No. 71 Squadron RAAF
Encyclopedia
No. 71 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) maritime patrol
squadron
of World War II
. It was formed in January 1943 and conducted patrols off the east coast of Australia until it was disbanded in August 1944.
, sinking 16 ships and damaging several more. In response to these losses the Australian Government expanded the military's anti-submarine warfare
(ASW) forces. Three new RAAF maritime patrol units equipped with Avro Anson
training aircraft, No. 66
, No. 67
and No. 71 squadrons, were raised during this expansion. While it was recognised that the Ansons lacked sufficient range and payload to be effective in the ASW role, superior aircraft were not available.
No. 71 Squadron was formed on 26 January 1943 at Lowood, Queensland
from aircraft and aircrew drawn from No. 8 Service Flying Training School. The squadron was organised into flights
located at RAAF Base Amberley
and Bundaberg
in Queensland
and RAAF Base Richmond
and Coffs Harbour
in New South Wales
.
The squadron began flying anti-submarine and convoy escort patrols shortly after its formation. On 17 March a No. 71 Squadron aircraft attacked what its crew believed was a Japanese submarine. The same crew claimed to have been fired on by another submarine eleven days later. On 5 May a No. 71 Squadron Anson was patrolling over a convoy when the merchant ship SS Fingal
was torpedoed and sunk. While the aircraft's crew spotted the torpedo
tracks, they were unable to locate the Japanese submarine. Ten days later one of the squadron's aircraft on a routine anti-submarine patrol spotted a lifeboat containing survivors from the AHS Centaur
which had been sunk by a Japanese submarine on 14 June; the loss of the ship was unknown at the time, and this was the first sighting of survivors. No. 71 Squadron took part in the subsequent intensive search for both further survivors and the submarine responsible, but only found empty life rafts. The squadron was involved in another attack on a convoy on 16 June when one of its Ansons was patrolling ahead of Convoy GP55
at the time two ships were torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-174
. The aircraft ran low on fuel shortly after the attack, however, and had to return to base without sighting the submarine. Two of the squadron's Ansons crashed during patrols in 1943 with the loss of their entire crew.
In December 1943 No. 71 Squadron's headquarters moved to Coffs Harbour, with the flight at Lowood following in June. In July 1944 it was decided to disband No. 71 and No. 73 squadrons as part of a reduction in the RAAF's ASW effort. The squadron was declared non-operational on 12 July 1944 but continued to fly training exercises until it was disbanded on 28 August.
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) maritime patrol
Maritime patrol
Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities....
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...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was formed in January 1943 and conducted patrols off the east coast of Australia until it was disbanded in August 1944.
History
During the first half of 1943 Japanese submarines operated off the Australian east coastAxis naval activity in Australian waters
Although Australia was remote from the main battlefronts, there was considerable Axis naval activity in Australian waters during the Second World War. A total of 54 German and Japanese warships and submarines entered Australian waters between 1940 and 1945 and attacked ships, ports and other targets...
, sinking 16 ships and damaging several more. In response to these losses the Australian Government expanded the military's anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
(ASW) forces. Three new RAAF maritime patrol units equipped with Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
training aircraft, No. 66
No. 66 Squadron RAAF
No. 66 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force maritime patrol squadron of World War II. The squadron was formed in May 1943 as an emergency measure and was disbanded in January 1944.-History:...
, No. 67
No. 67 Squadron RAAF
No. 67 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force maritime patrol squadron of World War II. The squadron was formed in January 1943, conducted patrols off the southern Australian coastline until the end of the war and was disbanded in November 1945....
and No. 71 squadrons, were raised during this expansion. While it was recognised that the Ansons lacked sufficient range and payload to be effective in the ASW role, superior aircraft were not available.
No. 71 Squadron was formed on 26 January 1943 at Lowood, Queensland
Lowood, Queensland
Lowood is a town in south east Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the Brisbane River, 66 kilometres west of the state capital, Brisbane or 17 km birds line and 31 kilometres north of Ipswich...
from aircraft and aircrew drawn from No. 8 Service Flying Training School. The squadron was organised into flights
Flight (military unit)
A flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages,...
located at 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...
and Bundaberg
Bundaberg, Queensland
Bundaberg is a city in Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Local Government Area of the Bundaberg Region and is a major centre within Queensland's broader Wide Bay-Burnett geographical region...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and 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,...
and Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
-History:By the early 1900s, the Coffs Harbour area had become an important timber production centre. Before the opening of the North Coast Railway Line, the only way to transport large items of heavy but low value, such as timber, was by coastal shipping. This meant sawmillers on the North Coast...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
The squadron began flying anti-submarine and convoy escort patrols shortly after its formation. On 17 March a No. 71 Squadron aircraft attacked what its crew believed was a Japanese submarine. The same crew claimed to have been fired on by another submarine eleven days later. On 5 May a No. 71 Squadron Anson was patrolling over a convoy when the merchant ship SS Fingal
SS Fingal
SS Fingal was a Norwegian merchant ship of 2,137 tons which was sunk during World War II off the coast of Australia.-Brief history:The Fingal was built at Moss Værft, Norway 1923....
was torpedoed and sunk. While the aircraft's crew spotted the torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
tracks, they were unable to locate the Japanese submarine. Ten days later one of the squadron's aircraft on a routine anti-submarine patrol spotted a lifeboat containing survivors from the AHS Centaur
AHS Centaur
Australian Hospital Ship Centaur was a hospital ship which was attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine off the coast of Queensland, Australia, on 14 May 1943...
which had been sunk by a Japanese submarine on 14 June; the loss of the ship was unknown at the time, and this was the first sighting of survivors. No. 71 Squadron took part in the subsequent intensive search for both further survivors and the submarine responsible, but only found empty life rafts. The squadron was involved in another attack on a convoy on 16 June when one of its Ansons was patrolling ahead of Convoy GP55
Convoy GP55
Convoy GP55 was a convoy of Allied ships that travelled from Sydney to Brisbane in June 1943 during World War II. It comprised ten cargo ships, three landing ships, tank and an escort of five corvettes. The Japanese submarine I-174 attacked the convoy on 16 June, sinking the United States...
at the time two ships were torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-174
Japanese submarine I-174
Japanese submarine I-174 was a Kaidai class submarine operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy between 1938 and her sinking in 1944. She completed eight war patrols during the Pacific War. She attacked the Convoy GP55 on 16 June 1943. During her ninth war patrol she was sunk near Truk on 12 April...
. The aircraft ran low on fuel shortly after the attack, however, and had to return to base without sighting the submarine. Two of the squadron's Ansons crashed during patrols in 1943 with the loss of their entire crew.
In December 1943 No. 71 Squadron's headquarters moved to Coffs Harbour, with the flight at Lowood following in June. In July 1944 it was decided to disband No. 71 and No. 73 squadrons as part of a reduction in the RAAF's ASW effort. The squadron was declared non-operational on 12 July 1944 but continued to fly training exercises until it was disbanded on 28 August.