No. 31 Squadron RAAF

A group portrait of pilots and observers of No. 31 Squadron in January 1943

No. 31 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force airbase support squadron re-raised in July 2010. The Squadron was first formed in August 1942 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II.

History

No. 31 Squadron was formed at RAAF Base Wagga on 14 August 1942 and was equipped with Bristol Beaufighter fighter and attack aircraft, the first of which was received on 23 August 1942. After a period of training the Squadron deployed to Batchelor, Northern Territory in October, the aircraft flying via Alice Springs. A period of more intense training followed and familiarisation flights were carried out before moving to its operational base at Coomalie Creek Airfield on 12 November and then began flying combat operations on 17 November. From November 1942 until December 1944 the Squadron flew ground-attack missions against Japanese forces in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), concentrating on airfields and ships. From December 1944 until the end of the war the Squadron continued in the ground attack role from bases in the NEI. After the war No. 31 Squadron conducted weather reconnaissance and escorted single-engined aircraft from the NEI to Australia. The Squadron returned to Australia in December 1945 and was disbanded at RAAF Base Williamtown on 9 July 1946.

No. 31 Squadron was re-raised on 1 July 2010 as the unit responsible for providing airbase support services to RAAF Base Wagga. The squadron is designated No. 31 (City of Wagga Wagga) Squadron and forms part of Combat Support Group.^[1]

Squadron Motto

NON CIRCUM COIMUS - No Turning Around

Commanding Officers

1 September 1942 - Wing Commander Charles Frederick Read, DFC later to become Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sir Charles Frederick Read KBE, CB, DFC, AFC
13 September 1943 - Wing Commander Frederick William Ball Mann, DFC
May 1944 - Wing Commander George D'Arcy Wentworth, DFC
September 1944 - Squadron Leader John A'Beckett Penleigh Boyd, DFC & Bar
26 December 1944 - Squadron Leader John Couper Black
1 July 2010 - Squadron Leader Nigel Webster
August 2011 - Wing Commander Jo Elkington

Decorations

• 16 Distigushed Flying Cross (DFC)
• 2 Distigushed Flying Cross and Bar (DFC & Bar)
• 1 Distigushed Flying Medal (DFM)
• 6 Mentioned In Dispatch (MID)
• 1 King's Commendation for Brave Conduct

Notes

1. ^ Lineham, Paul (24 June 2010). "Building up our cities". Air Force. http://digital.realviewtechnologies.com/default.aspx?xml=defencenews_airforce.xml&iid=37407. Retrieved 26 June 2010. 

References

• Eather, Steve (1995). Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force. Weston Creek, ACT: Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1875671153. OCLC 35956262. 
• Mann, William (2001). Search and Destroy: The role of the Beaufighters against the Japanese Forces set to invade Australia, and the young men who held the Japanese at bay. Benowa, Qld: William Mann. ISBN 0646413058. OCLC 53221576. 
• RAAF Historical Section (1995), Units of the Royal Australian Air Force. A Concise History. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
• RAAF Museum 31 Squadron