No. 22 Squadron RAAF

[[File:]]

Brief History

This unit was formed at Richmond, NSW on 20 Apr 1936, and soon after was renamed as No. 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron. Their initial aircraft were two Hawker Demon aircraft, and three Gypsy Moths. In March 1937 the Squadron received their first Avro Anson aircraft to asist them to provide a range of roles from transport, to exercising with other forces.

When WW2 began the squadron was equipped with four Anson and eight Demon aircraft, and the next day they were tasked with coastal searches. On 7 Oct 1939 "C" Flight was re-armed with CAC Wirraways. In late 1939 a fourth Flight was formed to train air cadets. The Squadron temorarily relocated to Cressy in Victoria on 3 Oct 1940 and became involved in training air gunners at No. 1 Armament Training School before returning to Richmond on 2 Nov 1940.

Throughout the early months of 1941, 22 Squadron caried out exercises in Army co-operation, dive-bombmg. parachute dropping and photography before The operations of the Squadron took on a more vital role with the entry of Japan into the war. In April 1942, the Squadron began re-equiping w1th Douglas Boston aircraft. On two occasions in June 1942, 22 Squadron Oostons attacked enemy submarines off the cast coast of Australia. In September 1942, the Squadron moved to Ward Strip near Port Moresby. Early operations in New Guinea were directed against enemy troops and supply dumps in the Buna-Gona area. During December 1942, 46 sorties were flown including an attack on a Japanese Destroyer which was caught while unloading troops and supplies at Mambarc River in the early hours of 14 Dec 1942. Stores and troops were then attacked and the damaged destroyer was later sunk by B-17s. No. 22 Squadron played an important part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea during the first week of March 1943.

The Squadron continued to operate during April to July from Ward's Strip providing close tactical support of ground forces, bombing and strafing )apanese-occup1ed villages, supply dumps and defended positions. Most targets were strongly defended by anti-aircraft guns which rendered the Squadron's low level operations particularly hazardous. In July 1943, six Bostons of No. 22 Squadron took part in the biggest RAAF strike yet undertaken in the soulh-west Pacific, when 63 aircraft attacked Gasmata. Towards the end of September 1943, eight new long range Bostons were received by the Squadron. Following work to convert them they were in action in mic October 1943. but considerable work had to be done on the aircraft to make them fully serviceable. Their operational debut was delayed until mid-October. On 1 Sep 1943 the Squadron, together with two RAAF fighter squadrons, moved to Goodenough Island.

During a mission in November 1943, the crew of an aircraft were reported missing, apparently shot down a mile north of Malakua Village. They returned to 22 Squadron three months later after an amazing series of adventures. On 26 Novr 1943, the Squadron moved to Kiriwina. ln January 1944, the main objective was disrupt enemy barge traffic on the north and south coasts of New Britain. The Squadron was credited with destroying three barges and destroying a further two. The Squadron continued to support the American ground forces on New Britain and harass the Japanese movements.

For three months the Squadron was non operational and went through a rebuild, having been allocated 12 new A·20G Boston aircraft. The squadron was sent to Noemfoor Island on 11 Aug 1944, to support aerial dominance over Western New Guinea in anticipation of the invasion of Sansapor and Morotai. The Squadron was tasked with attacking enemy Airfields, villages and shipping. On 17 November 1944, 16 Bostons of No. 22 Squadron arrived at Morotai and on the following day Beaufighters and Bostons took off from Wama airfield on strikes against airfields, watercraft and enemy installations in the northern Celebes in support of the American landings in the Philippines. After japanese attacks on 22 and 23 Nov 1944, the Squadron was left with so few aircraft that it was ordered to withdraw to Noemfoor where it would be re-armed and the crews retrained with Beaufighters.

Until the end of the war in the Pacific, 22 Squadron formed pari of a Ioree of Beaulightcrs under the control of lsi Tactical Air Force. II. and the Kittyhawk .quadrons, took part in combined ra1<b on beleaguered enemy bases and garrisons, and in the process sank and damagl'<i surfnce craft which the Japanese were using to supply their cut·ofl land forces. Now lill<'<i with rocket,, they knocked out radio and radar stations, food and ammunition dumps, and made life miserable lor 20 000 japanese troops based in the northern Celebes. During April19~5. 22 Squadron had been alerted to move to Tarnkan, off the coast of Borneo, following the .ecuring of the j,Jand and repair of the airstrip. However, the au·strip, wh1ch had been badly battered and was completely waterlogged, took fai longer than anlicipatl'd to become opera tional so the Bcaurighle,.,. were ordered to move to Sanga Sanga aerodrome on Tawit.nvi Island in the southern Phihppine:;; in order to provide air co,·er over Tarakan. The Bcaullghtcrs arrived at Tawitawi from Morotai on I June 1945, and also carried out operatiol\S in support of the further Austrnhan landings at Labuan and Brunei Bay in British North Borneo on 10 June. Support lor the Austrnli,m 9th D1vision w:.s contmued until Ute Squadron's aircraft w~re ordered to leave Sanga Sanga as the base was now needed for American aircraft. At the end of June t9·15, t11c ai,.,.trip at Tarakan was completed, but 11 was still imposs1ble to operate Beau lighters from there, and they were withdrawn to Morotai. A nucleus o122Squadfl1n moved to Deniliquin, N~w South Wales. on 17 IA'CI'mber 1945 and remained there unbl the Squadron was diSbanded on 15 August 1\146. TI1e Squadron was reformed as the City of Sydney (Fighter) Squadron on lq April 1948 at Bank!.town, New South Wales, w1th Flight Lieutenant R.C. MacKay ,,s Comrnandmg Officer. Four Mustangs were taken on strength at the bcgmning of November 19·18 and the Squadron moved to Scholields, New South Wales, on 16 November 1948. On 19 NO\•ember, the Commanding Of11ccr nnd Flight Lieutena.ll J. Drunk were ~ill ed whtle carrying out aerobahc exercises at Schofields in a Tiger Moth. Weekend pilot training continued and tlte Squadron also engaged in Army and Navy co-operation exercises to further its experience. In July 1951. a helicopter jomed the Squadron and carried out nood relief duties in following ycal'!o. TI1e Squadron moved from Schoficlds to Richmond, New South Wales in March 1953, .1nd there contmued 1ts program of trairung and peacehmc rouhne flying. On 18 May 1953, Fhght Lieutenant J.E. Summerton became tl1c l•rsl Citizen Air Force olficer to command the Squadron. AI R1chmond as at Scholields, the Squadron, m add1tion to its pilot lrammg commllment, carried out a busy program of bombmg and guMery practice, Oypasls and participation in aJr .-~~n:JSC with other RAAF squ.1d roru;. In September 1953, Vampire aircraft were allolled lo 22 Squadron and in November conversion training on the jets beg<ln for CiiJLen Atr Force pilots. In january 1960, advice was rt!Ceivcd that 22 Squadron was to relinquish its Meteors (which had replaced the Vampires In April 1956) and be re-organised in a non-flying role and re-named 22 (Auxiliary) Squadron. The Squadron is stil active today, as a reserve unit, at RAAF Base Richmond.