airfield construction squadron raaf airfield construction squadron royal_australian_air_force raaf construction squadron unit formed july served borneo campaign world war squadron raaf airfield construction units retained end war formed australia contribution occupation japan disbanded june raised august worked raaf airfields australia addition provided small detachments engineers support raaf deployments thailand vietnam war squadron raaf airfield construction unit onward disbanded december history world war july men detached unit stationed victoria organised new squadron intended serve new_guinea unit designated special works force arrived port august difficult voyage ship carrying australia ran aground twice squadron began work constructing august airfield ready use weeks later airfield completion delayed january shortages personnel equipment special works force redesignated mobile works squadron november order support allied new_guinea moved late february march constructed facility initially comprised metre fighter runway metre bomber runway headquarters maintenance logistics facilities march april detachment squadron assisted mobile works squadron bay departed november period rest australia early force raaf united_states_army aviation engineer units selected build airfields new_guinea air support provided allied operations army forces landed april departed melbourne february eventually joined main body airfield engineer force april received training infantry tactics landing took place april came ashore day airfield ready april later expanded aviation engineers july landed formed aviation engineer force tasked repairing expanding island airfields allied forces landed island july secure construction work began result personnel required man perimeter defences captured japanese personnel redesignated july november main units wing wing formed raaf main mobile force january moved island worked improving facilities army mid traveled remained island june departed australian led battle north borneo squadrons landed june worked repairing maintaining island airfield end war august occupation japan raaf airfield construction squadrons disbanded end war november informed form australia contribution japan deployment assigned wing advance party arrived japan late rest squadron arrived east hiroshima february time unit strength officers airmen volunteered occupation duties personnel arrived march april provided engineering support years initial priorities repair airfields engaged work airfields building small forward army reconnaissance aircraft maintaining airfields area responsibility tasks great importance australian aviation historian written achievements probably significant australian unit land sea air occupation japan japanese labourers employed projects squadron personnel undertaking specialist roles size reduced decided reduce raaf force japan single flying squadron accordingly remaining responsibilities gradually transferred works officer squadron squadron disbanded june cold war reformed august new south wales fill raaf need engineering units provide nucleus potential formation airfield construction squadrons initially worked projects sydney moving undertook major upgrade base lasted period squadron worked raaf facilities new_south_wales march november detachment men deployed islands coast western_australia support british nuclear weapons test area operation hurricane detachment squadron assisted construction range facilities test range south_australia moved darwin build foot runway supporting facilities detachment remained june detachments formed undertake engineering tasks sydney region rebuild runway raaf base expansion completed following disbandment airfield construction squadron april left raaf construction unit took personnel equipment short period remnants designated detachment completed works sub unit disbanded september completed headed south develop near squadron advance party arrived october work began base late metre runway opened march base ready support raaf units early work expanding continued period detachments worked projects darwin headquarters moved september detachments formed australia contribution vietnam war following deployment squadron thailand june party personnel sent plan oversee construction facilities squadron work facilities undertaken thai civilians built support infrastructure squadron time project concluded end raaf units began deployed detachment formed improve airfield support equipped squadron members detachment returned australia october detachment subsequently deployed january build facilities bombers air base task completed april june detachment moved complete construction facilities work airport finished january detachment disbanded february major project development western_australia initial works began project march detachment formed main body squadron arrived february task extend existing runway site build facilities support raaf combat aircraft case war indonesia works undertaken difficult climatic conditions living conditions provided airmen families inadequate nonetheless runway extensive support facilities officially opened december work needed completed time august announced going disbanded squadron strength declined personnel left raaf moved units disbanded december raaf airfield construction units disbandment civilian contractors build maintain air bases memorial plaque commemorating unveiled raaf memorial grove outside canberra march
No. 5 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF