No. 79 Wing RAAF

File:Eaton1941.jpg

No. 79 Wing was established at Batchelor, Northern Territory, on 30 November 1943. Its combat units consisted of Nos. 1 and 2 Squadrons (flying Beaufort light reconnaissance bombers), No. 31 Squadron (Beaufighter long-range fighters), and No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron (B-25 Mitchell medium bombers). The wing was commanded by Group Captain Charles Eaton, whose Dutch personnel called him "Oom Charles" (Uncle Charles).Farram, Charles "Moth" Eaton, p. 38[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/27/chapters/13.pdf Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 215–218] Operating under the auspices of North-Western Area Command (NWA), Darwin, No. 79 Wing participated in the New Guinea and North-Western Area Campaigns during 1944.

Through March–April 1944, the Beaufighters attacked Japanese shipping, while the Mitchells and Beauforts bombed Timor on a daily basis as a prelude to Operations Reckless and Persecution, the invasions of Hollandia and Aitape. Eaton organised a large raid against Su, Dutch Timor, on 19 April. Consisting of thirty-five Mitchells, Beauforts and Beaufighters, the force destroyed the town's barracks and fuel dumps, a result that earned the personal congratulations of the Air Officer Commanding NWA, Air Vice Marshal "King" Cole.Farram, Charles "Moth" Eaton, pp. 48–49 On the day of the Allied landings, 22 April, the Mitchells and Beaufighters made a daylight raid on Dili, Portuguese Timor. The ground assault on Hollandia–Aitape met little opposition, credited in part to the air bombardment leading up to it.

Image:31 Sqn (NWA0030).jpg

In May 1944, Nos. 1, 18 and 31 Squadrons attacked Japanese positions in Timor, while No. 2 Squadron was withdrawn from combat to re-equip with Mitchells. No. 79 Wing's light and medium bombers suffered from a lack of suitable targets as they had few airfields in forward areas from which to refuel. No. 2 Squadron returned to operations with Mitchells in June. That month, No. 18 Squadron flew 149 sorties, damaging Japanese airfields and shipping in the Timor area, but lost its commanding officer to anti-aircraft fire during a raid.[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/27/chapters/14.pdf Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 228–233]

In June–July 1944, No. 79 Wing supported the Allied attack on Noemfoor. No. 18 Squadron was again the wing's most active unit, flying 107 sorties. In September, the Beaufighters and Mitchells attacked Japanese shipping and infrastructure in Ceram and Celebes, but lost nine aircraft and twenty-six crewmen killed, among them Squadron Leader Wilbur Wackett, son of Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation manager Lawrence Wackett.[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/27/chapters/15.pdf Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 243–247]Johnston, Whispering Death, pp. 16, 160, 396 By the end of the month, Mitchell missions were put on hold while replacement crews were trained. In late 1944, plans were made to transfer No. 79 Wing from North-Western Area Command to Northern Command in Papua New Guinea, where it would undertake operations against the Japanese in New Britain. The wing's composition for this move was to be Nos. 2 and 18 Squadrons, operating Mitchells, and 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron, operating P-40 Kittyhawks. No. 31 Squadron was transferred from No. 79 Wing to the Australian First Tactical Air Force at Morotai in December.[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/27/chapters/17.pdf Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 297–299][http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/27/chapters/23.pdf Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p. 379] The same month, Group Captain Eaton posted out and was replaced by Group Captain John Ryland.[http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A160191b.htm Ryland, John Peter] at Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved on 18 November 2010.

Image:18 Sqn (AWM P02769-001).jpg

Weather hampered the wing's activities in January 1945. No. 1 Squadron was withdrawn to Queensland to re-equip with Mosquitos, with No. 13 Squadron, flying Venturas, taking up the slack on anti-shipping missions. The squadron accounted for around half of the thirty-eight enemy vessels sunk by No. 79 Wing in February, and a similar ratio to the twenty sunk the following month. Wing operations were cut back in March, as preparations were made to transfer the Mitchells to Jacquinot Bay in New Britain. On 6 April, all twenty available aircraft of Nos. 2 and 18 Squadrons were ordered to join B-24 Liberators of No. 82 Wing in an assault on a Japanese convoy that included the cruiser Isuzu. The Liberators were late for their rendezvous with the Mitchells off Sumba so the latter, at the very limit of their range, attacked the convoy regardless. They claimed two direct hits without loss, despite anti-aircraft fire from the cruiser and other ships, and frontal attacks by enemy fighters.[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/27/chapters/24.pdf Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 402–407] Allied submarines sank the damaged Isuzu the next day.[http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11051.asp 18 (NEI) Squadron RAAF] at Australian War Memorial. Retrieved on 12 November 2010.

The wing's proposed move to New Britain was cancelled in May 1945, after the Netherlands government requested that its squadrons operate over the Dutch East Indies. No. 120 Squadron was transferred to Biak, while No. 79 Wing and its two Mitchell squadrons were ordered to move to Borneo, under the command of First Tactical Air Force.[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/27/chapters/19.pdf Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p. 334][http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/27/chapters/28.pdf Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p. 476] By July, No. 79 Wing had relocated from Batchelor to Balikpapan, leaving No. 13 Squadron under the control of North-Western Area Command.No. 79 Wing Headquarters, "Operations Record Book", p. 8 After the Pacific War ended in August 1945, the Mitchells joined Liberators of No. 82 Wing repatriating RAAF personnel from Borneo to Australia.[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/27/chapters/30.pdf Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p. 495] No. 79 Wing Headquarters was disbanded on 8 October.No. 79 Wing Headquarters, "Operations Record Book", p. 1 The following month, No. 18 Squadron was reassigned to the Netherlands Air Force. No. 2 Squadron returned to Australia in December, disbanding in mid-1946.[http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11021second_world_war.asp 2 Squadron RAAF] at Australian War Memorial. Retrieved on 11 November 2010. These were the only two squadrons in the RAAF to operate Mitchells during the war.Wilson, Military Aircraft of Australia, p. 154

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite web|last=No. 79 Wing Headquarters|title=Operations Record Book |url=http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=1359977|work=RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50)|publisher=National Archives of Australia}}
• {{cite book|last=Farram| first=Steven| year=2007| title=Charles "Moth" Eaton: Pioneer Aviator of the Northern Territory|location=Darwin| publisher=Charles Darwin University Press |isbn=978-0-9803846-1-1}}
• {{cite book|last=Johnston|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Johnston (historian)|title=Whispering Death: Australian Airmen in the Pacific War|year=2011|publisher=Allen & Unwin|location=Crows Nest, New South Wales|isbn=978-1-74175-901-3}}
• {{cite book|last=Odgers | first=George |orig-year=1957| year=1968| title=Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume II – Air War Against Japan, 1943–1945 | location=Canberra| publisher=Australian War Memorial| url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070210/|oclc=11218821}}
• {{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Stewart|title=Military Aircraft of Australia|year=1994|publisher=Aerospace Publications|location=Weston Creek, Australian Capital Territory|isbn=1-875671-08-0}}

{{Military units and formations of the Royal Australian Air Force}}

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Category:Military units and formations established in 1943

Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945