No. 35 Squadron RAAF

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Brief History

This unit was formed at Pearce during February 1942 to undertake a Transport function, before moving to the Maylands aerodrome from April 1942. It was equipped with one de Havilland Fox Moth and one de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide aircraft which force landed in the sea south of Dongara soon after. A variety of aircraft were used over the next year, and the unit moved to Pearce in August 1943 and replaced its aircraft with Douglas Dakota C-47s.

The Dakotas began a schedule of freight and passenger trips to ports as far afield as Broome, Western Australia, and Essendon, Victoria. The Squadron moved from Pearcec to Guildford in August 1944, and later that month a detachment was formed in Brisbane to perform special duties in eastern and northern Australia. In October three aircraft from 35 Squadron flew to Higgins Faeld, on Cape York Peninsul, to fly a special ferry service to Aitape, on the north coast of New Guinea.

Although the Squadron headquarters remained at Gulldford, a detachment of the Squadron's aircraft was operating from Townsvalle and stagang through Iron Range, Merauke, Hollandia, Tadji and Noemfoor. Another detachment was based in Darwin and, on 8 December, three aircraft helped move 452 Squadron to Morotai. Durting February and March 1945 the Squadron relocated to Townsville allowing the Squadron to commence scheduled operations to bases in eastern Australia and New Guinea. A detachment was based at Morotai later. Although the Squadron mainly flew to Labuan, Balikpapan and Tarakan, its aircraft did range as far afield as Kuching, Banjarmasin and Macassar.

During February 1946, the Squadron assisted with the transfer of 81 Wing to Japan, where it was to form an element of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. 35 Squadron continued to fly from Morotai to Japan until the detachment at Morotai closed in April 1946. This Squadron operated Caribous in Vietnam from 1964 until February 1974.

Unit Personnel

• John Newell Ellis 10 Feb 1943 - 22 AUg 1944
• Alfred William Walker 16 Dec 1943 - 12 Jun 1944