WAR OVER THE PACIFIC |RAAF
http://www.britainatwar.com^77preceded a night attack in clear skies
on the 26th led by Flt Lt Simon
Fraser. Three days later, off Ambon,
Fg Off Hay in Hudson IIIA A16-234
intercepted a 150-ton vessel despite
the attention of a Zero. The next day,
three aircraft flew a patrol off the
Tanimbar archipelago that was caught
off the Kai Islands by a seaplane,
probably a Mitsubishi F1M ‘Pete’,
which collided with A16-243 flown
by Fg Off Robert Muecke’s crew.
The latter crashed.
Then, on the 30th, Flt Lt Fraser’s
crew, flying A16-200, flew a recce
to Banda Island where they spotted
an 8,000-ton Furutaka-Class heavy
cruiser. They bombed the vessel and
claimed several near misses.
No.2, in company with 13 Squadron,
continued harassing attacks againstenemy bases around the Banda Sea,
though resupply to the Sparrow Force
became of increasing importance.
The CO led nine aircraft against two
escorted transport ships off Timor on
August 7, leaving one vessel burning.On the 20th, 2 Squadron flew
support sorties to Sparrow Force
near Dili that were repeated the next
day. The Lockheeds were intercepted
by two Zeros that set fire to Hudson
IIA A16-209, flown by Fg Off Sid
Wadey, who baled out and was the sole
survivor. He had been badly injured,
but was picked up and eventually
reached Sparrow Force commandos.
Fg Off Neil Badger’s aircraft also came
under fire, being pursued up a valley.
He later said: “The Zero made two
quarter attacks from astern. On the
second when pulling away to starboard
it was raked by our belly gun and
crashed into the sea.”
During the period of concentrated
action around the Banda Sea, 2
Squadron lost ten crews. Among those
recognised for courage during the
fighting was WOp/AG Flt Sgt Bill
Oldfield, who received a DFM for his
“exemplary conduct”.Belated Presentation
A move to the new airfield at Batchelor
to the south of Darwin came in mid-LEFT
A Japanese ship
under attack
in Ambon by 2
Squadron on
May 13, 1942.LEFT
Hudson I A16-27,
shortly after arriving
in Australia from the
US in February 1940.
(RAAF MUSEUM)BELOW
During a recce,
a Hudson bombed
a Furutaka-Class
cruiser, thought to
have been the lead
ship, IJN Furutaka,
itself. (US NAVY)72-78 RAAF BAW SEPT2019.indd 77 8/15/2019 9:04:08 AM