Phil H. Listemann - No. 452 (RAAF) Squadron 1941-1945

No.452 (RAAF) Squadron 1941-1945
eISBN: 978-2918590-22-4

Contributors & Acknowledgments:
Aviation Heritage Museum of WA, Drew Harrison, Malcolm Laird
Stephen McGregor (The Spitfire Association - Australia), Steve Mackenzie, Andrew Thomas

Printed in France

Copyright
2011 Philedition - Phil H. Listemann

All right reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the author.

Cover: Spitfire Mk.VIII A58-516 usually flown by F/O Kenneth May flying around Morotai (NEI) in December 1944.

PREFACE

The purpose of this study is to provide aviation historians and enthusiasts with a range of information relative to each of the Commonwealth squadrons that saw combat during World War II. Each record will comprise a short history, complete with illustrations and artwork, and accompanied by the following appendices:

Individual files will be constantly updated, when any fresh information comes to light. Additional information will be available for download, at no charge, on each squadrons site at www.raf-in-combat.com

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

PERSONNEL :

(AUS)/RAF: Australian serving in the RAF

(CAN)/RAF: Canadian serving in the RAF

(NZ)/RAF or RAAF: New Zealander serving in the RAF or RAAF

(SA)/RAF: South African serving in the RAF

(US)/RAF or RCAF: American serving in the RAF or RCAF

RANKS

G/C: Group Captain

W/C: Wing Commander

S/L: Squadron Leader

F/L: Flight Lieutenant

F/O: Flying Officer

P/O: Pilot Officer

W/O: Warrant Officer

F/Sgt: Flight Sergeant

Sgt: Sergeant

Cpl: Corporal

LAC: Leading Aircraftman

OTHER

AAF: Auxiliary Air Force

CO: Commanding Officer

DFC: Distinguished Flying Cross

DFM: Distinguished Flying Medal

DSO: Distinguished Service Order

Eva.: Evaded

Inj.: Injured

NEI: Netherlands East Indies

ORB: Operational Record Book

OTU: Operational Training Unit

PoW: Prisoner of War

RAF: Royal Air Force

RAAF: Royal Australian Air Force

RCAF: Royal Canadian Air Force

RNZAF: Royal New Zealand Air Force

SAAF: South African Air Force

Sqn: Squadron

TOC: Taken on charge

: Killed

MAIN EQUIPMENT

SQUADRON CODE LETTERS:

UD

(EUROPE)

QY

(AUSTRALIA FROM JUNE 1943 AND PACIFIC)

SQUADRON HISTORY

No. 452 (RAAF) Squadron was the first Australian squadron formed in Britain during the Second World War. It came into being at Kirton-in-Lindsey on 8 April 1941 under the command of Squadron Leader Roy Dutton, a very experienced British pilot. After working up on war-weary Spitfire Mk.Is, it became operational in May with Spitfire Mk.IIs and performed its first sorties on 22nd when Sergeants Milnes and Roberts took off to patrol off the coast. Until the move to Kenley in July, the squadron flew mainly convoy patrols and a few unconclusive interceptions. However things changed with first offensive sweep over France on 11 July. On this occasion the Irish flight commander Paddy Finucane shot down the squadrons first German aircraft. Unfortunately one aircraft and pilot were also lost to the Germans during the same engagement.

From that day forth No.452 Squadron rapidly developed a formidable reputation on operations against the Luftwaffe; especially after the squadron relinquished its venerable Spitfire Mk.IIs for Spitfire Mk.Vs in August 1941. It went on to claim 69 confirmed or probable victories through to mid-March 1942, but sustained in return rather heavy losses; 23 aircraft in combats that claimed the lives of 12 pilots, while 6 more became prisoners. Some of these were due to multiple losses on single missions, including four during a 18 September 1941 engagement.

The tally of some pilots became very impressive. While Paddy Finucane was the most successuful pilot of that time, Australians like Throttle Thorold-Smith, Bluey Truscott or Keith Chisholm also scored consistently. Logically awards followed as squadron members were awarded a DSO, eight DFC or Bars to DFC, and one DFM in the same period.

However, the situation changed a little later in the spring of 1942 when it was determined that Australia needed fighter squadrons to defend its own cities located in the north. Among the three Fighter Command units chosen to be sent to Australia, No.452 and its sister unit, No.457 (RAAF) Squadron, were natural selections. However to allow the latter to gain combat experience before sailing to Australia, No.452 was witdrawn from operations in March 1942. It eventually sailed for home on 21 June 1942, arriving in Melbourne on 13 August and re-assembled at Richmond, New South Wales on 6 September without aircraft (which were in the Middle East on route.) After refresher training on various aircraft, No.452 Squadron became operational on Spitfires again in January 1943 at Batchelor, Northern Territory. Here, along with No.54 (RAF) and No.457 (RAAF) Squadrons, it became part of No.1 Fighter Wing, RAAF with the main task of defending Darwin.

About one year after its last victory in Europe No.452 Sqn claimed two Japanese aircraft during a raid on Darwin but lost its CO, S/L Throttle Thorold-Smith, during the engagement. Throughout the next few months the squadron was involved in many defensive actions, and although they claimed 18 more victories against the Japanese, they also suffered heavy losses.

In March 1944, it moved south to defend Perth but little action was recorded. In May it became part of No.80 Fighter Wing, RAAF. No.452 Sqn returned north in July 1944, re-equipped with Spitfire Mk.VIIIs, and became employed in the ground attack role for the rest of the war. In December 1944 it joined the 1st Tactical Air Force and relocated to Morotai in the Dutch East Indies to support Australian operations in Borneo. The squadrons Spitfires moved to Balikpapan on 15 July 1945, following the landings there earlier in the month, and flew in support of the land campaign. Its last victory of the war was claimed nine days later. With the dropping of the atomic bombs in August, the squadrons days were numbered. It flew its last operational sortie of the on 10 August, and was subsequently disbanded on 17 November 1945 at Tarakan.

ARTICLE XV

Shortly after Britains declaration of war, supported on the same date by Australia and New Zealand, and Canada a week later, the British Government asked Commonwealth countries to supply partially trained aircrew for the expansion of the RAF. In those years prior to the war an allocation of men from the Dominions had been offered Short Service, or Permanent, Commission in the RAF, but the speed with which the Nazis had overrun Poland, made it clear that large numbers of airmen would be needed urgently. In November 1939, the Ottawa (Canada) Conference formulated the setting-up of the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) to train aircrew to a uniform standard in each of the Dominions previously mentioned, and subsequently South Africa, which was already operating a scheme, and Rhodesia.

Desirous of exercising some control over its own nationals, which was not the case for those who had joined up prior to the war, Canada obtained, via Article XV, an agreement that their aircrew would be gathered together in national squadrons, to serve alongside the permanent units of the RAF. For operational and administrative reasons Australia and New Zealand were reluctant to establish and maintain RAAF or RNZAF squadrons in Britain so eventually it was decided that units formed in the RAF would be identified with them.