The RAAF Airfield Construction Squadrons 1942-1974 David Wilson

188 Pages·2008·7.35 MB·English

The RAAF Airfield Construction Squadrons 1942-1974
David Wilson
INDIAN O C E A ~
r/
PACIFIC OCEAN

- 1
Air Power Studies Centre
ALWAYS FIRST
THE RAAF AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION
SQUADRONS 1942 - 1974
-
DAVID WILSON
Air Power Studies Cenae
Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 1998
This work is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private
study, research, criticism, or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no
part may be reproduced by any means without written permission. Inquiries should
be made to the publisher.
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
.
Wilson, David, 1944-
Always first: the RAAF airfield construction squadrons 1941-1974
Bibliography
Includes Index
ISBN 0 642 26525 9
1. Air forces - Australia - History. I. Australia. Royal Australian Air Force. Air
Power Studies Centre. D. Title.
Published and distributed by:
Air Power Studies Centre
RAAF Base
Fairbairn ACT 2600
Australia
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]
Much has been spoken and much has been said
Of our gallant heroes and our glorious dead
Today as I wandered through dense jungle path
My eyes met the scene of war S affermath
As Istood for a moment and gazed at the crosses
such is the price for even small losses
They caredfor well thesef allen braves
a neatly keptjlower grows on each grave
One stands out upon my mind no differentfiom the rest
Except I$nd no date, no name but he has had that tender care
His comrades wishes and God's lastprayer
Some will return heads held highfiom that long list of missing
But his mother or sweetheart or wife will wait in vain for a lad they should be kissing
Mother or sweetheart take cheerfiom my verse and be of brave heart I implore
all that is possible has been done to carry his name to the fore.
Reg Tennant, 1945

My link with the RAAF Airfield Construction Squadrons is very tenuous. I served at
Darwin in the early 1960s on detachments from Williamtown, and became aware of
men disembarking from the'unit Dakota every Friday evening. We were told that they
were members of SACS and that they had just flown in from Tindal to be with their
families for the weekend. We had heard that they were a strange lot, these
construction bods; hard drinking, hard living, tough.
The history of the Air Force Construction Units is one of toil and sweat, of
personal resource and professionalism. During peace, members served in remote areas
under harsh conditions. Familial pressures were high. The men undertook hard
physical work to build the facilities which were, quite often, taken for granted by
those who followed. Always First, the motto of SACS, is appropriate as a title for this
work. As will be seen, construction units were the pioneers, often landing with assault
troops to ensure that airfields were operational in the shortest possible time. Their
work remained unsung. Often they had moved away before the main operational force
deployed to the facilities that they had prepared.
The Airfield Construction Squadrons were born of necessity, always
understrength in men and materiel, and the recipients of plaudits and criticism. During
the Second World War the attitude of the US Army was at times a threat to the future
of the force. In post war years the organisation was based on shaky foundations and it
may be argued that it was national commitments which reinstated the construction
units in the RAAF order of battle in the early 1950s, and not the foresight of RAAF
planners.
The structure of this book was a problem. To undertake a simple chronology
by squadron would have resulted in a book of unmanageable proportions and a
mundane and repetitious treatment. I decided on a geographical approach with the
intention of discussing the objectives and operations of units activities in the same
area as a whole. I realise that this approach may make it difficult to follow the
activities of an individual squadron, but I trust that the reader will find each chapter
integrated into the overall picture.
There are many people to thank and commend. Firstly Joy, my wife, who lived
for almost two years with a combination of Airfield Construction history, various
university seminars and assignments and periods alone as I sought evidence from
inter-state and overseas. Also my staff at RAAF Historical have been a tower of
strength. Mollie Angel, Janet Beck and Richard Bain undertook much of the mundane
collection of records for me and have my gratitude. The RAAF Historian, Doctor Alan
Stephens gave whole hearted support and valuable guidance. The maps were prepared
by John Yialeloglou and Patsy Flint Richardson. Other individuals have my thanks for
their cooperation and assistance: Mrs H. Goodman (for a copy of the diary of her
father Lindsay Harold Hodges); Mrs P. and Mr G. Lings, the wife and son of Air
Commodore P.G. Lings, who enabled me to access his personal papers, Squadron
Leader Gary Westley, OC RAAF Museum for making facilities available to enable me
to interview ex-Airfield Construction Squadron veterans, Monica Walsh (Research
Librarian, RAAF Museum) and Flight Lieutenant S. Wright; R. Hand; K. Jack;
L. Jubbs; E. McNab; Dennis Newton; A. Raymant and H. Tennant. The assistance of
overseas colleagues is gratefully acknowledged: A. DiFante, USAF Air Force
Historical Research Agency; John Greenwood, US Army Center of Military History;
Mwin Gordon, Office of History, Headquarters US Army Corps of Engineers; Mr
David Giordino, United States National Archives; Sebastian Cox and Graham Day,
Air Historical Branch (RAF).
This work would not have been completed without the assistance of the
following ex-members of the RAAF's Airfield Construction Squadrons: F. Atkins;
D. Anderson; G. Barlow; F. Beale; L. Bloom; 0. Brandt; C. Bower; F. Burke;
F. Bumell; R. Campbell; L. Campbell; A. Clarke; G. Cob; A. Crowe; D. Dickson;
C. Doughan; E. Edwards; H. Evans; W. Field; J. Fitzgerald; Rev A. Funnell;
E. Graham; R. Gurevitch; A Harrington; D. Holdswortb; S. James; R. Johnstone;
A. Johnston; H. Kay; S. Kildea; R. Lentfer; J. Lessels; R. Lopaten; W. McCaughan;
B. McGuinness; R. Mott; B. Morrison; T. Mitchell; J. Nielsen; D. Nortbmore;
E. Oliver; J. O'Toole; G. Park; A. Peake; D. Perry; J. Phillips; R. Provan; H. Parnell;
R. Ramsay; N. Reichman; R. Rodgers; A. Robson; F. Satchell; M. Scott; M. Stanton;
V. Stone; M. Summers; R. Tennant; K. Thomson; F. Tighe; K. Weaver; A. Welbourn;
W. Woolfrey; A. Worrall; N. Wilckens; G. Wilson; 0. Wyatt; A. Wraight; H. Young.
David Wilson
Canberra
January 1998