No. 5 Group RAAF explained

Unit Name:No. 5 (Maintenance) Group RAAF
Dates:1942–1946
Country:Australia
Branch:Royal Australian Air Force
Garrison:Sydney
Garrison Label:Headquarters
Notable Commanders:D.E.L. Wilson

No. 5 (Maintenance) Group RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) group of World War II. It was formed in June 1942 as part of a reorganisation of the air force that saw maintenance functions transferred from area commands to dedicated functional groups. No. 5 (Maintenance) Group was disbanded following the war in January 1946.

History

On 23 May 1942, Australian Prime Minister John Curtin agreed to a proposal made by Air Vice-Marshal George Jones, the RAAF Chief of the Air Staff, to establish up to five maintenance groups as part of a broader reorganisation of the air force along semi-functional, semi-geographical lines. These groups were to be tasked with supporting the RAAF's five operational area commands.[1]

No. 5 (Maintenance) Group was the first of these groups to be established, and was formed on 1 June 1942. Its inaugural commanding officer was Group Captain D.E.L. Wilson, and the group's headquarters was located in the Sydney suburb of Darling Point.[2] [3] In the event, the only other maintenance group to be formed was No. 4, which was established on 14 September 1942. No. 5 Group was responsible for administering the RAAF maintenance units located in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland, as well as the city of Noumea in New Caledonia.[4] As of early 1943, the group reported directly to RAAF Headquarters.[5]

Following the end of the war, No. 5 Group was disbanded at Sydney on 13 January 1946.[6]

References

Citations
Works consulted

Notes and References

  1. Ashworth (2000), pp. 134–135
  2. Ashworth (2000), p. 135
  3. News: Death of Air Commodore D.E.L. Wilson . . 1 September 1950 . 22 August 2015 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  4. Gillison (1962), p. 479
  5. Ashworth (2000), p. 286
  6. Web site: Order of Battle – Air Force. Department of Veterans' Affairs. 22 August 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20170805221733/http://clik.dva.gov.au/history-library/part-3-order-battle/ch-2-order-battle-air-force/s-2-headquarters. 5 August 2017. dead.