RAAF Base Point Cook

Brief History

Chosen in 1913 to be the site for the RAAF flying school it was not until 1915 that accommodation, hangars and workshops, sufficient to house all personnel and equipment had been constructed. Its 90 graduates went on to participate in the Mesopotamian Half Flight and served in the Australian Flying Corps in France. It continued to operate as a training centre after the end of WW1.

In August 1921 the RAAF was formed and Point Cook was its first RAAF Station with No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF and No. 1 Aircraft Depot RAAF. Aircraft available were 20 Avro 505k's, 10 Sopwith Pups and 6 Fairey seaplanes. A further 128 aircraft were in storage. The Cadet Training Scheme was introduced in 1923 and hundreds of men participated by the beginning of WW2.

Point Cook's most rapid growth occurred after the commencement of WW2 with courses in flying (2,700 graduates), navigation, reconnaissance, signaling, armaments, and instruction were offered, such that Station HQ Point Cook was formed in October 1941 to co-ordinate all the activity. During and after the war many units came into being and many were reformed, re-named or relocated. Flying training at Point Cook was at one time or another controlled by No. 1 Service Flying Training School, No. 1 Advanced Flying Training School or No 1 Basic flying training School.

It continues to play a very important role in the RAAF to this day as the home of RAAF College and RAAF Staff College, the Institude of Aviation Medicine and the RAAF Museum.

Unit Personnel

• Kenneth William McCallum 27 Nov 1941 - 13 Mar 1942
• Evelyn Yates 14 Aug 1942 - 30 Jul 1944 & 11 Sep 1944 - 26 Jan 1945

Notes

Content has come from Units of the Royal Australian Air Force - A Concise History - Volume 1 Bases, Supporting Organisations pages 149 - 152 - Australian Government Publishing Service - 1995