No. 5 Group RAAF
| No. 5 (Maintenance) Group RAAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1942–1946 |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Headquarters | Sydney |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | D.E.L. Wilson |
No. 5 (Maintenance) Group RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) group of World War II. It was formed in June 1942 as part of a reorganisation of the air force that saw maintenance functions transferred from area commands to dedicated functional groups. No. 5 (Maintenance) Group was disbanded following the war in January 1946.
History
[edit]On 23 May 1942, Australian Prime Minister John Curtin agreed to a proposal made by Air Vice-Marshal George Jones, the RAAF Chief of the Air Staff, to establish up to five maintenance groups as part of a broader reorganisation of the air force along semi-functional, semi-geographical lines. These groups were to be tasked with supporting the RAAF's five operational area commands.[1]
No. 5 (Maintenance) Group was the first of these groups to be established, and was formed on 1 June 1942. Its inaugural commanding officer was Group Captain D.E.L. Wilson, and the group's headquarters was located in the Sydney suburb of Darling Point.[2][3] In the event, the only other maintenance group to be formed was No. 4, which was established on 14 September 1942.[2] No. 5 Group was responsible for administering the RAAF maintenance units located in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland, as well as the city of Noumea in New Caledonia.[4] As of early 1943, the group reported directly to RAAF Headquarters.[5]
Following the end of the war, No. 5 Group was disbanded at Sydney on 13 January 1946.[6]
References
[edit]- Citations
- ^ Ashworth (2000), pp. 134–135
- ^ a b Ashworth (2000), p. 135
- ^ "Death of Air Commodore D.E.L. Wilson". The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser. National Library of Australia. 1 September 1950. p. 8. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ Gillison (1962), p. 479
- ^ Ashworth (2000), p. 286
- ^ "Order of Battle – Air Force". Department of Veterans' Affairs. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- Works consulted
- Ashworth, Norman (2000). How Not to Run an Air Force! Volume One – Narrative. Canberra: RAAF Air Power Studies Centre. ISBN 978-0-642-26550-0.
- Gillison, Douglas (1962). Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume I – Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 2000369.
