No. 5 Embarkation Depot RAAF

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Brief History

Six Embarkation Depots, later known as Personnel Depots, were established by the RAAF during World War 2. The principal function of these Depots was to house personnel awaiting embarkation for overseas posts and to ensure that, before departure, they were medically and dentally fit, vaccinated, inoculated and properly equipped. RAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force and Netherlands East Indies Air Force personnel, wives of personnel and Empire Air Training Scheme personnel were also processed through these units.

The No. 5 Embarkation Depot was formed at No. 5 School of Technical Training, Perth, on 10 Apr 1941. The Depot moved to Fremantle Boys' School and Princess May Girls' School in Fremantle on 14 July 1942, followed by a move to Salvado Road, Subiaco, on 2 December. The Depot's name changed in April 1944 to No.5 Personnel Depot.

At the end of September 1946, sections of the Depot were established at Pearce, ANA House and Karrakatta, to carry out discharge and recruiting duties. No. 5 Personnel Depot ceased to function as a unit on 25 September 1946, and was disbanded.

Staff members

• Robert Alexander MacLean 29 Jul 1941 - 8 Jun 1942 - 5 Embarkation Depot
• Beatrice Mary Coulson 5 Embarkation Depot
• Dorothy Betsy Thorne 5 Embarkation Depot
• Lillian Hope Turner 5 Embarkation Depot
• Dora Terry 5 Personnel Depot
• William John Martin (16379) 25 Oct 1943 - 25 Jan 1945

Personnel proceeding overseas or being reposted

• Roy Thomas Aston Wallis 29 May - 4 Jul 1941
• † Raymond Edward Norton Butcher 19 Jun - 27 Oct 1941
• † Alan Wesley Hain 21 Jun - 8 Sep 1941
• Clifford Stanley Douglas 6 - 16 Jul 1941
• Gerard Henzell Straughan Hemy 5 Aug - 8 Sep 1941
• Maxwell Kenneth Ottaway 7 Nov 1941 - 17 Aug 1942
• Roy Joseph Smith 29 Sep - 9 Nov 1941
• † Leslie John (Jock) Powell DFC 10 Feb - 15 Mar 1942
• William James (Jim) Morcombe 3 - 25 Jun 1942
• † Edward Watling 29 Jul - 20 Aug 1942
• Lloyd Ryder Hughes 12 Mar - 7 Apr 1944
• † Ernest Ronald William Oliver 15 Apr - 15 May 1943
• Reginald William Jordan 27 Apr - 25 Jun 1943
• Oswald Francis Williams 6 May - 25 Jul 1943
• Colin Lindsay Ottaway DFC 15 May - 4 Jun 1943
• † Greer Winton Ottaway 2 - 19 Jul 1943
• Edward Trayton Elvish 27 Jul - 8 Sep 1943
• Reginald William Jordan 11 Sep 1943 - 28 Jan 1944
• George Henry Millett 19 Nov - 11 Dec 1943
• Ivan Lindsay Dunn 26 Nov 1943 - 21 Jan 1944 & 8 Sep - 22 Dec 1944
• Clarence Albert Curtis
• Kenneth William McCallum

Notes

See also No. 5 Personnel Depot RAAF

Content comes from Units of the Royal Australian Air Force - A Concise History - Vol 9 Ancillary Units Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995