No. 6 Communication Unit RAAF

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Brief History

No. 6 Communication Unit was formed on 8 Dec 1942 at Manbulloo, Northern Territory, by taking over the bulk of aircraft, equipment and personnel of 34 Squadron. The unit's role included the ferrying of passengers, freight, and mail to units in the Northern Territory as well as conducting air-sea rescues, and Army and Navy co-operation flights, towing target drogues for anti-aircraft gunners. The unit was also called upon to perform medical evacuations to main hospitals or medical centers.

Locations serviced included outlying units at Groote Eylandt, Bathurst Island, Millingimbi, Port Keats. Broome, Derby, Noonkanbah, Victoria Raver Downs, Coomalie Creek, Daly Waters, Halls Creek, Wyndham, Drysdale and Oenpelli. Mercy flights were also flown to other isolated settlements or stations when needed. They flew a wide variety of aircraft including De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide, De Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth, Moth Minor, Avro Anson, Walrus, Vultee Vengeance, Lockheed Hudson, Consolidated PBY Catalina and the Bristol Beaufort.

On 27 February 1943 the unit moved from Manbulloo to Batchelor, and commenced operations from there. During March 1943 the Unit received the first of its Walrus aircraft. During April 1943 the Unit's Walrus aircraft began search and rescue flights over the Timor Sea,

On 18 November 1943, Fenton, with Flying O((iccr Moorfield and a fitter aboard, Oew a Dragon lond('(! with fre•h meat, vegetables, butler and canteen goods to 309 Radar Stntion on North Coulbum Island. The aircraft landed on a field ~50 yards long.. surrounded by tall trees. The tak~~orc was exciting. as recorded i.n thl' Unot Hostory Rt-cord: Ptlot, (,,ccd Wtln l.lke-<>lf, felt h~e 'raton n trap' . pa.,.,ngers left behtnd, plus .111 rem"anang carg(l-(>ven cmo»counlry kat ~tnppt'd to Hghtcn .11rcrafl as much as posstble. No wond, atr hoo •nd thon, atrcrah taxt<'Cl 10 t'f'ld, tatl pulled bac~ into timber to t\bta'" \"\ery a\'Ailabll! yud of run .. brakes k~pt on .. engu'-es n.-v\·lod up. Bra~"-'"'!t r~lca•··t•ct t••l n~.· 1ntu nysng ~alu.m in fa~t ft..-.w y.uds .. Machone atrbome after 100 y•rch but had to chmb SO f<'CI 1M'>. Cleared wtth r,..., 1nch<.os I<> •P""' on <emt..,l>lk'Cl <'<•ndttll>M l'otot"s morole rompletely .railed The passengers were onstrucled to procl'ed to a ~mall field on the edge or a clitr two mtles away. The aorcraft new to South bland to poe!.. up a 129 130 cargo. After repairs on the engine, the aircrafl returned to North Island where: Huge weight of back loadtng >tacktod up-mr>>tly hcaY matl baS" full of parcels.. Wind unf;wnutllblc-result, another hatr·rnising la~e-c.l((, i\trcrilh unable to climb over tall lrt~. 1 hirty dcg""' chmblng tum In ""ml·>tollcd oondit1on to avo1d rhcm, heading for others not ~uue ~o tall. Lm·'\'t'r wmg tip "nly JU>I made it-Moorfield ""Y' because th" tr,-es ducktod rtlot h•s 'hod' that :.tnp as well , . Fenton nursed the ailing Dragon back to Botchclor where the pilot 'showed stgns of recovery after Wl'll-cooked bottle of bccr. .. but suffered sharp relapse after receipt by telephone of stream of abuse from Controller, A•r Operations, for being 4 hours overdue. This necessitated applic,ltion further restoratives'. On 6 December 1943, after making a supply sortie to Cape Don, one wing noat on the Walrus was broken off while the aircraft attempted to take off in rough ><!as. Repair was attempted but the aircr,,ft was not constdert>d atrworthy for the flight back to Batchelor. The motor vessel Sapplrire was proceeding to Cape Don, so the pilot decided to wait and have his aircraft towed back to Darwin. AI 0700 hours on 10 December 1943 the pilot and his c rew bo.uded the Walrus which was then 1,1ken 111 tow. Owing to heavy seas tt wa~ impossible lo re lieve the Walrus crew and they spent 12 hours, expt.'Cting any minute to be 'spilled into the drmk'. At 2000 hours, the ship and aircraft anchored in lhc lee of Cape Hotham. The weather had calmed, so that only one crew member had to rcmam on the Walrus as anchor watch. However, at 0245 houn;, a gate sprung up and the ship got under way for Darwin. Jt WJ> impossible to get the crewman off the Walru~. l11c gale ragl'<l all d•y. bu t. by cvcmng, the safety of Darwin HMbour had been reached ond the Walrus was brought ashore at Mmdtl B<!ach. The new year opened with two quick rc:.cue mi>sions. On 6 january 1944, a Walrus and a Dragon flew lo Snake Bay to ptd. up five men who had •>seaped from the jap.1ncsc on a lugger nnd h.1d arnved at Melville Island. On 15 january 1944. a Walrus rcscu<>d the crew of lhc Unit's survey Dragon which had force-landed 011 Maret Island, Wl'SI of Drysdale. Thc aircraft was subsequently recovered by Squadron Leader Fenton and a work team, who were flown to Maret bland in a Don11<!r nymg boil!. Among the supphcs were several rolls ol cyclone wire and these were used to make a matting strip on the beach to Mable the Dragon tn take off. While on a ferry flight to Mascot on 7 March 1944, Anson Dj322 made a forced landing at Anthony's Lagoon. The following day, Dragon A3<1-56, also on a ferry flight to Mascot, flew a fitter and spares to Anthony's L1goon to repair the Anson. On ll March 1944, two Dragons picked up SlX Filipino officers of the United States Army who had escaped from Borneo in an open boat. On 10 April 1944, Anson MG520 made a forced l.anding on a beach near Melville Bay. The aircraft was located two days later and the crew were rescued by launch. The next day, Squadron Leader Fenton, carrying spares and a work team, landed Dragon i\34·26 on the beach. The Anson was subsequently repaired and flown back to Batchelor. The following day Walnas X9520 suffered an engine failure ncar Batchelor and was forced to make a whcels·up landing. resulting in the aircraft turning on its back and being completely wrecked. On 15 April 1944, Dragon A34·31, on a supply sortie to Millingimbi, was caught in bad weather and made a forced landing on a beach. The following day, the pilot, with the help of Aborigines, dug the wheels out of the soft sand and dragged the aircraft onto finn sand. A successful take-off was made and the aircraft reached Millingimbi. Durmg June 19-14 the Unit undertook several new and different tasks. Firstly, a mobile dental unit was established, and 6 Communication Unit moved the dental unit around various parts of U1e Territory. Secondly a supply of films was orgnmscd and 6 Communication Umt delivered the films to outlying units, the pilot often doubling ns the cine operator. Some of the first units to receive this welcome sen•icc were 39 Radar Station Port Keats, 312. Radar Station Wessel Island, Melville Bay (Cove), Millingin1bi, and Truscott. While delivering urgent messages to the radar station at Cape Don, Coulbum Island and Millingimbi an Avro Anson experienced the failure of one engine. The aircraft force-landed on South Coulbum strip and spares were Oown out to make repairs. ShorUy after this, Squadron Leader Fenton's Dragon, A34-52, suffered engine failure whilst rctuming from Bathurst Island and he was forced to ctitch the plane into the sea off Mindil Beach. Fortunately aU passengers and crew escaped safely. October and December 1944 were notable for numerous medical evacuations flown. Evacuations were made from Turkey Creek, Crocker Island Mission, Halls Creek, Waterloo, Peron lsla11d, Roper Valley Homestead, 60 Radar Station, Corrie and Ord River. 131 132 On 20 january !945, a Walrus was 01•crdue on a flight to Cape Don. To compound the problem, the engine's starting handle was found on th~ runway. A search and rescue fl1ght was JUSt being organised when the 'lost' aircraft roared overhead and landed, two al\d a half hours behind schedule. The pilot had borrowed a tractor startmg handle ;;~nd modifit'd 11 to fit the Walrus and sta rt hiS motor. Dragon A34-89, with a cMgo for 38 Radar Station, surfcred engine failure a few minutes alter takt"OH, and cra>hcd. 11>e crew <!Sea pt.'<! with minor injuries. A Vengeance abo >uHered engine failure alter t•ke-oll and the pilot force-landed betwt'Cn Hughes Stnp and the ra1lway hn\'. The crew escaped w1thout ll'IJUry but the aircr,>lt was c~tcnsivc y damaged. An allotmcl\tnf Beaulighter aircraft was recc1ved in February 19~5 lor use in cnlibration duties. In March 19~5. Dragon A34·63 landed at B.1thur!>l l>land to mediv.1c a girl from an Aborigu>al mi»IOn. 111~ aircraft ~ullcred engine failure soon after take-ofl, and crashed and snnk m a mud flat. The p1lot and passcng~rs were cvacuatt'd by Aborigine, lr<>m the mis:.ion ln their cano..>s but the girl was killt>d in the accident. The Unit also cond ucll-d some unusual operallons du nng 1945. 11>esc mcludcd conveying Army vcterinarl.in officers and Army agricultur~l experts to l'arious loc.1tiorts arounu the Territory, and providing an Anson to film herds of cattle for the film T/1~ Or't'rltmd~rs. On 14 Aug\ISt 1945, during a supply nm to Cape Don, one wmg hp floJl of a Walrus hit the swell on lake-oil and collapsed, causmg the

urcralt to capsi,o.e and sink. The two crew and two passengers managed

to escape and were picked up by a launch from HMAS Mon.·:.!ty. On ll September 1~5 traged)' struck with the crash of V~:ngeance A27·527 at Port Keats. Flying Officer Morgan had tkparlcdl Batchelor to pid. up the Station Commander of RAAF Darwin, Wing Comm.mdcr Ry;m, and lly him from Broome to Darwm. AftN leaving Wyndham on the return JOurney the engine began ruMing roughly. The pilot could smell petrol fum~~ and decided to land at Port Kc•ts, where the pilot made two dummy runs before commencing the landmg. IVhen the llaps were towered at 800 feet, the aircraft burst into fl,une, em•elopmg the pa~nser's cockp1t. 11>e passenger n1dde no attempt to e.<eap(' and appeart-d to be unconsciou;. The airct:llt then went into a st~p dive and the controls would not respond. Flying Ollkcr Morgan was thrown out, as h1> next n.>collcchon was hanging from,, tree by his parachute. The tail of U1e a1rcraft burnt off before crashing. The subsequent mquiry concluded that there was a petrol leak whlcll gassed the passenger mto unconsciow.ness. When the Oaps were lowered the exhaust iglllted gas trapped In the naps. Rouhne dut1es contmued from Batcllelor until, on 7 October 1945, the Unit w,1s moved to the Darwin civil aerodrome. Tasks were reducing. as many outlying radar stations were clO!iing down and being diSbanded. 6 Commun•cahon Umt continued its work tendmg to the needs of uruts 111 the Northern Territory until 30 December 19-15, when the Unit was disbanded at Darwln.

Unit Personnel

• Laurence Harold Smith 27 May 1943 - 26 Jun 1944