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Song of the Beauforts

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Song of the Beauforts Song of the Beauforts Song of the Beauforts No 100 SQUADRON RAAF AND BEAUFORT BOMBER OPERATIONS SECOND EDITION Colin M. King Air Power Development Centre © Commonwealth of Australia 2008 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission. Inquiries should be made to the publisher. Approval has been received from the owners where appropriate for their material to be reproduced in this work. Copyright for all photographs and illustrations is held by the individuals or organisations as identified in the List of Illustrations. Disclaimer The views expressed in this work are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defence, the Royal Australian Air Force or the Government of Australia. The Commonwealth of Australia will not be legally responsible in contract, tort or otherwise, for any statements made in this document. Release This document is approved for public release, distribution unlimited. Portions of this document may be quoted or reproduced without permission, provided a standard source credit is included. First published 2004 Second edition 2008 Published by the Air Power Development Centre National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Author: King, Colin M. Title: Song of the Beauforts : No 100 Squadron RAAF and the Beaufort bomber operations / author, Colin M. King. Edition: 2nd ed. Publisher: Tuggeranong, A.C.T. : Air Power Development Centre, 2007. ISBN: 9781920800246 (pbk.) Notes: Includes index. Subjects: Beaufort (Bomber)--History. Bombers--Australia--History World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, Australian--History. Dewey Number: 940.544994 Cover design: Byron Little Text layout and design: Graeme Smith Editing and proof reading: Keith Brent Published and distributed by: Air Power Development Centre Level 3, 205 Anketell Street TUGGERANONG ACT 2900 AUSTRALIA Telephone: + 61 2 6266 1433 Facsimile: + 61 2 6266 1041 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.raaf.gov.au/airpower ii Foreword From the darkest days in 1941 to the last bombing raid of the war in the Pacific, Australian-made Beaufort bombers were taking the fight to the enemy. Over 700 of these aircraft were built, for reconnaissance, torpedo strike and bombing missions from bases in Australia and the South-West Pacific islands. More than 450 crew members were killed in RAAF Beaufort operations and training. The surviving Beaufort people, who still get together through their Association, have generously established a Foundation as a lasting memorial to the unswerving efforts of those who built, flew and supported these ubiquitous aircraft. Their selfless gesture will lead to a substantial financial prize being awarded to a senior cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy each year. I wish the Beaufort Bomber Foundation enduring success, as a wonderful way of keeping the deeds of the past alive for future generations. Geoff Shepherd, AO Air Marshal Chief of Air Force iii iv Contents Foreword ...................................................iii List of Illustrations ........................................... vii Author’s Preface ..............................................xi Editor’s Preface to Second Edition ...............................xiii Acknowledgments ...........................................xiv The Story 1 Setting the Scene .............................................3 Birth of No 100 Squadron RAAF.................................5 First Strike . 21 To Sink a Submarine .........................................37 Torpedo Bombers............................................47 Action at Milne Bay ..........................................65 Goodenough Island .........................................119 Nadzab...................................................151 Tadji . 171 Last Strike ................................................245 Behind the Scenes 269 Australian Beaufort .........................................271 Aircrew Training ...........................................283 Flying Coffins – The Trim Tab Problem ..........................293 Radio and Radar ...........................................301 Support and Maintenance ....................................311 Personnel Profiles ...........................................321 Roll Call – No 100 Squadron..................................361 No 100 Squadron Losses .....................................373 Honours and Recognition ....................................379 No 100 Squadron Nominal Roll (1942–1946).....................383 Memorials ................................................395 Nose Art on 100 Squadron Beauforts............................407 v APPENDICES 411 Appendix 1 Author’s Comments and Notes.......................413 Appendix 2 Aircraft Operating in the South-West Pacific Area ........417 Appendix 3 RAAF Beaufort Squadrons and Units..................419 Appendix 4 Operational Attire for Beaufort Aircrew ................421 Appendix 5 Documents and Material for Operational Aircrew ........423 Appendix 6 Squadron Songs and Poems .........................425 Abbreviations and Glossary 435 Further Reading and Resources 439 Endnotes 443 Index 451 vi List of Illustrations Source of images (Key) AC = Author’s collection JDe = Joan Dey Collection ACS = Australian Corps of Signals JK = John Kessey Collection AG = Allan Gardner Collection JI = Jack Infield Collection ArG = Arthur Goodall Collection JM = Jim Macnaughton Collection AWA = AWA Ltd JP = Jim Prendergast BB = Bill Barlow Collection KB = Kym Bonython Collection BT = Bob Thomsen Collection PB = Patricia Berry Collection BW = Bill Ewing Collection PI = Peter Irvine Collection EO = Elain F. Oates RAAF = RAAF Museum, Pt. Cook - Ron F. Munro GJ = Graham Jenkinson RC = Ralph Cusock Collection GL = George Lewis Collection RG = Ross Geue Collection GR = George Roberston Collection RR = Rosslyn Raina per Mike Coppin HG = Hugh W. Groser RS = Ray Smth Collection HP = Hank Pearce Collection SD = Stan Damman Collection IM = Ivan Morris Collection SG = Sid Grantham JB = John Baker Collection UNK = Source Unknown JD = Jim Dean USAAF = USAAF Airdromes Guide SWPA Beauforts Arrive in Singapore (AC)........................................ 7 Map – Malay Peninsula (HG)............................................ 9 No 100 Squadron Badge (AC) .......................................... 17 ‘Sam’ Balmer and Crew at Richmond (SG) ................................. 18 Townsville, 1942 (GJ)................................................. 23 Map – Bearing and Distance Chart (USAAF) ............................... 27 Map – South-West Pacific Area (UNK).................................... 28 Map – Port Moresby Airfields (USAAF) ................................... 30 Map – Shipping Losses, South-East Coast (JP) .............................. 39 Map – Milne Bay Area (USAAF) ........................................ 48 ‘Combined Strike’ – Painting by Drew Harrison (KB) ........................ 54 ‘Sam’ Balmer, ‘Bluey’ Truscott and Les Jackson (AC).......................... 55 No 100 Squadron and Torpedo (IM) ..................................... 62 No 100 Squadron Camp Milne Bay (JM).................................. 67 No 100 Squadron Camp, Milne Bay (JM) ................................. 68 Zeros Attacking Beaufort – Painting by Athol Snook (RAAF)................... 73 Ivan Morris, Milne Bay (IM)............................................ 79 Map – Bismarck Sea (EO).............................................. 87 Gasmata Airstrip (GR) ................................................ 99 Ack-ack Damage to Aileron A9-315 (JB) ................................. 109 Ack-ack Damage to Fuselage (RM) ...................................... 110 No 100 Squadron Aircrew at Milne Bay (JB) .............................. 112 John Baker and Crew (JB)............................................. 112 A9-203 and A9-214 in Milne Bay Area (JB) ............................... 117 Map – Goodenough Island (USAAF) .................................... 120 vii Map – Rabaul Airfields (AG) .......................................... 125 Goodenough Guts (RS)................................................ 129 Lieutenant General Kenney’s letter to Wings (USAAF) ....................... 132 In Flight – Towards the Target (RG) ..................................... 136 Ross Geue and Crew (RG) ............................................ 139 No 100 Squadron, Goodenough Island, January 1944 (BB) ................... 141 Chess Game, Goodenough Island, February 1944 (BB) ...................... 145 Treverton Cartoon in Goodenough Guts (RS)............................... 148 Hank Pearce and Crew (HP)........................................... 150 Nadzab Landing, September 1943 (USAAF)............................... 151 Map – Nadzab-Lae Area (USAAF) ...................................... 152 Map – Aitape-Wewak Area (AC)........................................ 154 Daily Routine Orders 11 May 1944 (JK) ................................. 157 Dagua Airstrip, 1944 (RC) ............................................ 166 Wewak Airfield, May 1944 (AC)........................................ 167 Fred Tolcher in Turret of A9-488 (JM) ................................... 169 Joe Johnson, Navigator (RG)........................................... 170 Newspaper Reports, July 1944 (BE) ..................................... 179 Niap Bridge and Wireless Station (AC) ................................... 180 Air
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