raaf geographically based commands raised royal_australian_air_force raaf world war formed controlled units based new_south_wales southern queensland headquartered sydney primarily responsible air defence aerial reconnaissance protection sea lanes boundaries area continued function following end war transferring headquarters time raaf operational units based boundaries formed october renamed raaf new functional command control system history world war prior world war royal_australian_air_force small elements directly controlled melbourne war broke raaf began command structure expected increases manpower units march australia divided geographically based command control zones roles area commands air defence protection adjacent sea lanes aerial reconnaissance led air officer commanding controlled administration operations air bases units boundary disbanded august responsibilities divided newly formed training group outbreak pacific war resulted split january counter separate japanese threats new_guinea considered appropriate division owing size proposed assigning responsibility operational maintenance units new_south_wales new area command assume control units southern queensland headquartered sydney suburb formed leadership air vice marshal staff numbered including officers training units new_south_wales remained training group maintenance group formed sydney june took responsibility maintenance units initially controlled september commander major general formed majority flying units australian counterparts led air vice marshal exercised control australian air operations area commands continued hold overarching administrative authority meaning area commanders ultimately dependent chief air staff air vice marshal supplies equipment necessity raaf northerly area commands primarily responsible bombing air defence commands maritime patrol anti submarine warfare aircraft flew patrol anti submarine convoy escort missions january april command operating seven combat units squadron flying army cooperation missions queensland squadron flying dive bombing missions squadron flying dive bombing missions new south wales squadron flying reconnaissance bombing missions new_south_wales squadron flying maritime reconnaissance anti submarine missions squadron flying maritime reconnaissance anti submarine missions new south wales squadron flying fighter missions queensland area headquarters staff numbered including ninety officers squadron credited damaging japanese submarine june raaf able destroy enemy submarines coastal waters anderson handed command air commodore july group captain senior air staff officer october lancaster piloted flight lieutenant headquarters building flying regulations largest aircraft pull stunt month proposed carving new area command considered large controlled headquarters division new command known responsible training operational units southern queensland war cabinet deferred decision proposal concept raised august time control maintenance units training operations southern queensland came proposal appointed december japanese submarine activity decreased months prior taking command concerned allied ships observed general procedure ships seldom minority merchant ships identify aircraft raaf patrols settled predictable pattern submarine captain easily avoid relinquished command september december aircraft took search german submarine prevent sinking liberty ship christmas squadron based located wreck squadron lost crew shortly takeoff search called january month held command duration pacific war post war activity reorganisation following end pacific war august dissolved assumed control operational elements including area commands according official history post war air_force considered australia senior operational delegated chief air staff day day responsibility nation air defence raaf bases aircraft employed operations situated sphere control new_south_wales southern queensland frank succeeded december end month headquarters staff numbered including officers bomber wing came control april moved queensland initially operating wing equipped soon time headquarters occupied seven sydney subsequently relocated retired air_force took command july august oversaw establishment transport wing operating new_south_wales displacing fighter wing moved began operating following month air vice marshal jones proposed reducing mainland area commands north western eastern southern western areas covering queensland covering new_south_wales covering western_australia south_australia victoria tasmania proposal larger plan post war raaf federal government rejected plan wartime area command boundaries largely remained place succeeded eastern area october held command retirement air_force july successor air vice marshal responsible preparing transfer headquarters park hotel process completed commanding view surrounding countryside property kilometres miles thirty kilometres miles incorporated disused railway tunnel offered according government correspondence complete protection attack adjoining property purchased soon augment new headquarters accommodation facilities completed term october air vice marshal appointed march following year commanded early years emergency oversaw deployment composite wing administer raaf units stationed lincoln squadron detached wing squadron wing having equipped jets wing departed garrison duties raf malta july group captain announced air_force planning equip wing jet bombers sabre swept wing jet fighters federal government retired replaced raf proceeded organise raaf command control system functional lines establishing home operational training october formed considered raaf facto operational organisation second formed hub training services controlling new_south_wales queensland victoria south australia functional command formed extant headquarters melbourne transition functional system completed february new commands assumed control operations training maintenance western north eastern areas aftermath functional commands established revised renamed training merged renamed years later split training command evolution home operational headquarters remained logistics management responsibility air force raaf component defence wide later training command formed force element group sole command level organisation raaf order battle controlled following squadrons squadron equipped based squadron equipped based squadron equipped based squadron equipped based
Eastern Area Command (RAAF)