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RAAF India/Burma |
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Following the successful Japanese thrust through South-East Asia in the early and mid part of 1942, British defence in the region was largely in disarray. Masses of civilian refugees poured north through Burma to escape the Japanese threat. British, Indian, Burmese and Ghurka soldiers all formed part of the British Army as it withdrew and tried to re-establish itself along the Indian frontier. By August 1942 approximately 250 Australian airmen were posted in the Burma/India theatre of war. These men served in a number of RAF squadrons with a significant number attached to the No. 11 Bomber Squadron flying Blenheim bombers. By January 1943 the number of Australians serving in the theatre had grown to 350 and by the years end had doubled to 795. By mid July of 1944 the number of RAAF personnel had passed the 1000 mark with over half of this number serving across sixty RAF squadrons. The Australian airmen were flying a variety of aircraft including Hurricanes, Spitfires, Mosquitoes, Liberators, Dakotas, Vengeance bombers and the Catalina flying boats. Naturally the deeds of these Australian airmen are tied to the history of the RAF squadrons which flew operations on a daily basis. These squadrons played an important role in supporting General Slim's operations against the Japanese from the beginning of 1944 when the British seized the port of Maungdaw in Arakan. When the Japanese countered with an offensive into India, air transports were used to ferry the army from Arakan to the Imphal Plain and maintain supplies for it once there. About 125 Australians served in the eight squadrons of the transports No 229 group. Australian W J McLean was wing commander of No 117 squadron. Another RAAF pilot who achieved wing commander status was Lionel Hudson who commanded No 82 squadron. He was captured after crashing his Mosquito fighter behind enemy lines and commanded the POWs left behind after the Japanese evacuation of Rangoon in May 1945. RAAF casualties in Burma/India were quite high and figure around about thirty per cent of those engaged. 242 died and 89 were injured between 1941-45. |
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