No. 489 Squadron RNZAF

No. 489 (New Zealand) Squadron RAF
Active 12 August 1941 – 1 August 1945
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Allegiance  New Zealand
Branch Royal Air Force
Role Anti-Shipping
Motto(s) Māori: Whakatanagata kia kaha
(Translation: "Acquit yourselves like men, be strong")[1][2]
Anniversaries 12 August 1941
Equipment Bristol Beaufort, De Havilland Mosquito
Engagements World War II
Insignia
Squadron Badge Standing on a Torpedo, a Kiwi[1][2]
Squadron Codes XA (Jan 1942 – Nov 1943)[3][4]
P6 (Nov 1943 – Aug 1945)[5][6]

489 (NZ) Squadron was formed from pilots of the Royal New Zealand Air Force on 12 August 1941 under RAF Coastal Command as an anti-submarine and reconnaissance unit.[1]

History

On 19 December 1939 Article XV was promulgated, creating the Empire Air Training Scheme. Under this article provision was made for the formation of Commonwealth squadrons within the Royal Air Force (RAF). On 17 April 1941 a further agreement was negotiated allowing for six New Zealand Squadrons to be formed: 485 Sqn., 486 Sqn., 487 Sqn., 488 Sqn., 489 Sqn. and 490 Sqn. These units were manned and (mostly) commanded by New Zealanders trained under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (EATS) provisions, although this didn't preclude other nationalities from being members. Administratively the "Article XV squadrons" were an integral part of the RAF, with all command appointments being made by the RAF. Other Dominion or Commonwealth countries involved were Australia and Canada, along with Rhodesia and South Africa.

No. 489 was formed at RAF Leuchars with Bristol Beaufort, the squadron had some time becoming operational. As Beauforts were in short supply, they were supplemented and eventually replaced by the Bristol Blenheim Mk.IVf aircraft, handed over from No. 143 Squadron RAF. These were used over the North Sea and Norway. The Squadron converted to Hampdens in April and became a dedicated anti-submarine torpedo bomber unit in March 1942, carrying out its first torpedo attacks in July 1942 during sorties in the Trondheim fjord. The squadron converted to Beaufighters in November 1943.[1] Beaufighters were used to attack shipping in the North Sea and along the coast of Occupied Europe, Northern Germany and Scandinavia. From April 1944 it formed part of the Anzac Strike wing. It also flew air sea rescue missions, escorted convoys and continued anti-submarine work. The squadrons last operational mission in Europe was flown off the Norwegian coast on 21 May 1945. It began to re-equip with Mosquitos in June 1945 with a view to moving to the Pacific, but following the collapse of Japan, it was disbanded on 1 August 1945, before completion.[2]

The squadron operated from several stations: RAF Leuchars, RAF Thorney Island, RAF Wick, RAF St Eval, RAF Skitten, RAF Langham, RAF Dallachy and RAF Banff. It flew 2,380 sorties and 9,773 hours on operations. Awards were two Distinguished Service Orders, three Distinguished Flying Medals a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and 19 Distinguished Flying Crosses.

The Squadron's Māori motto is Whakatanagata kia kaha, which can be translated as "Quit ye like men, Be Strong".

No 489 Squadron aircraft are known to survive, but relics are preserved at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 489 Squadron, data from:[2][7][8][9]
From To Aircraft Version
August 1941 January 1942 Bristol Beaufort Mk.I
January 1942 March 1942 Bristol Blenheim Mk.IVf
March 1942 November 1943 Handley Page Hampden Mk.I
November 1943 August 1945 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.X
June 1945 August 1945 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.VI

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by No. 489 Squadron, data from:[7][8][10]
From To Base
12 August 1941 27 February 1942 RAF Leuchars
27 February 1942 5 August 1942 RAF Thorney Island
9 May 1942 19 June 1942 RAF St Eval (D)
13 June 1942 19 July 1942 RAF Abbotsinch (D)[2]
12 July 1942 5 August 1942 RAF Tain (D)[2]
March 1942 5 August 1942 RAF Wick D
5 August 1942 6 October 1943 RAF Skitten
6 October 1943 8 April 1944 RAF Leuchars
8 April 1944 24 October 1944 RAF Langham
24 October 1944 16 June 1945 RAF Dallachy
16 June 1945 1 August 1945 RAF Banff

Commanding officers

Officers commanding No. 489 Squadron, data from:[7][11]
From To Name
August 1941 October 1942 Wing Commander J.A.S. Brown
October 1942 August 1943 Wing Commander V.C. Darling
August 1943 August 1944 Wing Commander J.S. Dinsdale, DSO, DFC
August 1944 February 1945 Wing Commander L.A. Robertson
February 1945 August 1945 Wing Commander D.H. Hammond, DSO, DFC and Bar

Awards and decorations awarded whilst serving with No. 489 Squadron

Awards data from:[12]
To Rank Date
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Dinsdale, John Swire Wing Commander 30 June 1944
Hammond, Derek Harold Wing Commander 17 November 1944
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Blampied, Harold Hamon Flight Lieutenant 24 April 1945
Branton, P.M. Flight Lieutenant 15 September 1944
Burrowes, Edwin Fitzherbert George Flying Officer 1 February 1945
Connell, R.H. Flying Officer 9 June 1944
Crittenden, O.E. Flying Officer 21 August 1944
Davidson, Thomas Henry Flight Lieutenant 6 November 1944
Dubbery, J. Pilot Officer (RAF) 1 October 1943
Evans, G.H.D. Squadron Leader (RAF) 19 April 1943
Fraser, William Alexander Flying Officer 10 October 1944
Gordon, B.G. Warrant Officer 23 June 1945
Gow, James Gibson Flight Lieutenant 25 July 1944
Hall, Frederick Edward Flying Officer 10 October 1944
Hammond, Derek Harold Wing Commander. 18 September 1944 (Bar to DFC)
Hughes, Peter Squadron Leader 26 May 1944
Jordan, S.J Pilot Officer 7 July 1942
Kellow, Stanley William Squadron Leader (RAFVR) 2 April 1944
McKegg, Henley Robert Flight Lieutenant. 1 February 1945
Mann, Douglas Haig Flying Officer 17 April 1945
Mottram, Anthony John Flight Lieutenant (RAF) 25 May 1943
Moynihan, – Flight Lieutenant 5 May 1944
O'Connor, John Jardon Flying Officer 7 November 1944
O'Toole, D.I. Flying Officer 6 November 1944
Osment, Alan Robert Flight Lieutenant 16 September 1944
Park, Reg J A Flying Officer 13 December 1944
Priest, Ross Sinclair Flying Officer 1 June 1945
Reynolds, John Aldridge Squadron Leader (RCAF) 31 December 1944 (Bar to DFC)
Richardson, James Johns Flight Lieutenant 7 January 1943
Sawyer, Kenneth Allister Wing Commander 27 July 1945
Shand, Reginald Flight Lieutenant 1 February 1945
Smith, Arthur Ernest Warrant Officer 1945
Southernwood, Philip Frederick Flight Lieutenant 13 July 1945
Spink, Frederick Flying Officer 25 July 1944
Strain, J. Warrant Officer (RAF) 25 May 1943
Tapper, Charles Millard Flying Officer 6 November 1944
Taylor, Ernest Peter Flight Lieutenant 8 May 1945
Tunnicliffe, Donald McKenzie Pilot Officer 15 December 1944
Wallace, T. Flying Officer 19 April 1943
Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)
Fraser, William Alexander Flying Officer 19 April 1943
Graham, Maxwell Henry John Flight Sergeant 21 January 1945
Parrish, Ernest George Flight Sergeant (RAF) 13 June 1944
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM)
Langley, Marcus Louis Flying Officer 13 June 1944
Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Kerr, Robert Angus Flight Lieutenant 14 June 1945
Mentioned in Dispatches (MiD)
Dunn, Ralph Carson Flight Lieutenant 14 January 1944

Roll of honour August 1941 to August 1945

 Data from:[13]
Bacon, Frederick William4 April 1943
Baillie, William Russell31 March/1 April 1944
Barnard, Anthony Edgar Buchanan14 April 1943
Billington, Harold Joseph31 March/1 April 1944
Bolding, Theodore25 September 1944
Brandon, Charles Henry14/15 September 1942
Brightwell, John Mostyn14 April 1945
Brown, Alexander George14/15 September 1942
Brown, Alfred George Greenwood23 January 1943
Burt, Robert Erskine13 February 1943
Cameron, William Hugh Iain19 May 1944
Carlson, Stanley Carl Walter28/29 October 1942
Chapman, Douglas Launcelot Blackmore5 June 1944
Clegg, Tom Ransley14 June 1944
Douglas, Wallace John4 April 1943
Easton, Reginald William19 May 1943
Fisher, Henry Guy28/29 October 1942
Foy, Edgar Joseph14 April 1945
Freeman, Sydney5 June 1944
Freshney, Charles John4 April 1943
Fricker, Douglas John10 August 1944
Gaitens, James Joseph22 July 1942
Garrison, Wilfred Reed1 November 1944
Griffiths, Ivor13 April 1943
Heffernan, Neville Alexander28 January 1945
Hey, Ronald John William8 August 1944
Holobrow, Frederick Michael13 April 1943
Horwood, Cyril Ernest2 October 1941
Hughes, Thomas Edward1 November 1944
Hurley, John Joseph11 August 1942
Jones, George Arroll11 August 1942
Keeping, John Ross19 May 1943
Kellow, Stanley William10 August 1944
Lanigan, William Percival4 April 1943
Latta, Selwyn9 April 1943
Lawrence, Jack Bailey28/29 October 1942
Leslie, Raymond William Gibson28 January 1945
London, Jack Adrian Colin8 April 1942
Lowcock, Charles Henry14 May 1944
McAllister, John9 April 1943
McEachern, Gerald Joseph19 May 1943
MacErlich, William James13 April 1943
McKechnie, William1 July 1943
MacQuacker, Robert19 May 1944
Maguire, James23 January 1943
Morrison, John Kendall26 April 1945
Moynihan, Frederick Kingsmill17 June 1944
Murray, Thomas Donald Gordon14/15 September 1942
Newman, Douglas14/15 September 1942
Nugent, Royden Leslie14 April 1945
Oliver, Jack Moss1/2 April 1944
Parkin, Graham George19 April 1945
Pettitt, Ivan Alfred14 May 1944
Pollard, Cyrus Ralph17 June 1944
Priest, Cedric Hubert Owen8 March 1942
Richardson, Alan13 February 1943
Riches, Leslie22 July 1942
Salmond, William Clive23 January 1943
Selthun, Leo Norman9 April 1943
Shepperd, John Henry23 January 1943
Smith, Geoffrey Harcourt9 April 1943
Spink, Frederick Ellis8 August 1944
Stourton, Brinley Edward20 April 1944
Stuchbery, Lloyd Robert28 January 1945
Toombs, William Henry Clemens29 December 1943
Triptree, Alan Charles11 August 1942
Tuck, William Robert30 July 1944
Wait, Stanley William1 February 1944
Walpole, Sydney Herbert9 April 1943
Ward, Ronald Leslie4 April 1943
Warde, Brian James Douglas22 July 1942
Wheeler, Denis Walton9 April 1943
White, Robert Lawrence20 April 1944
Whitsed, Edward Miles19 May 1943
Wilkinson, Francis Henry8 March 1943
Wilkinson, Frederick Raymond26 April 1945
Woodcock, William Robertson12 August 1944
Wrench, Horace13 February 1943
Wright, James Alan Skirrow19 May 1944
Wright, Laurie Aubrey19 May 1944

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Rawlings 1982, p. 224.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Halley 1988, p. 532.
  3. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 113.
  4. ↑ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 117.
  5. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 84.
  6. ↑ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 96.
  7. 1 2 3 Rawlings 1982, p. 225.
  8. 1 2 Jefford 2001, p. 95.
  9. ↑ Bowyer 1984, p. 113.
  10. ↑ No.489 Squadron RNZAF on rafcommands
  11. ↑ New Zealand Electronic Text Centre
  12. ↑ Burrows 2006. This list is incomplete – several other Squadron members were mentioned in dispatches.
  13. ↑ http://www.cwgc.org, ORB – 489 Squadron, RNZAF Museum, Christchurch NZ and David Burrowes

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Chaz (1984). Mosquito Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-1425-6. 
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Bar Hill, Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6. 
  • Burrowes, David M., ed. (November 2006). 489 – An Unofficial History of No. 489 Torpedo Bomber Squadron RNZAF, 1941 to 1945. Nelson, New Zealand: David Burrowes. ISBN 978-0-473-11888-4. 
  • Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-281-8. 
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9. 
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF (Retd). (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-84037-141-2. 
  • Morris, Gerard S. (2000). Spitfire, the New Zealand Story. Auckland, New Zealand: Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0696-0. 
  • Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5. 
  • Tunnicliffe, Donald McKenzie (1990). From Bunnies to Beaufighters: the Autobiography of Donald McKenzie Tunnicliffe, DFC, incorporating a history of 489 Squadron RNZAF, November 1943–May 1945. Christchurch, New Zealand: Alan Tunnicliffe. ISBN 0-9597830-2-4. 
  • Thompson, Wing Commander H.L. (1953). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol.I): European Theatre September 1939 – December 1942. Wellington, New Zealand: War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs. 
  • Thompson, Wing Commander H.L. (1956). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. II)]: European Theatre January 1943 – December 1945. Wellington, New Zealand: War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs. 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 489 (NZ) Squadron RAF.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/11/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.