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No. 454 Squadron RAAF
| No. 454 Squadron RAAF | |
|---|---|
 Members of No. 454 Squadron RAAF celebrate Anzac Day in Cesenatico, Italy | |
| Active | 23 May 1941 – 11 July 1941 2 April 1942 – 20 August 1945 |
| Country |  Australia |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Australian Air Force |
| Role | Bomber Squadron |
| Part of | No. 201 Group RAF, Middle East Command Desert Air Force |
| Battle honours |
|
| Aircraft flown | |
| Bomber | Bristol Blenheim Martin Baltimore |
No. 454 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force was formed during World War II. 454 Squadron came into existence at Williamtown in New South Wales on 23 May 1941. The squadron was raised under the Empire Air Training Scheme.
Contents[hide] |
History
Formation
The squadron was destined for service in Europe with the Royal Air Force. It was, however, disbanded on 11 July, and its personnel dispersed between 456, 457 and 458 Squadrons.
Middle East
454 Squadron was given a second lease of life on 30 September 1942 when it was reformed as a light bomber squadron at RAF Aqir in Palestine. It proceeded to Iraq where, equipped with Bristol Blenheims, it joined a force intended to counter German threat from the Caucasus. Based at Qaiyara, Iraq the squadron flew no operational missions and instead served to provide refresher training on the Blenheim for crews being posted to other RAF squadrons.
In February 1943 454 Squadron moved to RAF El Amiriya in Egypt, where it joined 201 Group of the RAF's Middle East Command. Having left its Blenheims in Iraq, the squadron was equipped with Martin Baltimores. It commenced operations as a maritime patrol squadron and spent the next 17 months working in this capacity over the Mediterranean Sea – its main targets were enemy submarines and merchant shipping. It was also used for long-range reconnaissance and occasionally employed in strikes against land targets in Crete and the Greek islands. During this period 454 Squadron operated from several airfields including Amiriya, LG.143/Gambut III, RAF St Jean and Berka III.
Italy
In July 1944 The squadron relocated to Pescara in Italy and joined the Desert Air Force. Its role now changed to providing air support for the ground forces engaged in the Italian campaign, generally in the form of concentrated pattern bombing. Operating from a succession of airfields, 454 Squadron earned a reputation for efficiency, despite Italy's climatic extremes. In addition to its ground support missions, the squadron also attacked targets, experimented with radar-controlled bombing techniques, and, in early 1945, harried the retreating German forces by night. The squadron's war ended with the surrender of German forces in Italy on 2 May 1945 and it was disbanded at Villaorba on 14 August 1945.
During the war the squadron suffered 60 Australian fatalities.[1]
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 1942 | January 1943 | Bristol Blenheim | Mk.IV |
| February 1943 | September 1943 | Martin Baltimore | Mk.III |
| June 1943 | December 1944 | Martin Baltimore | Mk.IV |
| October 1943 | August 1945 | Martin Baltimore | Mk.V |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 16 October 1942 | 16 November March 1943 | Squadron Leader Ian Lindsay Campbell, RAAF |
| 16 November April 1943 | 1 April 1944 | Wing Commander John Arthur Gordon Coates, CBE, DFC, MID, RAF |
| 1 April 1944 | 25 November 1944 | Wing Commander Milton 'Mike' Jeffery Moore, DFC, RAAF |
| 25 November 1944 | 18 May 1945 | Wing Commander Andrew Dil 'Pete' Henderson, OBE, MID, RAAF |
| 19 May 1945 | 14 August 1945 | Wing Commander John Gordon Rees, DFC, DFC(US), RAAF |
See also
Notes
- ^ Australian War Memorial: 454 Squadron RAAF, Accessed 25 October 2007
- ^ Moyes 1976, p. 252.
- ^ Halley 1988, p. 476.
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 94.
- ^ 454 Squadron: Our History
References
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Lax, Mark (2006) To The Alps: 454 Squadron RAAF 1941–1945.
- Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
External links
Related content
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- AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
- http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11151.asp
- Nil
- Nil
- 60 Australians killed
- 9 DFC
- AWM 64, RAAF formation and unit records
ORMF 0118, Roll 83
1/232 September - December 1942, August 1943 - December 1944
1/233 February 1943 - September 1944
1/234 Januray - March 1945
1/235 April 1945
1/236 Januray - August 1945
1/237 November - December 1944 - Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: a concise history. Volume 3, bomber units, (Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995).
- ........................................................................... RAAF MUSEUM
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No 454 Squadron
Formed without aircraft in New South Wales on 23 May 1941, No 454 Squadron personnel soon sailed for the Middle East, where it was to receive its aircraft. On arrival, however, the Squadron's personnel were dispersed to service Royal Air Force (RAF) Halifax and Liberator aircraft.
In September 1942, No 454 Squadron received its first Blenheims. However, the Unit continued its support role, providing refresher training for Blenheim crews prior to their postings to operational RAF Squadrons. Finally in January 1943, No 454 Squadron began active operations when it converted to Martin Baltimores and begun anti-submarine and shipping patrols.
On one its first missions, a single Baltimore was attacked by two German fighters. In a surprising turn of events the lumbering bomber, shot down one fighter and so badly damaged the other that it broke off the combat.
Unfortunately soon after this event, No 454 Squadron was to suffer its most disastrous operation of the War. During a specially requested low level attack against factories and road targets on the island of Crete, six out of eight Baltimores dispatched were shot down by anti-aircraft fire, while both surviving aircraft were seriously damaged.
In July 1944 RAAF Baltimores shadowed a convoy of three merchant vessels escorted by ten naval vessels. Despite a fighter escort that harried them and shot one Baltimore down, the Squadron maintained contact with the convoy until a strike force could be gathered. In the ensuing attack on the convoy, the Baltimores sunk one of the merchant ships.
After the Allied invasion of Italy, No 454 Squadron deployed Italy and began daylight bombing missions against targets in Italy and Yugoslavia.
By January 1945, the Squadron had switched to night operations. These missions were particularly hazardous and on one mission, a Baltimore returned to base holed in over one hundred and fifty places, with its starboard engine out of action and the entire crew wounded.
No 454 Squadron flew its last operational flights on 1 May and disbanded on 14 August 1945.
454 Squadron
RAAF
454 Squadron RAAF
454 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force was formed at Williamtown, New South Wales, on 23 May 1941. Formed in accordance with Article XV of the agreement implementing the Empire Air Training Scheme, the squadron was destined for service in Europe with Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF). It was, however, disbanded on 11 July, and its personnel dispersed between 456, 457 and 458 Squadrons. 454 Squadron was given a second lease of life on 30 September 1942 when it was reformed as a light bomber squadron at Aqir in Palestine. It proceeded almost immediately to Iran where, equipped with Bristol Blenheims, it joined a force intended to counter any German threat from the Caucusus. Based at Qaiyara, the squadron flew no operational missions and instead served to provide refresher training on the Blenheim for crews being posted to other RAF squadrons.
In January 1943 454 Squadron returned to Palestine, where it stopped briefly before moving on to Amiriya in Egypt in February, where it joined 201 Group of the RAF’s Middle East Command. Having left its Blenheims in Iran, the squadron was equipped with Martin Baltimores. It commenced operations as a maritime patrol squadron and spent the next 17 months working in this capacity over the Mediterranean - its main targets were enemy submarines and merchant shipping. It was also used for long-range reconnaissance and occasionally employed in strikes against land targets in Crete, southern Greece, and the Greek islands. During this period 454 Squadron operated from several airfields including Amiriya (16 February - 12 April 1943, 5 August - 20 October 1943), Gambut III, near Tobruk in Libya (13 April - 4 August 1943), and St Jean (21 October - 3 November 1943) and Berka III (4 November 1943 - 25 July 1944).
The squadron relocated to Pescara in Italy in July 1944 and joined the Desert Air Force. Its role now changed to providing air support for the ground forces engaged in the Italian campaign, generally in the form of concentrated pattern bombing. Operating from a succession of airfields (Pescara, 26 July - 17 August 1944; Falconara, 18 August 1944 - 6 December 1944; Cesenatico, 7 December 1944 - 15 May 1945; and Villaorba, 16 May - 14 August 1945), 454 Squadron earned a reputation for efficiency, despite Italy’s climatic extremes. In addition to its ground support missions, the squadron also attacked targets, experimented with radar-controlled bombing techniques, and, in early 1945, harried the retreating German forces by night. The squadron’s war ended with the surrender of German forces in Italy on 2 May 1945 and it was disbanded at Villaorba on 14 August 1945.
Squadron Motto
Squadron Code
Glossary
Equipment
Battle Honours
Casualties
For more information please see the Roll of Honour and Second World War Nominal Roll (external website) databases.
Commanding Officers
Decorations
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For more information please see Honours and Awards database
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