No. 549 Squadron RAF

549 pilots with Spitfire - June 1945

Brief History

This in squadron was formed at Lawnton Airfield Queensland on 15 Dec 1943. It blended RAF Aircrew with RAAF ground staff and its role was to provide air defence with Spitfires which the RAAF Kittyhawks were unable to. On 1 Jan 1944 they moved to Petrie Airfield, near Strathpine in Queensland. In April 1944 the squadron's Spitfires arrived, and in May 1944 the unit moved to RAAF Base Amberley, and then in June they moved to Strauss Airfield, Northern Territory with a detachment at Truscott Airfield, Western Australia.

On 5 Sep 1944 it joined No. 548 Squadron RAF on a sweep over Selaru Island, 300 miles north of Darwin. In October they went to Parap Airfield (Darwin/Civil), Northern Territory, maintaining their detachment in Truscott. The squadron was disbanded on 31 Oct 1945, at Melbourne, with RAF personnel returniong to the UK.

UnGround Crew

• Maurice Raymond Lawson 27 Feb - 13 Oct 1945