raaf geographically based commands raised royal_australian_air_force raaf world war formed january controlled raaf units located western_australia headquartered primarily responsible air defence aerial reconnaissance protection sea lanes boundaries aircraft conducted anti submarine operations war attacked targets dutch_east_indies borneo campaign continued operate following end war responsibilities raaf new functional command control system headquarters disbanded years later history world war prior world war royal_australian_air_force small elements directly controlled melbourne war broke september air_force began command structure expected increases manpower units march raaf divided australia new_guinea geographically based command control zones roles area commands air defence protection adjacent sea lanes aerial reconnaissance led air officer commanding responsible administration operations air bases units boundary headquartered perth formed january control raaf units western_australia included general reconnaissance squadron general purpose squadron initial training school raaf station elementary flying training school soon raised service flying training school maintained control western australian units pending area formation inaugural acting senior air staff officer group captain headquarters staff numbered including officers squadron operating lockheed squadron flying responsible convoy escort anti submarine patrol shortly taking command lobbied force long range flying boats augment squadron available determined form training units southern eastern states semi geographical semi functional groups separate area commands led establishment august training group melbourne covering victoria tasmania south australia training group sydney covering new_south_wales queensland time dissolved responsibilities divided southern northern areas training group uniquely area commands retained responsibility training operations maintenance boundaries november available aircraft nos squadrons service flying training school took search sunk german hudson located bearing crew following outbreak pacific war split january counter separate japanese threats new_guinea respectively new area command raised control units new_south_wales southern queensland month proposed raising training group maintenance group control training maintenance units western_australia approved place headquarters staff numbered including seventy officers transport squadron operating dragon aircraft raised control march squadron equipped formed march time fighter squadron available defend perth worked prepare operations fighter sector headquarters perth operational april operational authority raaf combat infrastructure including area commands invested newly established headquarters boundaries occurred august given responsibility portion western_australia north line drawn south east border september saw formation led air vice marshal oversee majority australian flying units exercised control air operations area commands continued hold overarching administrative authority australian units november construction began airfield control near australia closest air base serve staging post allied bombers bound targets dutch_east_indies allowing avoid japanese fighter stations darwin java handed december end month headquarters staff numbered including ninety officers april controlled combat units squadron flying reconnaissance bombers squadron tasked dive bombing missions based squadron flying squadron operating fighters area command able patrol wing based reconnaissance anti submarine missions flew maritime patrols march went high alert response concerns japanese naval force raid western_australia perth reinforced nos squadrons nos attack ensued units directed return home bases navy withdrew mid year ability conduct long range maritime reconnaissance squadron fly patrols hours duration search german submarines reported area headquarters staff numbered including officers having converted dive bombers august squadron moved january equipped heavy bombers employed anti submarine patrol later month owing squadron fully committed tasks april july squadron provided contribution borneo campaign supporting allied invasions staging bombed japanese airfields dutch_east_indies range day landings attacked near night prior landings conducted daylight raids java lead operation commenced july squadron ceased regular anti submarine patrols following end hostilities europe remained standby case boats found active july appointed command newly formed group handed senior air staff officer group captain held temporary command remainder war post war activity disbandment following end pacific war august dissolved assumed control operational formations including area commands hannah handed command group captain october raaf dramatically wartime units scheduled dissolution stages including reconnaissance bomber squadrons end bomber units september squadron disbanded december squadron repatriated prisoners war dutch_east_indies australia january unit disbanded july year wilson placed retired list february hannah assumed temporary command posted britain october group captain took officer commanding western area following month time headquarters staff numbered including thirty officers september chief air staff air vice marshal proposed reducing extant mainland area commands north western eastern southern western areas covering queensland covering new_south_wales covering western_australia south_australia victoria tasmania rejected plan wartime area command boundaries essentially remained place squadron formed unit april operating later vampire fighters training squadron responsible western_australia air defence handed command november end month headquarters staff numbered fourteen including seven officers group captain later took command october operation hurricane british atomic test october coordinated air support including supply observation flights completed term western area september time headquarters staff numbered thirty including officers commencing month raaf reorganised geographically based command control system based function february newly constituted functional organisations home training assumed control operations training maintenance remained existence remote control points headquarters finally disbanded november order battle april order battle comprised raaf station general reconnaissance squadron general purpose squadron transport squadron fighter squadron fighter sector headquarters perth
Western Area Command (RAAF)