No. 1 Radio Installation & Maintenance Unit RAAF

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Brief History

Six radio installation and maintenance units were formed to install and maintain radio, radar and telecommunication equipment. In particular, the units undertook the calibration of radio direction finding equipment, testing of radar beacon equipment, the installation of towers, arrays and transmitting stations, modification and testing of Identification Friend or Poe (IFF), Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV) radar equipment, and High Frequency (HF) radio installation.

The units' area of operations covered a large area of Australia and the South West Pacific. No. 1 was the largest and served for the longest period. It was formed at Croydon, New South Wales in July 1942. It carried out operational work in New South Wales and, to a lesser degree, Queensland and Victoria. Due to the nature of work carried out in this Unit, in January 1945, the name of the Unit was changed to the Radio Development and Installation Unit and, in March 1945, a Melbourne detachment was formed. On 17 Sep 1945 the Croydon headquarters was closed but reopened on 24 Sep 1945 at Somers, Victoria. This included the Melbourne detachment. In July 1946 the Unit became the Care and Maintenance Unit and proceeded to disband. The final disbandment look place at 4 Maintenance Group Headquarters.

2 Radio Installation and Maintenance Unit was formed in October 1944 at Townsville and while still operational in December 1945, was in the process of disbandment. 5 was formed in August 1944 at Darwin, from the disbanded 11 Signals Unit and 44 Radar Wing. It was involved in HF, VHF, radar •nd land-line communications in the Northern Territory and finally disbanded on 1 March 1946. The other three unHs were based in the South-West Paciiic Area. 3 was formed at Milne Bay in July 1944, alter the disbandment of 10 Signals Unit. Tile Unit moved to Madang and then on to Kranket Island, where it ceased to function on 31 January 1946. 4 formed on 1 July 1944 in New Guinea fTom the disbanded 13 Signals Unit, and served at N""mfoor, Morotai and Labuan, where it closed on 129 7 December 1945. Though the Unit closed, a nucleus moved to Kmgaroy, Queensland, and the Unit officially disbanded in May 19~6. 6 '"as formed on 18 September 19~5 a t Morota1 from a detachment of 4, and only existed until November, when work commenced on demolition of the camp site in preparation for final disbandment. 1 Radio Installation and Maintenance Unit Chronology 3 June 1942 -formed at Croydon, NSW 15 january 1945 ~~named Rad1o Development and Installation Umt 31 March 1945 -Melbourne detachment form<.'<! 24 September I 945 -Croydon and Melbourne detachments moved to Somers, V1c. July 19<16 -u.~named Care and Maintenance Unit 7 November 1946 -Unit disbanded Cam11uwding Officers 3 June 1942 -Squadron Leader A.E. M1tchell 14 August !942 -Wing Commander H.S. Preston 25 August 19~ -Squadron Leader B.F.N. Israel 8 December 1944 -squadron Leader J.C. Nome 13 December 1945 -Wing Commander J.E. Reynolds 15 july 1946 - Flight Ueutcnant G.C. Zucker