No. 83 Wing RAAF
| No. 83 Wing RAAF | |
|---|---|
 A No. 16 Air Observation Post Auster being assembled at Morotai in April 1945 | |
| Active | 1944–1947 |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Role | Army cooperation |
| Engagements | World War II |
No. 83 Wingwas a unit of theRoyal Australian Air ForceduringWorld War II.Thewingwas formed in September 1944 and was one of the RAAF's two such units tasked with army cooperation. It took part in theBorneo campaignfrom May 1945 until the end of the war to support the Army'sI Corps.No. 83 Wing was disbanded in July 1947.
History
[edit]No. 83 Wing was raised atNadzabin theTerritory of New Guineaon 25 September 1944.[1]It was one of two army cooperation wings established by the RAAF, the other beingNo. 84 Wing,which was formed inCairnson 11 September 1944.[1][2]Each wing was made up of a tactical reconnaissancesquadron,a local air supply unit and an air observation postflight.[3]
The two army cooperation wings were tasked with supporting units of theAustralian Army.Their duties included reconnaissance,artillery spotting,directing attack aircraft to targets, transporting supplies and spraying anti-malarial chemicals. They were not authorised to conduct offensive operations, but their aircraft were permitted to attack targets of opportunity.[3]
No. 83 Wing was transferred toLaeon 13 November 1944. It was subsequently deployed toMorotaiin theNetherlands East Indies,arriving there on 4 April 1945.[1]The movement to Morotai formed part of a broader transfer of theAustralian First Tactical Air Forceto take part on theBorneo campaign,the wing forming part of No. 1 TAF.[4]At this time No. 83 Wing includedNo. 4 Squadron,which flewCAC BoomerangandCAC Wirrawayaircraft,[5]No. 16 Air Observation Post FlightwithTaylorcraft Austers[6]andNo. 9 Local Air Supply Unitwhich operatedBristol Beauforts.[7][8]
Four of No. 16 Air Observation Post Flight's Auster aircraft were landed atTarakanearly in theinvasion of the islandin early May 1945.[9][6]One of these aircraft crashed on takeoff from Tarakan during 2 May, killing its pilot; this was the flight's only fatality during the campaign.[6]Detachments from No. 16 Air Observation Post Flight supported the9th Division'soperations in North Borneofrom June and the7th Division'slanding at Balikpapanduring July.[10]No. 4 Squadron also took part in these operations. Its Wirraways were sent to North Borneo, and began operating fromLabuanfrom 23 June. The Boomerangs supported the 7th Division at Balikpapan.[11]The wing headquarters was transferred from Morotai to Labuan, and began operating from there on 12 June.[1]No. 9 Local Supply Unit's Beauforts supported operations in North Borneo by sprayingDDTover the areas Australian Army units were operating. A Beaufort crashed while taking off for one of these sorties on 11 June, with all three of its aircrew being killed.[8]Following the Japanese surrender, No. 83 Wing's aircraft were used to locate Alliedprisoners of warin Borneo, among other tasks.[12][13]
The wing headquarters was transferred toCanberra,and opened there on 22 January 1946.[1]Nos. 4 Squadron and 16 Air Observation Post Flight were also stationed at Canberra at this time.[14][13]Both units, along withNo. 383 Base Squadron,were assigned to No. 83 Wing.[15]The wing may have been designated Army Co-Operation Wing for part of its period at Canberra.[16]No. 83 Wing was disbanded in Canberra on 8 July 1947.[1]
References
[edit]- Citations
- ^abcdefAustralian War Memorial 1995,p. 121.
- ^Odgers 1968,p. 508.
- ^abOdgers 1968,p. 317.
- ^Odgers 1968,pp. 439–440.
- ^Odgers 1968,p. 440.
- ^abcRAAF Historical Section 1995a,p. 170.
- ^"RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book – Forms A50 and A51] Number 83 Wing Aug 44 – Jul 47".National Archives of Australia. pp. 78–79.Retrieved14 November2022.
- ^abOdgers 1968,p. 471.
- ^Odgers 1968,p. 453.
- ^RAAF Historical Section 1995a,pp. 170–171.
- ^RAAF Historical Section 1995,pp. 13–14.
- ^RAAF Historical Section 1995a,p. 14.
- ^abRAAF Historical Section 1995a,p. 171.
- ^RAAF Historical Section 1995,p. 14.
- ^"RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book – Forms A50 and A51] Number 83 Wing Aug 44 – Jul 47".National Archives of Australia. p. 29.Retrieved14 November2022.
- ^"Units stationed at Fairbairn".The Canberra Times.3 April 1990. p. 16.Retrieved14 November2022– via National Library of Australia.
- Works consulted
- Australian War Memorial (1995).Squadrons, Formations & Units of the Royal Australian Air Force and their Deployment.Canberra: Unpublished monograph held by the AWM Research Centre.
- Odgers, George(1968).Air War Against Japan 1943–1945.Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 3 – Air (reprint ed.). Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
- RAAF Historical Section (1995).Units of the Royal Australian Air Force. A Concise History. Volume 2 Fighter Units.Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.ISBN0-644-42794-9.
- RAAF Historical Section (1995a).Units of the Royal Australian Air Force. A Concise History. Volume 4 Maritime and Transport Units.Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.ISBN0-644-42796-5.
