det. at LG.128, Egypt |
| 29 November 1941 | 9 December 1941 | LG.128, Egypt | |
| 9 December 1941 | 18 December 1941 | LG145/146/El Gubbi, Libya Libya Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.... |
|
| 18 December 1941 | 24 December | LG.131, Egypt | |
| 24 December 1941 | 27 January 1942 | LG.148/Sidi Azeiz Airfield Sidi Azeiz Airfield Sidi Azeiz Airfield , or Sidi Azeis is an abandoned World War II military airfield in the eastern desert of Libya. It was located near the Egyptian border near Jabbanat Sidi, about 100 km west of Tobruk... , Egypt |
|
| 27 January 1942 | 16 February 1942 | RAF Heliopolis Heliopolis (Cairo Suburb) Modern Heliopolis is a district in Cairo, Egypt. The city was established in 1905 by the Heliopolis Oasis Company, headed by the Belgian industrialist Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Empain, as well as Boghos Nubar, son of the Egyptian Prime Minister Nubar Pasha.-History:The Baron Empain, a well known... , Egypt |
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| 16 February 1942 | 15 Augustus 1942 | Rayak Airfield Rayak Air Base Rayak Air Base is Lebanon's first air base and the place where the Lebanese Air Force was born on June 1, 1949. Located in the middle of the Bekaa Valley to the east, between the towns of Zahlé and Anjar, it symbolizes the Lebanese Air Force best and home for most of the aircraft types that have... , Lebanon Lebanon Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among... |
Dets. at RAF Nicosia RAF Nicosia The former Royal Air Force Station Nicosia, commonly known as RAF Nicosia, was a Royal Air Force airbase in Cyprus. RAF Nicosia was Headquarters Royal Air Force Cyprus from 8 June to 29 July 1941... , Cyprus Cyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the... ; Lakatamia Airfield, Cyprus; RAF Gaza Gaza Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,... , Palestine and RAF El Bassa Al-Bassa al-Bassa was a Palestinian Arab village in the British Mandate of Palestine's District of Acre. It was situated close to the Lebanese border, north of the district capital, Akko , and above sea level.-Name:... , Palestine |
| 15 August 1942 | 18 September 1942 | Estabel, Lebanon | Dets. at Lakatamia Airfield, Cyprus; RAF Gaza, Palestine and RAF El Bassa, Palestine |
| 18 September 1942 | 14 October 1942 | RAF El Bassa, Palestine | Dets. at Lakatamia Airfield, Cyprus and RAF Gaza, Palestine |
| 14 October 1942 | 14 November 1942 | Estabel, Lebanon | Dets. at Lakatamia Airfield, Cyprus and RAF Gaza, Palestine |
| 14 November 1942 | 1 January 1943 | RAF St Jean RAF St Jean RAF St Jean is a former military airfield in Israel, which is located approximately 4 km east-northeast of Acre and 100 km north-northeast of Tel Aviv.... , Palestine |
Det. at Lakatamia Airfield, Cyprus |
| 1 January 1943 | 8 February 1943 | LG.08/Mersah Matruh, Egypt | |
| 8 February 1943 | 27 August 1943 | RAF Idku Idku Idku, also spelt Edkou is a town in Al Buhayrah Governorate, Egypt.... , Egypt |
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| 27 August 1943 | 4 February 1944 | LG.106, Egypt | Dets. at RAF Almaza, Egypt and LG.08/Mersah Matruh, Egypt |
| 4 February 1944 | 18 April 1944 | El Gamil Airfield El Gamil El Gamil is a fortress with an airfield in Port Said Governorate, Egypt. It was the landing site of British paratroopers in the 1956 war.... , Egypt |
Det. at RAF Almaza, Egypt |
| 18 April 1944 | 23 May 1944 | Poretta Airfield, Corsica Corsica Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia.... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
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| 23 May 1944 | 8 July 1944 | Serragia Airfield Serragia Airfield Serragia Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in France, located approximately 26 km west-southwest of Porto-Vecchio on Corsica. Its last known use was by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force in 1944.... , Corsica, France |
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| 8 July 1944 | 25 August 1944 | Calvi-St Catherine Airfield, Corsica, France | |
| 25 August 1944 | 23 October 1944 | Y.13/Cuers-Pierrefeu Cuers Cuers is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-External links:****... , France |
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| 23 October 1944 | November 1944 | Gragnano Airfield Gragnano Gragnano is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 30 km southeast of Naples. As of 1 January 2007, it had a population of 29,818 and an area of 14.6 km². "A hill town wedged between a mountain crest and the Amalfi Coast," Gragnano is home some... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
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| November 1944 | 30 November 1944 | en route to the UK | arrival at Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... , Merseyside Merseyside Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool... |
| 2 December 1944 | 11 February 1945 | RAF Hawkinge RAF Hawkinge RAF Hawkinge was an airfield in Kent, near to the south coast and the closest airfield to the French coast.It took part in the Battle of Britain and it was home to No. 79 Squadron RAF. After the war, the station hosted the Home Command Gliding Centre, and is fondly remembered by many Air Cadets as... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of... |
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| 11 February 1945 | 23 February 1945 | RAF Manston RAF Manston RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long... , Kent |
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| 23 February 1945 | 24 February 1945 | RAF Matlaske RAF Matlaske RAF Matlaske was a satellite air station to RAF Coltishall of the Royal Air Force, situated near Matlaske in Norfolk, England. RAF Matlaske opened in 1940 and closed in 1945.-History:... , Norfolk Norfolk Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county... |
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| 24 February 1945 | 22 March 1945 | RAF Swannington RAF Swannington RAF Swannington was a World War II era airfield located just to the north of the Norfolk village of Swannington, England, also occupying a substantial part of the neighbouring parish of Brandiston. It was opened in April 1944 and sold in 1957, though the RAF left in November 1947. The site is now... , Norfolk |
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| 22 March 1945 | 6 April 1945 | RAF Matlaske, Norfolk | |
| 6 April 1945 | 3 May 1945 | RAF Lympne Lympne Airport Lympne Airport , , was a military and later civil airfield at Lympne, Kent, United Kingdom, which operated from 1916 to 1984. RFC Lympne was originally an acceptance point for aircraft being delivered to, and returning from, France during the First World War... , Kent |
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| 3 May 1945 | 17 May 1945 | RAF Hawkinge, Kent | |
| 17 May 1945 | 12 June 1945 | RAF Skeabrae, Orkney Islands Orkney Islands Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
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| 12 June 1945 | 14 September 1945 | RAF Lasham, Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force... |
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| 14 September 1945 | 27 September 1945 | B.152/Fassberg RAF Fassberg The former Royal Air Force Station Fassberg, more commonly known as RAF Fassberg, was a Royal Air Force airbase in Germany situated in the northern suburbs of Fassberg, Lower Saxony... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
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| 27 September 1945 | 28 November 1945 | B.116/Wunstorf Wunstorf Wunstorf is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the city of Wunstorf: Blumenau , Bokeloh, Grossenheidorn, Idensen , Klein Heidorn, Kolenfeld, Luthe, Mesmerode, Steinhude, Wunstorf.... , Germany |
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| 28 November 1945 | 30 December 1945 | RAF Gatow RAF Gatow Known for most of its operational life as Royal Air Force Station Gatow, or more commonly RAF Gatow, this former British Royal Air Force military airbase is in the district of Gatow in south-western Berlin, west of the Havel river, in the borough of Spandau... , Germany |
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| 30 December 1945 | 21 January 1946 | B.116/Wunstorf, Germany |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 25 February 1941 | 13 June 1941 | Pilot Officer Pilot Officer Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer... W.L. Langslow (acting) |
| 13 June 1941 | 24 June 1941 | Flight Lieutenant Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"... B.R. Pelly Blake Pelly Blake Raymond Pelly OBE was an Australian air force officer, politician and businessman, who represented the Liberal Party of Australia in New South Wales Parliament.... (acting) |
| 24 June 1941 | 16 October 1941 | Squadron Leader Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... V.A. Pope, DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... |
| 16 October 1941 | 25 February 1942 | Squadron Leader R.D. Williams, DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... |
| 25 February 1942 | 23 April 1942 | Squadron Leader A.D. Ferguson, DFC |
| 1 July 1942 | 21 April 1943 | Wing Commander D.R. Chapman |
| 21 April 1943 | 7 September 1943 | Squadron Leader J. Paine |
| 7 September 1943 | 1944 | Squadron Leader R.N.B. Stevens, DFC & Bar Medal bar A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the... |
| 1944 | 7 July 1944 | Squadron Leader E.E. Kirkham |
| 7 July 1944 | 17 July 1944 (KIA Killed in action Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to... ) |
Squadron Leader W.W.B. Gale |
| 26 July 1944 | 26 January 1945 | Squadron Leader G.W. Small, DFC |
| 26 January 1945 | 7 September 1945 | Squadron Leader C.W. Robertson, DFC |
| 7 September 1945 | 21 January 1946 | Squadron Leader G. Falconer |