No. 452 Squadron RAAF
Encyclopedia
No. 452 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force
air traffic control
unit. It was originally formed in 1941 fighter unit formed in accordance with Article XV
of the Empire Air Training Scheme during World War II
, in England
. The squadron flew Supermarine Spitfire
s for the entire war, initially over the UK
and Nazi
-occupied Europe. The squadron
was later based in Australia
and the Netherlands East Indies before being disbanded in 1945. It was re-raised in its current role in February 2011.
s.
No. 452 Squadron rapidly developed a formidable reputation in operations against German
forces. They were involved in many different kinds of operations. One of the most unusual was escorting a bomber that — with the co-operation of the Germans — dropped an artificial leg by parachute into Europe, for the use of the British ace Douglas Bader
, who was a prisoner of war. The bombers flew on to bomb a factory.
Another notable operation was the attack on the German warships Scharnhorst
, Prinz Eugen
and Gneisenau
which were attempting the "Channel Dash", from their French harbour. Allied aircraft inflicted severe damage to these ships, despite intense anti-aircraft fire. The squadron did not lose an aircraft or suffer any damage to it on this occasion. Truscott was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC) for this action. Keith "Bluey" Truscott
was perhaps the best-known of the squadron's fliers. Although it was an RAAF unit, while it was in Europe, 452 Sqn also had some British
personnel, from the Royal Air Force
as well as other British Commonwealth
air forces and other nationalities. One of these was the Irish
ace Paddy Finucane
.
A number of Polish
pilots also flew with the squadron and proved to be formidable pilots, despite occasional language problems.
452 Squadron withdrew from operations in Britain on 23 March 1942 to return to Australia. It sailed for home on 21 June, arriving in Melbourne on 13 August and re-assembled at RAAF Base Richmond
, New South Wales
on 6 September. The squadron began a refresher training at Richmond, using a varied collection of aircraft because its Spitfires had being commandeered in transit by the Royal Air Force in the Middle East.
452 Squadron became operational again on 17 January 1943. Re-equipped with Spitfires, it was based at Batchelor Airfield
in the Northern Territory
and there joined No. 1 Wing RAAF
, which defended Darwin
from Japanese air raids
. The squadron was relocated to Strauss Airfield
on 1 February and, with the exception of a brief period between 9 and 27 March 1943 when it was deployed to RAAF Base Pearce
to reinforce the air defences of Perth
, it remained there (Strauss Airfield), protecting Darwin, until 30 June 1944, in May 1944 having become part of No. 80 Wing RAAF
.
On 1 July 1944 the Squadron moved to Sattler Airfield
in the Northern Territory. The protection of Darwin had been handed over to two Royal Air Force
squadrons, allowing 452 Squadron to be employed in a ground attack role for the rest of the war. Initially the squadron operated against targets in the Dutch East Indies
from Sattler Airfield, but on 11 December 1944 it joined the 1st Tactical Air Force
and was relocated to Morotai
in the Dutch East Indies, to support the Australian operations in Borneo
(Kalimantan
). The ground staff established themselves quickly at the newly captured Juwata airfield
on Tarakan
on 10 May 1945, but the state of the landing field was such that it was not fit for the aircraft of the squadron until 29 June. Following the landing at Balikpapan
on 1 July a detachment of 452 Squadron Spitfires moved there on 15 July, to support the land campaign. The squadrons last sortie of the war was flown on 10 August 1945 and it disbanded two months later at Tarakan on 17 November 1945.
No. 452 Squadron was re-raised as an air traffic control unit on 16 February 2011. It forms part of No. 44 Wing
and is headquartered at RAAF Base Darwin
. It maintains subordinate flights at RAAF Base Darwin, RAAF Base Tindal
, RAAF Base Amberley
, RAAF Base Townsville
and the Oakey Army Aviation Centre
which provide air traffic control for these bases.
|+Aircraft operated by no. 452 Squadron RAAF, data from
! From !! To !! Aircraft !! Version
|-
| April 1941 || May 1941 || Supermarine Spitfire
|| Mk.I
|-
| May 141 || August 1941 || Supermarine Spitfire || Mk.IIa
|-
| August 1941 || April 1944 || Supermarine Spitfire || Mk.Vb
|-
| April 1944 || November 1945 || Supermarine Spitfire || Mk.VIII
|+data from
! From !! To !! Base !! Remark
|-
| 8 April 1941 || 21 July 1941 || RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire
||
|-
| 21 July 1941 || 21 October 1941 || RAF Kenley
, Surrey
||
|-
| 21 October 1941 || 14 January 1942 || RAF Redhill
, Surrey
||
|-
| 14 January 1942 || 23 March 1942 || RAF Kenley, ||
|-
| 23 March 1942 || 21 June 1942 || RAF Andreas
, Isle of Man
|| Ground echolon at RAF Atcham
, Shropshire
|-
| 21 June 1942 || 13 August 1942 || en route to Australia ||
|-
| 6 September 1942 || 17 January 1943 || RAAF Base Richmond
, New South Wales
|| RAAF Station Mascot
|-
| 17 January 1943 || 1 February 1943 || Batchelor Airfield
, Northern Territory
||
|-
| 1 February 1943 || 9 March 1943 || Strauss Airfield
, Northern Territory || Dets. at Wyndham, Western Australia
and Milingimbi Island
, Northern Territory
|-
| 9 March 1943 || 27 March 1943 || RAAF Base Pearce
, Western Australia
|| Guildford Airfield
|-
| 27 March 1943 || 30 June 1944 || Strauss Airfield, Northern Territory ||
|-
| 1 July 1944 || 11 December 1944 || Sattler Airfield
, Northern Territory ||
|-
| 11 December 1944 || 29 June 1945 || Morotai
, Dutch East Indies
||
|-
| 29 June 1945 || 17 November 1945 || Juwata Airfield
, Tarakan
|| Det. at Balikpapan Airfield
, Kalimantan
|+Officers commanding no. 452 Squadron RAAF, data from
! From !! To !! Name
|-
| 8 April 1941 || 15 June 1941 || Squadron Leader
Roy Gilbert Dutton (RAF), DFC
& Bar
|-
| 15 June 1941 || 25 January 1942 || Squadron Leader Robert Wilton Bungey
|-
| 25 January 1942 || 18 March 1942 || Squadron Leader Keith "Bluey" Truscott
|-
| 18 March 1942 || 30 March 1943 || Squadron Leader Ray Edward Thorold-Smith, DFC
|-
| 30 March 1943 || 3 February 1944 || Squadron Leader Ronald Sommerville MacDonald
|-
| 3 February 1944 || 4 June 1945 || Squadron Leader Louis Thomas Spence
|-
| 4 June 1945 || 17 November 1945 || Squadron Leader Kevin Milne Barclay
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...
air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
unit. It was originally formed in 1941 fighter unit formed in accordance with Article XV
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....
of the Empire Air Training Scheme during 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...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The squadron flew 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...
s for the entire war, initially over the UK
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...
and Nazi
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
-occupied Europe. The squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
was later based in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the Netherlands East Indies before being disbanded in 1945. It was re-raised in its current role in February 2011.
History
No. 452 Squadron RAAF was the first Australian squadron formed in Britain during the Second World War. Its first personnel gathered at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey on 8 April 1941 and the squadron became operational there on 22 May of that year, flying Supermarine SpitfireSupermarine 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...
s.
No. 452 Squadron rapidly developed a formidable reputation in operations against German
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...
forces. They were involved in many different kinds of operations. One of the most unusual was escorting a bomber that — with the co-operation of the Germans — dropped an artificial leg by parachute into Europe, for the use of the British ace Douglas Bader
Douglas Bader
Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL was a Royal Air Force fighter ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 20 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged.Bader joined the...
, who was a prisoner of war. The bombers flew on to bomb a factory.
Another notable operation was the attack on the German warships Scharnhorst
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
, Prinz Eugen
German cruiser Prinz Eugen
Prinz Eugen was an Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser, the third member of the class of five vessels. She served with the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The ship was laid down in April 1936 and launched August 1938; Prinz Eugen entered service after the outbreak of war, in August 1940...
and Gneisenau
German battleship Gneisenau
Gneisenau was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the second vessel of her class, which included one other ship, Scharnhorst. The ship was built at the Deutsche Werke dockyard in Kiel; she was laid down on 6 May 1935...
which were attempting the "Channel Dash", from their French harbour. Allied aircraft inflicted severe damage to these ships, despite intense anti-aircraft fire. The squadron did not lose an aircraft or suffer any damage to it on this occasion. Truscott 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...
(DFC) for this action. Keith "Bluey" Truscott
Keith Truscott
Keith William "Bluey" Truscott DFC & Bar was a World War II ace fighter pilot and Australian rules footballer with the Melbourne Football Club...
was perhaps the best-known of the squadron's fliers. Although it was an RAAF unit, while it was in Europe, 452 Sqn also had some British
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...
personnel, from 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...
as well as other British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
air forces and other nationalities. One of these was the Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
ace Paddy Finucane
Paddy Finucane
Wing Commander Brendan Eamonn Fergus Finucane DSO, DFC & Two Bars , known as Paddy Finucane, was a Royal Air Force fighter pilot...
.
A number of Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
pilots also flew with the squadron and proved to be formidable pilots, despite occasional language problems.
452 Squadron withdrew from operations in Britain on 23 March 1942 to return to Australia. It sailed for home on 21 June, arriving in Melbourne on 13 August and re-assembled at RAAF Base 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
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 6 September. The squadron began a refresher training at Richmond, using a varied collection of aircraft because its Spitfires had being commandeered in transit by the Royal Air Force in the Middle East.
452 Squadron became operational again on 17 January 1943. Re-equipped with Spitfires, it was based at Batchelor Airfield
Batchelor Airfield
Batchelor Airfield, is an airport located south of Batchelor, Northern Territory, Australia. Currently, it has no commercial air service and is utilised by the Northern Australian Gliding Club.-History:...
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
and there joined No. 1 Wing RAAF
No. 1 Wing RAAF
No. 1 Wing was an Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force wing active during World War I and World War II. The wing was established on 1 September 1917 as the 1st Training Wing and commanded the AFC's pilot training squadrons in England until April 1919, when it was...
, which defended Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
from Japanese air raids
Japanese air attacks on Australia, 1942-43
Between February 1942 and November 1943, during the Pacific War, the Australian mainland, domestic airspace, offshore islands and coastal shipping were attacked at least 97 times by aircraft from the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army Air Force...
. The squadron was relocated to Strauss Airfield
Strauss Airfield
Strauss Airfield was an airfield constructed between 19 March to 27 April 1942 near Noonamah, Northern Territory, Australia during World War II. It was also known as 27 Mile Field or Humpty Doo Strip.-History:...
on 1 February and, with the exception of a brief period between 9 and 27 March 1943 when it was deployed to RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce is the main RAAF base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force...
to reinforce the air defences of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, it remained there (Strauss Airfield), protecting Darwin, until 30 June 1944, in May 1944 having become part of No. 80 Wing RAAF
No. 80 Wing RAAF
No. 80 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. The unit was formed on 15 May 1944 and eventually comprised three squadrons equipped with Spitfire fighter aircraft. The wing's headquarters was absorbed into the newly formed No...
.
On 1 July 1944 the Squadron moved to Sattler Airfield
Sattler Airfield
Sattler Airfield is an abandoned airfield that was constructed to the south of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia during World War II. On 2 April 1942, the then new Sattler RAAF airfield was bombed by the Japanese Imperial Forces. There was minimal damage. There were no Allied planes at the...
in the Northern Territory. The protection of Darwin had been handed over to two 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...
squadrons, allowing 452 Squadron to be employed in a ground attack role for the rest of the war. Initially the squadron operated against targets in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
from Sattler Airfield, but on 11 December 1944 it joined the 1st 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...
and was relocated to Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
in the Dutch East Indies, to support the Australian operations in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
(Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
). The ground staff established themselves quickly at the newly captured Juwata airfield
Juwata Airport
Juwata Airport is an airport in Tarakan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Tarakan which is off the coast of Borneo. The airport was the main Allied objective during the Battle of Tarakan ....
on Tarakan
Tarakan Island
Tarakan is an island off the coast of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is a marshy island situated in the eastern Celebes Sea, off the northeastern coast of Borneo. The island occupies an area of .-Petroleum:...
on 10 May 1945, but the state of the landing field was such that it was not fit for the aircraft of the squadron until 29 June. Following the landing at Balikpapan
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
on 1 July a detachment of 452 Squadron Spitfires moved there on 15 July, to support the land campaign. The squadrons last sortie of the war was flown on 10 August 1945 and it disbanded two months later at Tarakan on 17 November 1945.
No. 452 Squadron was re-raised as an air traffic control unit on 16 February 2011. It forms part of No. 44 Wing
No. 44 Wing RAAF
No. 44 Wing is a Royal Australian Air Force wing responsible for providing air traffic control services to the Australian Defence Force. It directly commands two squadrons which in turn command 11 air traffic control flights located across the country at nine RAAF bases, HMAS Albatross and Oakey...
and is headquartered at RAAF Base Darwin
RAAF Base Darwin
RAAF Base Darwin is a Royal Australian Air Force base located in the city of Darwin, Northern Territory. The base shares its runway with Darwin International Airport.-History:...
. It maintains subordinate flights at RAAF Base Darwin, RAAF Base Tindal
RAAF Base Tindal
RAAF Base Tindal is a Royal Australian Air Force air base located near the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory. The base is currently home to No...
, 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...
, RAAF Base Townsville
RAAF Base Townsville
RAAF Base Townsville is, along with RAAF Base Tindal and RAAF Base Darwin, one of northern Australia's primary defence installations. It is also Headquarters for No...
and the Oakey Army Aviation Centre
Oakey Army Aviation Centre
Oakey Army Aviation Centre is situated approximately 3 km from the town centre of Oakey in Queensland, Australia. It provides a training establishment for Australian Army Aviation, and also hosts a Singapore Armed Forces Helicopter Squadron, namely the 126 Squadron.-History:The base has a...
which provide air traffic control for these bases.
Aircraft operated
{|class="wikitable"|+Aircraft operated by no. 452 Squadron RAAF, data from
! From !! To !! Aircraft !! Version
|-
| April 1941 || May 1941 || 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.I
|-
| May 141 || August 1941 || Supermarine Spitfire || Mk.IIa
|-
| August 1941 || April 1944 || Supermarine Spitfire || Mk.Vb
|-
| April 1944 || November 1945 || Supermarine Spitfire || Mk.VIII
Squadron bases
{|class="wikitable"|+data from
! From !! To !! Base !! Remark
|-
| 8 April 1941 || 21 July 1941 || RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
||
|-
| 21 July 1941 || 21 October 1941 || RAF Kenley
RAF Kenley
The former Royal Air Force Station Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley was a station of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and the RAF in World War II. It is located near Kenley, London, England.-History:...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
||
|-
| 21 October 1941 || 14 January 1942 || RAF Redhill
Redhill Aerodrome
Redhill Aerodrome is located southeast of Redhill, Surrey, England, in green belt land.Redhill Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee .-Early history:The airfield came into use in the...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
||
|-
| 14 January 1942 || 23 March 1942 || RAF Kenley, ||
|-
| 23 March 1942 || 21 June 1942 || RAF Andreas
RAF Andreas
Royal Air Force Station Andreas, was a former RAF airfield in the Isle of Man which was operational between 1941 and 1946. It was built in fields between Andreas and Bride...
, Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
|| Ground echolon at RAF Atcham
RAF Atcham
RAF Atcham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 5 miles E of Shrewsbury in Shropshire on the north eastern boundary of Attingham Park...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
|-
| 21 June 1942 || 13 August 1942 || en route to Australia ||
|-
| 6 September 1942 || 17 January 1943 || RAAF Base 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
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...
|| RAAF Station Mascot
RAAF Station Mascot
RAAF Station Mascot was a Royal Australian Air Force station which operated from Sydney's civilian aerodrome at Mascot, New South Wales during World War II.-History:...
|-
| 17 January 1943 || 1 February 1943 || Batchelor Airfield
Batchelor Airfield
Batchelor Airfield, is an airport located south of Batchelor, Northern Territory, Australia. Currently, it has no commercial air service and is utilised by the Northern Australian Gliding Club.-History:...
, Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
||
|-
| 1 February 1943 || 9 March 1943 || Strauss Airfield
Strauss Airfield
Strauss Airfield was an airfield constructed between 19 March to 27 April 1942 near Noonamah, Northern Territory, Australia during World War II. It was also known as 27 Mile Field or Humpty Doo Strip.-History:...
, Northern Territory || Dets. at Wyndham, Western Australia
Wyndham, Western Australia
Wyndham is the oldest and northernmost town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, located on the Great Northern Highway, northeast of Perth. It was established in 1885 as a result of a gold rush at Halls Creek, and it is now a port and service centre for the east Kimberley with a...
and Milingimbi Island
Milingimbi Island
Milingimbi Island is an island off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. It is located approximately 500 km east of Darwin and 250 km west of Nhulunbuy. Its largest community is also called Milingimbi. The island is approximately half a kilometer off the mainland and forms part...
, Northern Territory
|-
| 9 March 1943 || 27 March 1943 || RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce is the main RAAF base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
|| Guildford Airfield
Guildford, Western Australia
Guildford is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 13 km northeast of the city. Its Local Government Area is the City of Swan.-History:Guildford was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permanent fresh water supply...
|-
| 27 March 1943 || 30 June 1944 || Strauss Airfield, Northern Territory ||
|-
| 1 July 1944 || 11 December 1944 || Sattler Airfield
Sattler Airfield
Sattler Airfield is an abandoned airfield that was constructed to the south of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia during World War II. On 2 April 1942, the then new Sattler RAAF airfield was bombed by the Japanese Imperial Forces. There was minimal damage. There were no Allied planes at the...
, Northern Territory ||
|-
| 11 December 1944 || 29 June 1945 || Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
, Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
||
|-
| 29 June 1945 || 17 November 1945 || Juwata Airfield
Juwata Airport
Juwata Airport is an airport in Tarakan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Tarakan which is off the coast of Borneo. The airport was the main Allied objective during the Battle of Tarakan ....
, Tarakan
Tarakan Island
Tarakan is an island off the coast of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is a marshy island situated in the eastern Celebes Sea, off the northeastern coast of Borneo. The island occupies an area of .-Petroleum:...
|| Det. at Balikpapan Airfield
Sepinggan International Airport
Sepinggan International Airport is the principal airport serving East Kalimantan area on the island of Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is located about 4.5 km east of Balikpapan. The airport began its new operational phase in 1997, with new building and runway structure, replacing old structure on the...
, Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
Commanding officers
{|class="wikitable"|+Officers commanding no. 452 Squadron RAAF, data from
! From !! To !! Name
|-
| 8 April 1941 || 15 June 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...
Roy Gilbert Dutton (RAF), 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...
& 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...
|-
| 15 June 1941 || 25 January 1942 || Squadron Leader Robert Wilton Bungey
|-
| 25 January 1942 || 18 March 1942 || Squadron Leader Keith "Bluey" Truscott
Keith Truscott
Keith William "Bluey" Truscott DFC & Bar was a World War II ace fighter pilot and Australian rules footballer with the Melbourne Football Club...
|-
| 18 March 1942 || 30 March 1943 || Squadron Leader Ray Edward Thorold-Smith, DFC
|-
| 30 March 1943 || 3 February 1944 || Squadron Leader Ronald Sommerville MacDonald
|-
| 3 February 1944 || 4 June 1945 || Squadron Leader Louis Thomas Spence
|-
| 4 June 1945 || 17 November 1945 || Squadron Leader Kevin Milne Barclay
See also
- RAAF units under RAF operational control