No. 12 Aircraft Repair Depot RAAF

12 Airport Repair Depot hanger, Darwin - NT Library hdl:10070/3879

Brief History

No. 12 Aircraft Repair Depot was formed at Werribee, Victoria, on 1 May 1944, to repair and maintain B-24 Liberator aircraft in the North-Western Area. The site at Werribee lacked messing and barrack facilities; meals and bedding had to be supplied by 1 Central Recovery Depot. On 7 May 1944 the orderly room, equipment and transport sections opened for business, with the first equipment for the Depot being delivered on 12 May.

On 24 May 1944, plans were made for the move of the unit to Darwin and on 25 July, the first group - the motor transport repair section and BO tons of store'S departed for Darwin, where the unit was to take over a camp site vacated by 9 Works Maintenance Squadron. The main body arrived in Darwin on 6 August 1944. The men were ordered to undertake 'hardening' courses and 72 men commenced " course on 4 July 1944. The last BO trained at Wonga Park for a week, commencing on 13 Nov 1944. Unit members participated in salvage work. On 17 August As at 1 January 1945, the strength of 12 Aircraft Repar Depot was 930 officers and airmen, all working to establish the camp site and facilities near Darwin.

During June, 12 Aircraft Repair Depot accepted 36 aircraft for repair or maintenance, and 17 were delivered, work completed. During the same month, discussions regarding the amalgamation of 12 and 14 Aircraft Repair Depots took place. The motor transport repair sections of both units were combined, but the end of the War curtailed the total merger. At the end of November, RAAF Headquarters ordered that the unit complete the work in hand, and that only flying squadrons remain in the north. The last aircraft serviced by 12 Aircraft Repair Depot departed for Tocumwal on 23 Dec 1945. On I Feb 1946 orders were received to the effect that no more aircraft would be sent to the Depot for repair. The unit was disbanded on 15 Aug 1946.

Unit Members

• Angus Lenard Hurley
• Keith Robert Mills 9 Aug 1944 - 6 Dec 1945
• Cyril Charles Cross 26 Aug - 15 Oct 1945
• Leslie Douglas Waller 26 Aug - 6 Mar 1946
• Maurice Raymond Lawson 9 Nov - 3 Dec 1945
• George Laverick Gordin 21 Nov 1945

Notes

Content has come from Units of the Royal Australian Air Force - A Concise History - Volume 7 Maintenance Units - Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995.