Gordon Steege
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore
Gordon Henry Steege DSO
, DFC
(born 30 October 1917) is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF). He became a fighter ace
in World War II
, credited with eight aerial victories. Joining the RAAF in July 1937, Steege first saw action with No. 3 Squadron
in the Middle East
, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
after shooting down three German aircraft in a single sortie
. He rose to command No. 450 Squadron
in the Desert Air Force
, before being posted to the South West Pacific
, where he led Nos. 73
and 81 Wings
. He earned the Distinguished Service Order
for his "outstanding leadership", and finished the war a temporary Group Captain
.
Resigning his commission following the end of World War II, Steege rejoined the RAAF during the Korean War
, and briefly took command of No. 77 Squadron
late in 1951. Returning to Australia, he held senior administrative and training posts in Canberra
, before taking charge of RAAF Base Canberra
in 1957. In the 1960s he was appointed to various planning positions, followed by command of RAAF Base Amberley
, Queensland, and later RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia. Having been raised to Air Commodore, his final appointment before retiring in 1972 was on the staff of Headquarters Operational Command (now Air Command
) at RAAF Base Glenbrook
, New South Wales.
on 31 October 1917, Gordon Steege was educated at North Sydney Boys High School
. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) on 21 July 1937, undergoing flight instruction at No. 1 Flying Training School
, RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria. Graduating as a Pilot Officer
in June 1938, he was posted to No. 3 Squadron
at RAAF Station Richmond
, New South Wales, flying Hawker Demon fighters. He was promoted to Flying Officer
in December 1938. Following the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, he spent six months as an adjutant
with the newly formed No. 11 Squadron
, which operated the Short Type C
. He returned to No. 3 Squadron in May 1940, was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
the following month, and shipped out to the Middle East
with his unit on 15 July.
biplane, Steege scored his first aerial victory in the North African campaign
when he shot down an Italian Fiat CR.42
on 10 December 1940; he also claimed a "probable" in the same action. Three days later he shared in three more "kills", two CR.42s and a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
. After No. 3 Squadron converted to Hawker Hurricane
s, Steege shot down three Junkers Ju 87s in a single sortie near Mersa Matruh on 18 February 1941, to become his unit's second "ace"
. Following this exploit, and the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf 110 on 3 April, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
. The recommendation noted his "unfailing courage", and the award was gazetted
on 11 April.
Raised to acting Squadron Leader
, Steege was given command of the newly established No. 450 Squadron
at Rayak
, Lebanon, on 31 May 1941. The assignment was a challenging one, as the operational requirements of existing forces, and the RAAF Air Board's insistence on staffing Article XV squadrons
such as No. 450 with Australian Empire Air Training Scheme
aircrew rather than Permanent Air Force members, meant that the unit was short of experienced pilots. By December, however, the squadron was up to nominal strength and equipped with P-40 Kittyhawks; it began combat operations out of Gambut
and El Adem
, Libya, registering victories from February 1942. Steege himself scored a confirmed victory over a Messerschmitt Bf 109
on 28 March. He returned to Australia as a temporary Wing Commander
later that year, having been Mentioned in Despatches on 24 September 1941. His final tally of victories was eight enemy aircraft destroyed, two probables and five damaged.
Steege undertook courses and held commands at various Fighter Sector Headquarters in Australia during 1943, until being posted for action in the South West Pacific
. That October, he assumed command of No. 73 Wing
, consisting of two P-40 Kittyhawk squadrons and a Spitfire
squadron operating out of Kiriwina
, New Guinea. As part of the build-up to the Battle of Arawe
in December, the Kittyhawks launched a series of assaults on Gasmata
; three days before the Allied landings, Steege personally led a force of thirty-four aircraft in a bombing and strafing attack on the town's landing strip. In January 1944, the wing took part in the two largest raids mounted by the RAAF to that time, each involving over seventy aircraft attacking enemy camps and depots at Lindenhafen, New Britain
. Steege was promoted acting Group Captain
the following month; the rank was made temporary in July.
As part of the RAAF's contribution to the Admiralty Islands campaign
, Steege led No. 73 Wing on garrison duty at Los Negros
commencing in March 1944. The wing's combat squadrons—Nos. 76, 77 and 79—were supported by No. 49 Operational Base Unit, No. 114 Mobile Fighter Sector, No. 27 Air Stores Park and No. 26 Medical Clearing Station, among other ancillaries. The fighters’ main duty was providing cover for Allied shipping; they also carried out bomber escort, ground attack and anti-shipping missions. In mid-April, the wing escorted the largest Allied convoy in the South-West Pacific to that date, 80 ships carrying 30,000 personnel, from Finschhafen
to Aitape
. On 11 April, Steege was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
for his "outstanding leadership". Completing their garrison work in the Admiralties that June, No. 73 Wing's Kittyhawk units were transferred during August–September to No. 81 Wing
on Noemfoor
under Steege's command, becoming part of No. 10 Operational Group (renamed the Australian First Tactical Air Force
in October 1944). In January 1945, Steege was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Eastern Area Command, Sydney
, before posting to RAAF Headquarters, Melbourne
, in May. During June–December, he attended the Army and Navy Staff College
in Washington, D.C.
, taking charge of RAAF Station Schofields
in September 1950, before commencing jet training in March the following year. On 16 August 1951, he was posted to Kimpo, South Korea, as commander of No. 77 Squadron
, shortly after its conversion from P-51 Mustangs to Gloster Meteor
s. One of his first actions, following discussions with the US Fifth Air Force
, was to take the Australian unit out of its then-current air-to-air combat role, and curtail its operations in "MiG Alley
". Two encounters between No. 77 Squadron and Chinese MiG-15s
had convinced Steege that the straight-winged Meteors were outclassed as fighters by the swept-wing MiGs. His decision caused controversy as some Allied commanders believed that proper training and tactics would have allowed the Meteor to remain competitive as a fighter, while for the Australian pilots the change of role amounted to a loss of prestige. However Steege was backed up by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal George Jones
, and the squadron was relegated mainly to escort duty and local air defence. Morale suffered and it was not until after Steege's departure on 26 December that a suitable offensive role was again found for the Meteors, namely ground attack.
After returning to Australia, Steege held senior appointments at the School of Land/Air Warfare from February 1952, the Department of Air in Canberra
from August that year, and Headquarters Training Command commencing in August 1955. In May 1957 he took command of RAAF Base Canberra
, Australian Capital Territory. He was promoted to acting Group Captain
in May 1958 (substantive two months later), before becoming Senior Planner at the SEATO
Military Planning Office, Bangkok, in December 1958. Steege returned to the Department of Air in December 1961, where he rose to Director of Plans. Promoted to Air Commodore
, he was appointed Officer Commanding (OC) RAAF Base Amberley
, Queensland, in November 1964, and OC RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia, in May 1967. He then served as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Operational Command (now Air Command
) in RAAF Base Glenbrook
, New South Wales, from May 1970 until retiring from the Air Force on 31 October 1972. In retirement Steege maintained his connection with No. 450 Squadron through its association of former members; as a guest at the 1994 RAAF History Conference in Canberra he spoke at length on the difficulties of establishing the unit in the Middle East in 1941. In 2010, he joined three of his fellow members of No. 3 Squadron who shipped out to the Middle East on 15 July 1940 for the 70th anniversary commemoration of the event at RAAF Base Richmond.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Gordon Henry Steege 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...
, 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...
(born 30 October 1917) is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Air Force
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...
(RAAF). He became a fighter ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
in 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...
, credited with eight aerial victories. Joining the RAAF in July 1937, Steege first saw action with No. 3 Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...
in the Middle East
Middle East Theatre of World War II
The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa...
, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
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...
after shooting down three German aircraft in a single sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
. He rose to command No. 450 Squadron
No. 450 Squadron RAAF
No. 450 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II. It was the second RAAF Article XV squadron formed for service with the British military, under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan...
in 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...
, before being posted to the South West Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
, where he led Nos. 73
No. 73 Wing RAAF
No. 73 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised three attack squadrons flying CAC Wirraways, Douglas Bostons, and Bristol Beaufighters, with...
and 81 Wings
No. 81 Wing RAAF
No. 81 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's air superiority wing. Formed during World War II, it operated in the South West Pacific theatre, flying P-40 Kittyhawks. Following the end of hostilities, it converted to P-51 Mustangs and was based in Japan as part of the Allied occupational forces...
. He earned the Distinguished Service Order
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...
for his "outstanding leadership", and finished the war a temporary Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
.
Resigning his commission following the end of World War II, Steege rejoined the RAAF during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and briefly took command of No. 77 Squadron
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
late in 1951. Returning to Australia, he held senior administrative and training posts in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, before taking charge of RAAF Base Canberra
Fairbairn, Canberra
Fairbairn was a base of the Royal Australian Air Force located in Australia's national capital, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Over the years the name of the establishment, and the use of the land, has changed...
in 1957. In the 1960s he was appointed to various planning positions, followed by command of RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force base located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron...
, Queensland, and later RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia. Having been raised to Air Commodore, his final appointment before retiring in 1972 was on the staff of Headquarters Operational Command (now Air Command
RAAF Air Command
Air Command is the operational arm of the Royal Australian Air Force . It is headed by the Air Commander Australia, whose role is to manage and command the RAAF's Force Element Groups , which contain the operational capability of the Air Force...
) at RAAF Base Glenbrook
RAAF Base Glenbrook
RAAF Base Glenbrook is home to Headquarters Air Command of the Royal Australian Air Force. There is no airfield at Glenbrook, although it is an HLS . It is a small base in the Lower Blue Mountains outside Sydney, New South Wales, with most administrative services located on the nearby RAAF Base...
, New South Wales.
Early career
Born in the Sydney suburb of ChatswoodChatswood, New South Wales
Chatswood is a suburb on the North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Chatswood is located 10 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Willoughby. Chatswood West is a separate suburb...
on 31 October 1917, Gordon Steege was educated at North Sydney Boys High School
North Sydney Boys High School
North Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective, public high school for boys, located at Crows Nest in Sydney, Australia.- History :...
. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force
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...
(RAAF) on 21 July 1937, undergoing flight instruction at No. 1 Flying Training School
No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF
No. 1 Flying Training School was a flying training school of the Royal Australian Air Force . It was one of the Air Force's original units, dating back to the service's formation in 1921, when it was based at RAAF Point Cook, Victoria. The school underwent a number of reorganisations during its...
, RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria. Graduating as a 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...
in June 1938, he was posted to No. 3 Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...
at RAAF Station Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond is one of Australia's oldest and largest air force bases. It is located within the City of Hawkesbury in the north-western fringe of Sydney, New South Wales, between the towns of Windsor and Richmond. The base is home to the Royal Australian Air Force's transport headquarters,...
, New South Wales, flying Hawker Demon fighters. He was promoted to Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
in December 1938. Following the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, he spent six months as an adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
with the newly formed No. 11 Squadron
No. 11 Squadron RAAF
No. 11 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force maritime patrol squadron based at RAAF Base Edinburgh. It was formed in 1939 and has seen active service in World War II, East Timor, the War on Terrorism and the 2003 Gulf War...
, which operated the Short Type C
Short Brothers
Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company, usually referred to simply as Shorts, that is now based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1908, Shorts was the first company in the world to make production aircraft and was a manufacturer of flying boats during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s...
. He returned to No. 3 Squadron in May 1940, was promoted to 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"...
the following month, and shipped out to the Middle East
Middle East Theatre of World War II
The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa...
with his unit on 15 July.
Middle East
Piloting a Gloster GladiatorGloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
biplane, Steege scored his first aerial victory in 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...
when he shot down an Italian Fiat CR.42
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
on 10 December 1940; he also claimed a "probable" in the same action. Three days later he shared in three more "kills", two CR.42s and a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
. After No. 3 Squadron converted to 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...
s, Steege shot down three Junkers Ju 87s in a single sortie near Mersa Matruh on 18 February 1941, to become his unit's second "ace"
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
. Following this exploit, and the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf 110 on 3 April, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
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...
. The recommendation noted his "unfailing courage", and the award was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 11 April.
Raised to acting 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...
, Steege was given command of the newly established No. 450 Squadron
No. 450 Squadron RAAF
No. 450 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II. It was the second RAAF Article XV squadron formed for service with the British military, under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan...
at Rayak
Rayak (Riyaq)
Riyaq , also Rayak, is a Lebanese town in the Beqaa Mohafazat , near the city of Zahlé. It has one military airport, an old train station on the former line from Beirut to Damascus, and a hospital....
, Lebanon, on 31 May 1941. The assignment was a challenging one, as the operational requirements of existing forces, and the RAAF Air Board's insistence on staffing Article XV squadrons
Article 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....
such as No. 450 with Australian Empire Air Training Scheme
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
aircrew rather than Permanent Air Force members, meant that the unit was short of experienced pilots. By December, however, the squadron was up to nominal strength and equipped with P-40 Kittyhawks; it began combat operations out of Gambut
RAF Gambut
RAF Gambut is an abandoned military airfield in Libya, located about 5 km north-northeast of Kambut and 50 km east-southeast of Tobruk....
and El Adem
Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base
Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base is a Libyan Air Force base, located about 16 km south of Tobruk. It is believed to have once had about 60 or 70 Mirage F.1EDs aircraft assigned....
, Libya, registering victories from February 1942. Steege himself scored a confirmed victory over a Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
on 28 March. He returned to Australia as a temporary Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
later that year, having been Mentioned in Despatches on 24 September 1941. His final tally of victories was eight enemy aircraft destroyed, two probables and five damaged.
South West Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
. That October, he assumed command of No. 73 Wing
No. 73 Wing RAAF
No. 73 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised three attack squadrons flying CAC Wirraways, Douglas Bostons, and Bristol Beaufighters, with...
, consisting of two P-40 Kittyhawk squadrons and a 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...
squadron operating out of Kiriwina
Kiriwina
Kiriwina is the largest of the Trobriand Islands, with an area of 290.5 km². It is part of the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. Most of the 12,000 people who live in the Trobriands live on Kiriwina. The Kilivila language, also known as Kiriwina, is spoken on the island...
, New Guinea. As part of the build-up to the Battle of Arawe
Battle of Arawe
The Battle of Arawe was a battle during the New Britain Campaign of World War II. This campaign formed part of Operation Cartwheel and had the objective of isolating the key Japanese base at Rabaul. Arawe was attacked on 15 December 1943 by U.S...
in December, the Kittyhawks launched a series of assaults on Gasmata
Gasmata
Gasmata is a village on the southern coast of New Britain, Papua New Guinea located at 6° 16' 60S 150° 19' 60E. It is serviced by Gasmata Airport.The Imperial Japanese occupied the village between 8–9 February 1942 during World War II...
; three days before the Allied landings, Steege personally led a force of thirty-four aircraft in a bombing and strafing attack on the town's landing strip. In January 1944, the wing took part in the two largest raids mounted by the RAAF to that time, each involving over seventy aircraft attacking enemy camps and depots at Lindenhafen, New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
. Steege was promoted acting Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
the following month; the rank was made temporary in July.
As part of the RAAF's contribution to the Admiralty Islands campaign
Admiralty Islands campaign
The Admiralty Islands campaign was a series of battles in the New Guinea campaign of World War II in which the United States Army's 1st Cavalry Division occupied the Japanese-held Admiralty Islands....
, Steege led No. 73 Wing on garrison duty at Los Negros
Los Negros
Los Negros was a criminal organization that was once the armed wing of the Sinaloa Cartel and after a switch of alliances, became the armed wing of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. On 2010 it went independent and had been contesting the control of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. It was then the criminal...
commencing in March 1944. The wing's combat squadrons—Nos. 76, 77 and 79—were supported by No. 49 Operational Base Unit, No. 114 Mobile Fighter Sector, No. 27 Air Stores Park and No. 26 Medical Clearing Station, among other ancillaries. The fighters’ main duty was providing cover for Allied shipping; they also carried out bomber escort, ground attack and anti-shipping missions. In mid-April, the wing escorted the largest Allied convoy in the South-West Pacific to that date, 80 ships carrying 30,000 personnel, from Finschhafen
Finschhafen
Finschhafen is a district on the northeast coast of the Morobe province of Papua New Guinea. It is named after the port of the same name.The port was discovered in 1884 by the German researcher Otto Finsch. In 1885 the German colony of German New Guinea created a town on the site and named it...
to Aitape
Aitape
Aitape is a small town of about 8,000 people on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province. It is a coastal settlement that is almost equidistant from the provincial capitals of Wewak and Vanimo, and marks the midpoint of the highway between these two capitals...
. On 11 April, Steege was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
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...
for his "outstanding leadership". Completing their garrison work in the Admiralties that June, No. 73 Wing's Kittyhawk units were transferred during August–September to No. 81 Wing
No. 81 Wing RAAF
No. 81 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's air superiority wing. Formed during World War II, it operated in the South West Pacific theatre, flying P-40 Kittyhawks. Following the end of hostilities, it converted to P-51 Mustangs and was based in Japan as part of the Allied occupational forces...
on Noemfoor
Noemfoor
Numfor is one of the Biak Islands in Papua province, Indonesia. It was the site of conflict between Japanese and the Allied forces during World War II, and was major airbase for both sides.-Geography:The island is situated just north of the large Cenderawasih Bay...
under Steege's command, becoming part of No. 10 Operational Group (renamed the Australian First Tactical Air Force
Australian First Tactical Air Force
The Australian First Tactical Air Force was formed on 25 October 1944 by the Royal Australian Air Force . Its purpose was to provide a mobile force of fighter and ground attack aircraft that could support Allied army and naval units fighting the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific Area...
in October 1944). In January 1945, Steege was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Eastern Area Command, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, before posting to RAAF Headquarters, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, in May. During June–December, he attended the Army and Navy Staff College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
in Washington, D.C.
Korean War and after
Steege married Joan Tait on 5 January 1946; they had a son and a daughter. In February he was appointed RAAF Director of Operations. Steege resigned from the Air Force in December 1946, joining the New Guinea Administration as a patrol officer the next month. He rejoined the Air Force as a Wing Commander during the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, taking charge of RAAF Station Schofields
RAAF Station Schofields
RAAF Station Schofields was an aerodrome built by the Royal Australian Air Force between 1942-1944 at Schofields, New South Wales, Australia during World War II.The aerodrome was constructed for use as a satellite aerodrome for RAAF Station Richmond...
in September 1950, before commencing jet training in March the following year. On 16 August 1951, he was posted to Kimpo, South Korea, as commander of No. 77 Squadron
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
, shortly after its conversion from P-51 Mustangs to Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
s. One of his first actions, following discussions with the US Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, was to take the Australian unit out of its then-current air-to-air combat role, and curtail its operations in "MiG Alley
MiG Alley
"MIG Alley" is the name given by U.S. Air Force pilots to the northwestern portion of North Korea, where the Yalu River empties into the Yellow Sea. During the Korean War, it was the site of numerous dogfights between U.S. fighter jets and those of the Communist forces, particularly the Soviet...
". Two encounters between No. 77 Squadron and Chinese MiG-15s
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, and it achieved fame in the skies over Korea, where early in the war, it outclassed all straight-winged enemy fighters in...
had convinced Steege that the straight-winged Meteors were outclassed as fighters by the swept-wing MiGs. His decision caused controversy as some Allied commanders believed that proper training and tactics would have allowed the Meteor to remain competitive as a fighter, while for the Australian pilots the change of role amounted to a loss of prestige. However Steege was backed up by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal George Jones
George Jones (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir George Jones KBE, CB, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He rose from private soldier in World War I to Air Marshal in 1948, and served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1942 to 1952, the longest continuous tenure of any RAAF chief...
, and the squadron was relegated mainly to escort duty and local air defence. Morale suffered and it was not until after Steege's departure on 26 December that a suitable offensive role was again found for the Meteors, namely ground attack.
After returning to Australia, Steege held senior appointments at the School of Land/Air Warfare from February 1952, the Department of Air in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
from August that year, and Headquarters Training Command commencing in August 1955. In May 1957 he took command of RAAF Base Canberra
Fairbairn, Canberra
Fairbairn was a base of the Royal Australian Air Force located in Australia's national capital, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Over the years the name of the establishment, and the use of the land, has changed...
, Australian Capital Territory. He was promoted to acting Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
in May 1958 (substantive two months later), before becoming Senior Planner at the SEATO
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization was an international organization for collective defense in Southeast Asia created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, or Manila Pact, signed in September 1954 in Manila, Philippines. The formal institution of SEATO was established on 19 February...
Military Planning Office, Bangkok, in December 1958. Steege returned to the Department of Air in December 1961, where he rose to Director of Plans. Promoted to Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, he was appointed Officer Commanding (OC) RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force base located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron...
, Queensland, in November 1964, and OC RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia, in May 1967. He then served as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Operational Command (now Air Command
RAAF Air Command
Air Command is the operational arm of the Royal Australian Air Force . It is headed by the Air Commander Australia, whose role is to manage and command the RAAF's Force Element Groups , which contain the operational capability of the Air Force...
) in RAAF Base Glenbrook
RAAF Base Glenbrook
RAAF Base Glenbrook is home to Headquarters Air Command of the Royal Australian Air Force. There is no airfield at Glenbrook, although it is an HLS . It is a small base in the Lower Blue Mountains outside Sydney, New South Wales, with most administrative services located on the nearby RAAF Base...
, New South Wales, from May 1970 until retiring from the Air Force on 31 October 1972. In retirement Steege maintained his connection with No. 450 Squadron through its association of former members; as a guest at the 1994 RAAF History Conference in Canberra he spoke at length on the difficulties of establishing the unit in the Middle East in 1941. In 2010, he joined three of his fellow members of No. 3 Squadron who shipped out to the Middle East on 15 July 1940 for the 70th anniversary commemoration of the event at RAAF Base Richmond.