Providing for the Royal Australian Air Force in the Defence of Australia 1934-1944
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Providing for the Royal Australian Air Force in the Defence of Australia 1934-1944 Meeting the political and economic challenges in strengthening Australia’s defences Myriam Sarah Geneviève Amar A thesis submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy University of New England, 12 March 2015 1 ABSTRACT This thesis examines Australia’s defence preparedness when Japan threatened its northern shores in 1941-1942. Although according to historian Andrew T. Ross the local industries were producing quantities of ammunition and military equipment at this time, my thesis asks why, when on 19 February 1942 the Japanese launched their air raids on Darwin, defenders were unable to counter the enemy due to a severe lack of machine-gun fire and rifles. In this I draw attention to the massive deficiencies in transport systems, the tyranny of distance and bumpy roads which made delivery of bulk stores to the northern forces a challenge. A positive aspect of this was the emerging need to deploy and sustain forces in northern Australia, which led to a decision to upgrade overland links and infrastructure. While taking a broad view of influences and events relevant to policy development and implementation on Australia’s armed services, my thesis focuses closely on the formation, development and role of the RAAF. I also draw upon the difficulties the Air Board experienced in obtaining suitable aircraft for the RAAF at a time when the British Air Ministry was dealing with its own modernisation problems. Australia’s cooperation with Britain on Imperial defence policy promoted a false sense of security based on the assumption that Britain would remain the dominant power. Until Curtin became Prime Minister, previous leaders were mostly unclear about the political and strategic path to follow in the pre-war and inter-war periods. The dramatic entry of Japan into the war in December 1941 revealed the risks of a narrowly focused response to defence matters. I argue that the Light Raid policy only delayed the RAAF being equipped with combat aircraft. Finally, from an under-prepared start, despite almost overwhelming logistic problems, bureaucratic inefficiencies and setbacks, by 1944 the RAAF was a functioning and capable body, able to work alongside the USAAF to defend Australia and the Pacific region. 2 Certification I certify that the substance of this thesis has not already been submitted for any degree and is not currently being submitted for any other degree or qualification. I certify that any help received in preparing for this thesis, and all sources used, have been acknowledged in this thesis. Myriam Sarah Geneviève Amar Signature: 3 Acknowledgements Firstly, I wish to thank Major-General Iain Spence for his kind counsel. I also owe a debt of gratitude to my present supervisor, Associate Professor Dr David Andrew Roberts for showing initial interest in my proposed research and support through the years of my research. I am particularly indebted to my supervisor, Dr Brett Holman for his excellent comments and support. His valuable advice enabled me to sharpen my argument. Thank you also to the staff of the University of New England Research Services for their friendly assistance with administrative matters. Research for this thesis was greatly facilitated by the Reference Officers at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra and Melbourne, who showed much patience and courtesy as I investigated archival files. Geoscience Australia’s Library Manager, Chris Nelson, generously spent his time explaining some particularly useful Websites. I also express my thanks to the Australian War Memorial Research Centre who enabled my access to their records. The Australian Defence Force Academy library and the staff of the Library of the Old Parliament House in Canberra were very helpful with their time. Lastly, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to call on long-time friends the Sutton family, who encouraged and allowed me to use their internet, and also Helmut Bold and David Downie who answered my distress calls at times of computing crises. 4 Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................................................................... 4 GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS .................................................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 11 CHAPTER ONE: THE DEFENCE CAPABILITY QUESTION AND POLITICAL COMPLACENCY ...... 38 CHAPTER TWO: THE LIGHT RAIDS POLICY AND THE SINGAPORE STRATEGY AS AUSTRALIA’S MAIN DEFENCE ................................................................................................................... 70 CHAPTER THREE: AUSTRALIA’S DEFENCE PREPAREDNESS – RE-SHAPING AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY, 1937-1943 ........................................................................................................ 86 CHAPTER FOUR: PREPARING THE RAAF FOR WAR, 1921-1939 ......................................... 115 CHAPTER FIVE: BALANCING THE POLITICAL, COMMERCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF AIRCRAFT ACQUISITION, 1936-1942 ................................................................................. 151 CHAPTER SIX: THE BEAUFORT: A CHALLENGE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED, 1939-1941 .... 186 CHAPTER SEVEN: AIRCRAFT REPAIR FACILITIES AND STORES DEPOTS .............................. 227 CHAPTER EIGHT: MANAGING THE LOGISTICS OF WAR ..................................................... 268 CHAPTER NINE: ARMY LOGISTIC SUPPORT TO THE RAAF ................................................. 305 CONCLUSION: CONVERTING POOR PREPARATION INTO SUCCESS. .................................. 325 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................... 342 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................. 363 5 Photographs: Figure 1. Aerial view of the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Figure 2. Centaurus engine with cylinders removed exposing the moving sleeves and their ports Figure 3. The Rolls-Royce Merlin engine Figure 4. Fitting a cylinder in a Bristol Mercury engine Figure 5. B-17C Flying Fortress Figure 6. Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine Figure 7. Road construction by members of RAAF No. 12 Squadron Near Darwin, 1941 Figure 8. A bullock team extricating a badly bogged truck of the 2/7th Field Regiment Figure 9. A truck of the Supply Transport Driving Maintenance School Bogged on a mount slide at Fishermen’s Bend, Vic, 30 November 1943 6 Glossary of Acronyms ABA Air Board Agenda ABDA American-British-Dutch-Australian ABM Air Board Member ABO Air Board Order ALHQ Advanced Land Headquarters AID Aeronautical Inspection Directorate AMC Army Movement Control AMEM Air Member for Engineering and Maintenance AMF Australian Military Forces AMP Air Member for Personnel AMSE Air Member for Supply and Equipment AOB Advanced Operational Base APC Advisory Planning Committee ARD Aircraft Repair Depot ASC Allied Supply Council ASP Air Stores Park AWA Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Limited AWC Allied Works Council AWM Australian War Memorial BBA Board of Business Administration CAC Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CAS Chief of Air Staff CGS Chief of General Staff CNS Chief of Naval Staff CLH Combined Land Headquarters CO Commanding Officer COS Chief of Staff DAM Director of Aircraft Maintenance, overhaul & repair DAMOE Directorate of Air Member Organisation & Equipment DAP Department of Aircraft Production DAPLO Department of Aircraft Production Liaison Officer DCAS Deputy Chief of Air Staff 7 DDCORD Department of Defence Coordination DEI Dutch East Indies DDST Deputy Director of Supplies and Transport DDGAW Deputy Director General of Allied Works DHA de Havilland Aircraft company DOA Department of Air DOE Director of Equipment DOO Director of Operations DSS Defence Signal Staff DGES Director-General of Engineering Services DGSAP Director-General of Supply and Production DOD Department of Defence DOI Department of the Interior DOMF Darwin Overland Maintenance Force DOSAD Department of Supply and Development DOS Director of Supply DST Director of Supply and Training DWB Director of Works and Buildings EATS Empire Air Training Scheme FBRD Flying Boat Repair Depots FM Finance Member – Air Board FPMC Federal Parliamentary Manpower Committee FTS Flying Training School GMH General Motors Holden GHQ-USAAF General Headquarters US Army Air Force GOC General Officer Commanding GP General Purpose aircraft GR General Reconnaissance aircraft IAFDS Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot IRPS Isolated Repair Parties LHQ Land Headquarters LL Lend Lease LOFC Line of Communication MSB Munitions Supply Board MWS Mobile Works Squadron 8 MCOC Munitions Coordinating Committee MGO Master General of Ordinance NC New Caledonia NAAC North American Aircraft Corporation NEA Northeastern Area NWA Northwestern Area NEI Netherlands East Indies PAC Planning Administration Committee PNG Papua New Guinea PSOC Principal Supply Officers’ Committee QEA Qantas Empire Airways QMG Quarter Master General RAAFHQ Royal Australian Air Force Headquarters RAF Royal Air Force RAN Royal Australian Navy RDF Radio Direction Finding RN Royal Navy RSU Repair Salvage Unit SFTS Service Flying Training School SUPP-P Supply and Production SWPA Southwest Pacific Area TRW Twin Row Wasp engine UAP United Australia Party USAAC United States Army Air Corps USAAF United States Army Air Forces USAFIA