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6/17/2019 North-Western Area Command (RAAF) - Wikipedia
North-Western Area Command

(RAAF)
North-Western Area Com m and was one
North-Western Area Command
of sev eral geographically based commands
raised by the Roy al Australian Air Force
(RAAF) during World War II. Its wartime
sphere of operations included the Northern
Territory , adjacent portions of Queensland
and Western Australia, and the Dutch East
Indies. The command was formed in January
1942, following the outbreak of the Pacific
War, from the western part of Northern Area
Command, which had cov ered all of
northern Australia and Papua.
Headquartered at Darwin, North-Western
Area Command was initially responsible for
air defence, aerial reconnaissance and
protection of the sea lanes within its
boundaries.
In the official history of the RAAF in the

Pacific theatre, George Odgers described the
RAAF area commands in November 1942
North-Western Area Campaign as "almost
entirely an air war, with raid and counter- Active 1942–55
raid". [1 ] From 1943, North-Western Area Allegiance Australia
Command's role became increasingly Branch Royal Australian Air Force
offensiv e in nature, as the Allies began to
Role Air defence
adv ance in New Guinea and the Dutch East
Aerial reconnaissance
Indies. Its combat aircraft ranged from
Protection of adjacent sea lanes
single-engined fighters to heav y bombers,
Attacks on Japanese bases and
and were flown by Australian, British,
shipping
American and Dutch squadrons. The area
command continued to operate following the Garrison/HQ Darwin, Northern Territory
end of the war, but its assets and staffing Engagements World War II
were much reduced. Its responsibilities were Commanders
subsumed in February 1954 by the RAAF's
Notable Douglas Wilson (1942)
new functional commands: Home
commanders Frank Bladin (1942–43)
(operational), Training, and Maintenance
Adrian Cole (1943–44)
Commands. The area headquarters was
Alan Charlesworth (1944–46)
disbanded the following y ear.
Frank Headlam (1946)
Glen Cooper (1952–53)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North-Western_Area_Command_(RAAF) 1/14
Contents
History
World War II
Formation
1942–1943: Raids and counter-
raids
1943–1945: Offensive operations
Post-war activity and disbandment
Orders of battle
April 1942
April 1943
April 1944
Notes
References
Further reading
History
World War II
Formation
North-Western Area Command was formed at RAAF
Station Darwin, Northern Territory , on 15 January
1942, taking ov er the western portion of what was
Northern Area Command. [2 ][3 ] Northern Area had
been established on 8 May 1941 as one of the RAAF's
four geographically based command-and-control
zones, and cov ered northern New South Wales,
Queensland, the Northern Territory , and Papua. [4 ]
The roles of the area commands were air defence,
protection of adjacent sea lanes, and aerial
reconnaissance. Each was led by an Air Officer
Commanding (AOC) responsible for the administration
and operations of air bases and units within his
RAAF area commands in December 1941
boundary . [4 ][5 ]
The outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941 was

the cataly st for Northern Area being split into North-Western Area (NWA) and North-Eastern Area (NEA),
to counter distinct Japanese threats to Northern Australia and New Guinea, respectiv ely . [2 ][6 ] NWA's
inaugural AOC was Air Commodore Douglas Wilson. [7 ] His senior air staff officer was Group Captain
Frederick Scherger. [8 ] Headquarters staff numbered 137 , including 24 officers. [9 ]
On 15 January 1942, an Allied supreme command for South East Asia and the South West Pacific,
American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM), was formed with headquarters at Bandung in
Jav a. Fiv e day s later, the Australian War Cabinet officially transferred the operational control of northern
Australia between Onslow in Western Australia and the south-east edge of the Gulf of Carpentaria to
ABDACOM. [1 0 ][1 1 ] The Darwin area become an Allied air sub-command known as AUSGROUP, under
ABDACOM's air component, ABDAIR. [1 2 ] Following reports on 27 January that the formidable Japanese
combined carrier fleet had entered the Flores Sea, Wilson ordered the dispersal of assets at RAAF Darwin.
Repair and maintenance equipment and staff were mov ed to Daly Waters, almost 300 miles (480 km)
further south, but when Wilson also directed that fiv e obsolescent CAC Wirraway armed trainers mov e to
Daly Waters, he was ov erruled by the Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal William Bostock. [1 3 ] In
early February 1942, Air Commodore George Jones, soon to be appointed Chief of the Air Staff, inspected
NWA and found the morale and serv iceability of its combat units—Nos. 2, 12 and 13 Squadrons—to be
lacking. [1 4 ]
1942–1943: Raids and counter-raids

On 19 February 1942, NWA's complement of aircraft included sev enteen Lockheed Hudson light bombers
of Nos. 2 and 13 Squadrons based at Darwin and Daly Waters, fourteen Wirraway s of No. 12 Squadron
based at Darwin and Batchelor, and ten P-40 Kitty hawk fighters of the United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF) that were transitting through Darwin to Jav a. Half of the Hudsons were without crews, fiv e of the
Wirraway s were out of serv ice, and the Kitty hawk pilots were considered inexperienced. Wilson was
attending meetings at ABDACOM headquarters in Jav a, and Scherger was acting AOC. Just before 10 am,
Darwin suffered its first air raid by the Japanese, a force of 188 aircraft that bombed the harbour and
town. [1 5 ][1 6 ] A further attack by fifty -four bombers, directed mainly at the RAAF airfield, followed at
around midday . [1 7 ][1 8 ] The raids on 19 February destroy ed civ il and military infrastructure, twenty -
three aircraft and ten ships, and killed approximately 250 people; 27 8 RAAF personnel deserted Darwin
in an exodus that became known as the "Adelaide Riv er Stakes". [1 9 ][2 0 ] "There was", in Scherger's words,
"an awful panic and a lot of men simply went bush". [2 1 ] The Kitty hawks and anti-aircraft gunners were
credited with shooting down fiv e Japanese aircraft and probably destroy ing fiv e others. [2 2 ]
In the wake of the disaster, NWA headquarters mov ed

to a bush camp south of the RAAF Station, and the
senior leadership was changed. [1 9 ][2 3 ] Wilson and
Scherger were posted out, the latter in spite of being
praised for his actions during the attack by the Federal
gov ernment's commission of inquiry . [2 4 ][2 5 ]
ABDACOM was dissolv ed on 25 February , following
the collapse of Allied resistance in Malay a and the
Dutch East Indies. [2 6 ] Air Commodore Frank Bladin
took ov er as AOC NWA on 25 March, his initial
Explosion of an oil storage tank during the first
air raid on Darwin, 19 February 1942 objectiv es being to restore morale and deal with the
perceiv ed threat of an imminent inv asion, tasks
complicated by poor communications, transport and
early warning sy stems. [2 7 ][2 8 ] Proceeding to instigate more intense combat training and construct new
satellite airfields with which to disperse his forces, Bladin became, in the words of Air Force historian Alan
Stephens, "the RAAF's outstanding area commander of the war", and the first Australian in the Pacific
theatre to be decorated by the Americans when he was awarded the Silv er Star for gallantry after
[2 7 ]
personally leading a raid by USAAF B-17 Fly ing Fortresses on Celebes in the Dutch East Indies. [2 7 ]
Despite northern Australia's obv ious v ulnerability to attack, NWA was without a garrison of interceptors
until the arriv al in March and April of three squadrons of USAAF Kitty hawks comprising the 49th Pursuit
Group (soon redesignated the 49th Fighter Group) under the command of Colonel Paul
Wurtsmith. [2 9 ][3 0 ] The Darwin area suffered sixty -four air raids between February 1942 and Nov ember
1943. [3 1 ]
As of 20 April 1942, operational authority ov er all RAAF combat infrastructure, including area
commands, was inv ested in the newly established Allied Air Forces (AAF) Headquarters under South
West Pacific Area Command (SWPA). [3 2 ][3 3 ] NWA's boundaries were fine-tuned in August: as well as
cov ering the Northern Territory , the command took responsibility for the portion of Western Australia
north of a line drawn south-east from Y ampi Sound to the Northern Territory border, and part of
Queensland adjacent to the Barkly Tableland. [3 4 ] The 49th Fighter Group flew its final sorties in August
and transferred to New Guinea the following month, hav ing claimed sev enty -nine Japanese aircraft
destroy ed for the loss of twenty -one Kitty hawks. [3 5 ] NWA's two Hudson squadrons had meanwhile
conducted unescorted bombing missions against Japanese bases and shipping in the Timor and Arafura
Seas, and in support of Sparrow Force on Timor. [3 6 ][3 7 ] Three RAAF fighter squadrons—Nos. 7 6 and 7 7
equipped with Kitty hawks and No. 31 equipped with Bristol Beaufighters—arriv ed in September and
October. [3 8 ] September also saw the formation of RAAF Command under Bostock, to ov ersee the
majority of Australian fly ing units in the SWPA. [3 9 ][4 0 ] Bostock exercised ov erall control of air
operations through the area commands, although RAAF Headquarters continued to hold administrativ e
authority ov er Australian units. [4 1 ] Bladin's remit was to defend the Northern Territory , the northern
coast of Western Australia, and the Torres Strait, protecting the flank of General Douglas MacArthur's
offensiv es in New Guinea. Bostock was to coordinate operations when they inv olv ed more than one area
command, for instance when the fighter squadrons of both NWA and NEA were required to repulse a
major attack. [4 2 ]
By December 1942, NWA's fly ing units included six RAAF

squadrons operating mainly Kitty hawks, Beaufighters,
Hudsons, and Vultee Vengeance div e bombers, as well as
No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, which flew
Wirraway s, Brewster Buffalos, P-38 Lightnings and P-43
Lancers, and operated out of the Darwin area (as No. 87
Squadron from September 1944) for the rest of the
war. [4 3 ][4 4 ] These units were soon augmented by one
squadron each of Australian-Dutch East Indies B-25 Mitchell
medium bombers and USAAF B-24 Liberator heav y
bombers, with which NWA was able to conduct heav ier
strikes against Japanese forces north of Australia. [2 7 ][4 3 ]
Also in December, No. 34 (Transport) Squadron, which had
been formed under NWA's control in Darwin four day s after
the first air raid, transferred its aircraft to the newly formed
No. 6 Communications Unit, which remained in the Northern
Territory until disbanding shortly after the end of Air Commodore Bladin (right) as AOC
hostilities. [4 5 ][4 6 ] No. 44 RDF Wing was formed under NWA NWA, with a Dutch officer, 1943
at Adelaide Riv er on 14 December. [4 7 ][4 8 ] It was
responsible for the radar stations that prov ided early
[4 7 ][4 9 ]
warning of Japanese attacks. [4 7 ][4 9 ] The wing coordinated air defence in the region with No. 5 Fighter
Sector Headquarters. [4 8 ]
As raids continued into 1943, Bladin placed his bombers inland and his fighters close to the coast, where
they could intercept the attackers. [5 0 ] No. 61 (Works) Wing was responsible for airfield construction
squadrons and their support units. [4 7 ] Works squadrons constructed or improv ed airfields at Cooomalie,
Millingimbi, Fenton, Long, and Darwin. [5 1 ] According to historian Chris Coulthard-Clark, NWA was "one
of the few areas where the RAAF was free to run its own show" in World War II. [5 2 ] Bladin often employ ed
his own judgement in selecting targets for offensiv e strikes, as detailed directiv es from superior
headquarters were not alway s forthcoming. [5 3 ] On 27 February , acting on intercepted radio
transmissions, he launched a raid on Penfui airfield near Koepang, destroy ing or damaging twenty -two
Japanese bombers that were expected to make a major raid on Darwin. [5 4 ]
To help protect northern Australia from ongoing air attack, three squadrons of Supermarine Spitfire
fighters were transferred from the United Kingdom and became operational in March 1943 as No. 1
Fighter Wing RAAF under Group Captain Allan Walters. [4 3 ] A major engagement ov er Darwin on 2 May
resulted in the loss of fiv e Spitfires during combat, and sev eral others in forced landings owing to fuel
starv ation or engine failure, for the destruction of one Japanese bomber and fiv e fighters. Bladin
immediately ordered a retaliatory Beaufighter strike led by Wing Commander Charles Read against Penfui
airfield, on the assumption—which prov ed to be correct—that this was where the Japanese raiders were
based; four enemy aircraft were destroy ed on the ground. [5 4 ][5 5 ] Between March and May 1943, the
number of sorties flown by NWA's combat squadrons rose from 211 to 469. The Allies claimed a total of
forty -six Japanese aircraft destroy ed for the loss of thirty of their own on operations, sev enteen to enemy
action and thirteen from other causes. [5 6 ] On 17 June, under the command of Group Captain Cliv e
Caldwell, No. 1 Wing recorded NWA's most successful interception to date, claiming fourteen Japanese
raiders destroy ed and ten damaged, for the loss of two Spitfires. [5 7 ] The same month, the USAAF's
380th Bombardment Group, consisting of four squadrons of Liberators, came under NWA's control,
enhancing its strategic strike capability . [5 8 ] By this time, NWA headquarters staff numbered 385,
including 96 officers. [5 9 ]
1943–1945: Offensive operations

Bladin handed ov er NWA to Air Vice Marshal Adrian Cole in July 1943. Cole reported that the command
was "well organised, keen and in good shape", but considered its air defence capability inadequate,
recommending augmentation by long-range fighters such as Lightnings. He nev ertheless had to make do
with the three Spitfire squadrons of No. 1 Fighter Wing, and the possibility of calling on the USAAF's Fifth
Air Force for reinforcements as necessary . [6 0 ] Hav ing started out as a primarily defensiv e command, by
mid-1943 NWA was able to support Allied adv ances in New Guinea. As well as the protection of Northern
Australia, the command was responsible for attacking Japanese bases and shipping. [6 1 ] During August
and September, Cole reduced regular reconnaissance missions to maximise his bombing effort, following
a request from MacArthur to prov ide all av ailable support for Allied assaults on Lae–Nadzab; NWA
Liberators, Hudsons, Beaufighters and PBY Catalinas carried out raids to destroy Japanese bases and
aircraft, and div ert enemy forces from Allied adv ances. [6 2 ] No. 7 9 Wing was established under the aegis
of NWA at Batchelor on 30 Nov ember 1943. Consisting of four attack squadrons fly ing Bristol Beauforts,
Mitchells and Beaufighters, it was commanded by Group Captain Charles Eaton. [6 3 ]
By December 1943, the character of the air war in

northern Australia had changed markedly , as the
Japanese were no longer able to mount air raids
against Darwin; rather than merely securing NWA,
Cole was keen to adopt an offensiv e strategy in the
Dutch East Indies. [6 4 ] According to Dav id Horner, "In
the sense that he had to plan and conduct his own
campaign, the AOC Northwestern Area was one of the
RAAF's few operational lev el commanders, ev en if the
campaign was somewhat static and limited". [6 1 ]
During March and April 1944, NWA controlled
Air Vice Marshal Cole (left) as AOC NWA, at thirteen squadrons, including those of No. 7 9 Wing,
Adelaide River, Northern Territory, September and supported amphibious operations against
1943
Hollandia and Aitape. [6 5 ] No. 61 Wing was ordered to
build a 10,000-foot (3,000 m) runway at Darwin to
accommodate USAAF B-29 Superfortress heav y bombers for operations against oil refineries in
Balikpapan, but the deploy ment nev er went ahead. [6 6 ]
NWA's aircraft bombed Surabay a as part of Operation Transom in May 1944. [6 7 ] No. 7 9 Wing took part in
the Allied attack on Noemfoor in June and July ; sorties by all NWA aircraft in July totalled 7 04. [6 8 ]
No. 7 9 Wing was subsequently earmarked for transfer from NWA to Northern Command (formerly No. 9
Operational Group) in Papua New Guinea, to undertake operations against the Japanese in New
Britain. [6 9 ] No. 1 Wing receiv ed two fresh British squadrons of Spitfires in July , to replace two Australian
squadrons that had been transferred to No. 80 Wing, which had formed in Darwin for a planned assault on
Selaru that did not ev entuate. [7 0 ][7 1 ] No. 44 Wing was disbanded on 22 August 1944, and its radar
stations transferred to other units in the area. [4 8 ] The same month, No. 61 Wing departed the Northern
Territory for Morotai Island, where it later came under the control of the RAAF's main mobile strike
force, First Tactical Air Force. [6 9 ][7 2 ]
In September 1944, Cole handed NWA ov er to Air Commodore Alan Charlesworth. [7 3 ] At this stage of the
war, the Allies were adv ancing north and the tempo of operations in the Darwin area had decreased. [7 4 ]
Group Captain Peter Jeffrey led No. 1 Wing to the Tanimbar Islands and strafed targets in Selaru, but told
Caldwell that he considered the raid a wasted effort and had only undertaken it to boost the spirit of his
pilots. [7 5 ] Charlesworth raised concerns regarding No. 80 Wing, warning higher command that its morale
would drop if it was not either giv en a more activ e role in the war or transferred to southern Australia for
rest. [7 6 ] By October, the wing had receiv ed orders to depart NWA for Morotai to join the First Tactical
Air Force; this left NWA with twelv e squadrons at its disposal, including one Liberator unit and three
other Spitfire squadrons. [6 9 ][7 7 ] In the meantime, NWA supported the assault on Ley te with attacks on
ports, oil facilities, and shipping in the Dutch East Indies using Beaufighters, Mitchells, and Liberators.
These operations continued through Nov ember and December. [7 8 ] No. 31 Squadron transferred from
Coomalie to the First Tactical Air Force on Morotai in December. [7 9 ] By then, NWA headquarters staff
numbered 651, including 156 officers. [8 0 ]
The same month Charlesworth assumed command, No. 7 6 Wing arriv ed from Cairns, Queensland, to
coordinate and control minelay ing operations in NWA by three Catalina squadrons. [7 4 ] The Catalinas
mined Manila Bay in December 1944, to support the Allied landing at Mindoro. [8 1 ] No. 82 (Heav y
Bomber) Wing—the RAAF's first—became operational under NWA's control at Fenton Airfield on
11 January 1945. Comprising two Liberator

squadrons, the wing replaced the USAAF's 380th
Group when the latter was transferred to the Fifth
Air Force in the Philippines. The Liberators of
No. 82 Wing sank sev en Japanese ships in the Dutch
East Indies during March. [8 2 ][8 3 ] On 6 April, all of
its av ailable aircraft joined Mitchells of No. 7 9
Wing in an assault on a Japanese conv oy that
included the cruiser Isuzu. Anti-aircraft fire and
attacks by enemy fighters resulted in the loss of two
Liberators; Allied submarines sank the damaged
Isuzu the following day . [8 4 ]
Air Vice Marshal Charlesworth (centre) as AOC
NWA and Group Captain Headlam (second right)
Another squadron of Liberators was added to
welcome repatriated POWs to Darwin, September
No. 82 Wing's strength in late-April 1945. [8 5 ] The 1945
bombers attacked targets in Jav a in the lead-up to
Operation Oboe One, the inv asion of Tarakan,
which commenced on 1 May . [8 6 ] During this and the two subsequent Oboe operations, the inv asions of
Labuan and Balikpapan, NWA was responsible for mining operations, conv oy escort, aerial
reconnaissance, and attacks on Japanese bases and troops. [8 7 ] No. 7 6 Wing's Catalinas mined harbours as
far north as Hong Kong and the Gulf of Hainan, China. [5 2 ] By July , NWA had been denuded of much of its
offensiv e capability as Nos. 7 9 and 82 Wings had been transferred to the First Tactical Air Force in
Morotai. No. 85 Wing was formed the same month under NWA's control; it comprised two Liberator
squadrons but only one became operational before the end of the Pacific War. [8 8 ][8 9 ]
Post-war activity and disbandment

On 2 September 1945, following the end of the
Pacific War, South West Pacific Area was dissolv ed
and the RAAF again assumed full control of all its
operational elements. [9 0 ] The Air Force shrank
dramatically as personnel were demobilised and
units disbanded; most of the RAAF's bases and
aircraft employ ed in operations after the war were
situated within Eastern Area's sphere of control in
New South Wales and southern Queensland. [9 1 ]
Darwin's Liberator and Catalina squadrons were
mainly used for repatriating Australian prisoners of
war. [8 9 ][9 2 ] No. 7 6 and 85 Wings were disbanded
in Nov ember. [9 3 ] Darwin would subsequently
function mainly as a transit centre and a base for
RAAF area commands in 1947; the geographical
peacetime exercises, rather than as a permanent
boundaries remained in place until superseded by
station for fly ing squadrons. [9 4 ] Charlesworth a functional control system commencing in 1953
continued to serv e as AOC NWA until January
1946, when Group Captain Frank Headlam,
formerly NWA's senior administrativ e staff officer, took ov er as officer commanding (OC). Headlam
remained in command until October, by which time the headquarters staff numbered 108, including 23
officers. [9 5 ]
In September 1946, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal George Jones, proposed reducing the fiv e
extant mainland area commands (North-Western, North-Eastern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Areas)
to three: Northern Area, cov ering Queensland and the Northern Territory ; Eastern Area, cov ering New
South Wales; and Southern Area, cov ering Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. The
Australian Gov ernment rejected the plan and the wartime area command boundaries essentially
remained in place. [9 6 ][9 7 ]
Between October 1949 and February 1950, NWA hosted its largest exercise since the war when No. 82
Wing Av ro Lincolns, specially modified with adv anced radar and other instrumentation, flew into and out
of Darwin as part of Operation Cumulativ e, a joint program with the Roy al Air Force gathering long-range
nav igation and bombing data for use in potential air campaigns against the Sov iet Union. [9 8 ][9 9 ] Wing
Commander Glen Cooper serv ed as OC NWA from September 1952 to December 1953. [1 0 0 ] Commencing
in October 1953, the RAAF was reorganised from a geographically based command-and-control sy stem
into one based on function. In February 1954, the newly constituted functional organisations—Home,
Training, and Maintenance Commands—assumed control of all Air Force operations, training and
maintenance from North-Western Area Command. [5 ][1 0 1 ] NWA headquarters remained in existence but
only , according to the Melbourne Argus, as one of Home Command's "remote control points". [1 0 2 ] The
headquarters was disbanded on 29 June 1955. [9 3 ]
Orders of battle
April 1942
As at April 1942, NWA controlled the following
fly ing squadrons:[1 0 3 ][1 0 4 ]
No. 2 Squadron, equipped with Hudson general-

reconnaissance bombers, based at Daly
Waters[105]
No. 12 Squadron, equipped with Wirraway general-
purpose aircraft, based at Batchelor[106]
No. 13 Squadron, equipped with Hudsons, based
at Daly Waters[107]
No. 34 Squadron, equipped with Dragon and P-40 Kittyhawks of the 8th Squadron, 49th Fighter
Anson transports, based at Daly Waters[108] Group USAAF, at Darwin in 1942
49th Fighter Group USAAF
7th Fighter Squadron USAAF, equipped with

Kittyhawk fighters, based at Batchelor[109]
8th Fighter Squadron USAAF, equipped with Kittyhawks, based at Darwin[110]
9th Fighter Squadron USAAF, equipped with Kittyhawks, based at Darwin[111]
April 1943
As at April 1943, NWA controlled the following fly ing squadrons:[4 7 ]
No. 1 Fighter Wing
No. 54 Squadron RAF, equipped with Spitfire

fighters, based at Darwin
No. 452 Squadron, equipped with Spitfires,
based at Strauss
based at Livingstone
No. 2 Squadron, equipped with Hudsons, based at
Hughes
No. 12 Squadron, equipped with Vengeance dive
bombers, based at Batchelor
No. 13 Squadron, equipped with Hudsons, based
at Hughes
No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron,
equipped with Mitchell medium bombers, based at
McDonald
No. 31 Squadron, equipped with Beaufighter long-
range fighters, based at Coomalie NWA airfields as at April 1943
319th Bombardment Squadron USAAF, equipped
with Liberator heavy bombers, based at Fenton
April 1944
As at April 1944, NWA controlled the following
fly ing squadrons:[6 3 ]
No. 1 Fighter Wing
No. 54 Squadron RAF, equipped with Spitfires,

based at Darwin
based at Strauss
based at Livingstone
Spitfires over NWA c. 1944
No. 43 Squadron, equipped with Catalina long-
range minelayers, based in Darwin Harbour
No. 83 Squadron, equipped with Boomerang
fighters, based at Gove
No. 79 Wing
No. 1 Squadron, equipped with Beaufort general-reconnaissance bombers, based at Gould

No. 2 Squadron, equipped with Beauforts, based at Hughes
No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron, equipped with Mitchells, based at Batchelor
No. 31 Squadron, equipped with Beaufighters, based at Coomalie
380th Bombardment Group USAAF
528th Bombardment Squadron USAAF, equipped with Liberators, based at Fenton

529th Bombardment Squadron USAAF, equipped with Liberators, based at Long
530th Bombardment Squadron USAAF, equipped with Liberators, based at Fenton
531th Bombardment Squadron USAAF, equipped with Liberators, based at Long
Notes
1. Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p. 42

2. Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, p. 311
3. North-Western Area Headquarters, Operations Record Book , p. 1
4. Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 91–92
5. "Organising for war: The RAAF air campaigns in the Pacific" (http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PD
F-Files/Pathfinder/PF121-Organising-for-War-The-RAAF-Air-Campaigns-in-the-Pacific.pdf) (PDF). Pathfinder.
No. 121. Air Power Development Centre. October 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
6. Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 111–112
7. Ashworth, How Not to Run an Air Force, pp. 290, 304
8. Stephens, The RAAF in the Southwest Pacific Area, p. 17
11. Ashworth, How Not to Run an Air Force, p. 53
13. Hall, Darwin 1942, p. 108
14. Helson, The Private Air Marshal, p. 145
16. Grose, An Awk ward Truth, pp. 35, 53, 81
18. Grose, An Awk ward Truth, p. 132
20. Grose, An Awk ward Truth, pp. 225–231
21. Lockwood, Australia Under Attack , p. 133
24. Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 138
26. Dennis, P.; Grey, J.; Morris, E.; Prior, R.; Bou, J. (2008). "ABDA (American-British-Dutch-Australian)
command" (https://www-oxfordreference-com.rp.nla.gov.au/view/10.1093/acref/9780195517842.001.0001/acre
f-9780195517842-e-2). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History. Oxford University Press.
Retrieved 18 May 2019.
30. Johnston, Whispering Death, pp. 133–136
31. Johnston, Whispering Death, pp. 133, 310
33. Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 15–16
36. Johnston, Whispering Death, pp. 138–139
40. Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 4–6]

42. Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 39, 42
44. RAAF Historical Section, Bomber Units, pp. 93–94
46. RAAF Historical Section, Maritime and Transport Units, pp. 41, 128
48. Hall, A Saga of Achievement, pp. 211–212
49. "Williamtown RAAF 70 years celebration" (http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1288659/gallery-williamtown-ra
af-70-years-celebration/). Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Media. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
51. Wilson, Always First, pp. 31–36
71. Thomas, Spitfire Aces of Burma and the Pacific, p. 77
75. Alexander, Clive Caldwell, p. 164
77. Odgers, Air Force Australia, p. 121
78. Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 301–302, 313–316
82. Nelmes, Tocumwal to Tarak an, p. 91

85. Nelmes, Tocumwal to Tarak an, pp. 107–109
87. Waters, Oboe, pp. iii, 124
89. RAAF Historical Section, Bomber Units, pp. 36, 97
91. Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 11–12, 72–73
92. RAAF Historical Section, Maritime and Transport Units, pp. 29, 79
93. "Headquarters" (http://clik.dva.gov.au/history-library/part-3-order-battle/ch-2-order-battle-air-force/s-2-headqua
rters). Order of Battle – Air Force. Department of Veterans' Affairs. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
94. Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 282
96. Helson, The Private Air Marshal, pp. 321–325
97. Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 68, 462
98. Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 445–449
99. North-Western Area Headquarters, Operations Record Book , pp. 228, 230, 240
100. North-Western Area Headquarters, Operations Record Book , pp. 300, 324
101. Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 73–76, 462–463
102. "Battle 'nerve-centre' goes north: RAAF fighting control shifted from here" (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23
429331). The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 21 May 1954. p. 5. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
104. Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 559, 562
105. RAAF Historical Section, Bomber Units, p. 9
108. RAAF Historical Section, Maritime and Transport Units, p. 41
109. Maurer, Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, p. 43
References
Alexander, Kristen (2006). Clive Caldwell: Air Ace. Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-
74114-705-0.
Ashworth, Norman (2000). How Not to Run an Air Force! Volume 1 – Narrative (http://airpower.airforce.gov.a
u/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Heritage%20Series/HTG12-How-Not-To-Run-An-Air-Force!-Volume-1.pdf) (PDF).
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 (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070209/). Canberra: Australian War
Memorial. OCLC 2000369 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2000369).
Grose, Peter (2009). An Awk ward Truth: The Bombing of Darwin, February 1942. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
ISBN 978-1-74237-607-3.
Hall, E.R. (1978). A Saga of Achievement: A Story of the Men and Women Who Maintained and Operated
Radio and Radar Systems of the RAAF Over 50 Years. Box Hill North, Victoria: Bonall. ISBN 0-9595927-0-9.
Hall, Timothy (2015) [1980]. Darwin 1942: Australia Dark est Hour. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge.
ISBN 978-1-138-91276-2.
Helson, Peter (2010). The Private Air Marshal (http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Histori

cal%20Publications/HIST21-The-Private-Air-Marshal-A-Biography-of-Air-Marshal-Sir-Geoge-Jones.pdf) (PDF).
Canberra: Air Power Development Centre. ISBN 978-1-920800-50-5.
Johnston, Mark (2011). Whispering Death: Australian Airmen in the Pacific War. Crows Nest, New South
Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-74175-901-3.
Lockwood, Peter (2005) [1966]. Australia Under Attack : The Bombing of Darwin 1942. Chatswood, New
South Wales: New Holland. ISBN 978-1-74110-269-7.
Maurer, Maurer (ed.) (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (https://web.archive.or
g/web/20090325124757/http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.p
df) (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
Nelmes, Michael V. (1994). Tocumwal to Tarak an: Australians and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator.
Belconnen, Australian Capital Territory: Banner Books. ISBN 1-875593-04-7.
North-Western Area Headquarters (1942–55). Operations Record Book (http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/script
s/Imagine.asp?B=1359523). RAAF Unit History Sheets. Canberra: National Archives of Australia.
Odgers, George (1968) [1957]. Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume II – Air War
Against Japan 1943–1945 (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070210/). Canberra: Australian War
Memorial. OCLC 246580191 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/246580191).
RAAF Historical Section (1995). Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 3:
Bomber Units. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42795-7.
RAAF Historical Section (1995). Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 4:
Maritime and Transport Units. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42796-5.
Stephens, Alan (ed.) (1993). The RAAF in the Southwest Pacific Area 1942–1945 (http://airpower.airforce.go
v.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Conference%20Proceedings/CONF04-RAAF-History-Conference-1993-The-RAA
F-in-the-SouthWest-Pacific-Area.pdf) (PDF). Canberra: RAAF Air Power Studies Centre. ISBN 0-642-19827-
6.
Stephens, Alan (1995). Going Solo: The Royal Australian Air Force 1946–1971. Canberra: Australian
Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42803-1.
Stephens, Alan (2006) [2001]. The Royal Australian Air Force: A History. London: Oxford University Press.
ISBN 0-19-555541-4.
Thomas, Andrew (2009). Spitfire Aces of Burma and the Pacific. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-
84603-422-0.
Waters, Gary (1995). Oboe – Air Operations Over Borneo 1945 (http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/
PDF-Files/Historical%20Publications/HIST05-OBOE-Air-Operations-Over-Borneo-1945.pdf) (PDF). Canberra:
Air Power Studies Centre. ISBN 0-642-22590-7.
Wilson, David (1998). Always First: The RAAF Airfield Construction Squadrons 1942–1974 (http://airpower.ai
rforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Historical%20Publications/HIST08-Always-First-The-RAAF-Airfield-Con
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Further reading
Cooper, Anthony (2011). Darwin Spitfires: The Real Battle for Australia. Sydney: University of New South
Wales Press. ISBN 978-1-74223-227-0.
Helson, Peter (1997). The Forgotten Air Force: The Establishment and Employment of Australian Air Power
in the North-Western Area, 1941–1945 (http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/38719) (Masters thesis). Canberra:
Australian Defence Force Academy. OCLC 224054611 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/224054611).
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6/17/2019 North-Western Area Command (RAAF) - Wikipedia

North-Western Area Command

In the official history of the RAAF in the

The outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941 was

1942–1943: Raids and counter-raids

In the wake of the disaster, NWA headquarters mov ed

By December 1942, NWA's fly ing units included six RAAF

1943–1945: Offensive operations

By December 1943, the character of the air war in

11 January 1945. Comprising two Liberator

Post-war activity and disbandment

No. 2 Squadron, equipped with Hudson general-

7th Fighter Squadron USAAF, equipped with

No. 1 Fighter Wing

No. 54 Squadron RAF, equipped with Spitfire

No. 1 Fighter Wing

No. 54 Squadron RAF, equipped with Spitfires,

No. 1 Squadron, equipped with Beaufort general-reconnaissance bombers, based at Gould

528th Bombardment Squadron USAAF, equipped with Liberators, based at Fenton

1. Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p. 42

41. Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 144–145

84. Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 405–409

Helson, Peter (2010). The Private Air Marshal (http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Histori

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This page was last edited on 13 June 2019, at 00:05 (UTC).

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