No. 76 Squadron RAAF - History - Milne Bay and Northern Australia

Milne Bay and Northern Australia

No. 76 Squadron was first formed at Archerfield Airport, Queensland on 14 March 1942 as the RAAF's second squadron equipped with P-40E Kittyhawk fighters (the first being No. 75 Squadron). Led by Squadron Leader Peter Jeffrey, it moved to Weir Strip near Townsville in mid-April to continue training. During April seven of No. 76 Squadron's P-40s were ferried to Port Moresby and handed over to No. 75 Squadron, which was suffering heavy losses while defending the town from Japanese air attacks. On 1 and 13 May No. 76 Squadron Kittyhawks were scrambled to intercept Japanese aircraft near Townsville but did not make contact with the intruders. The squadron completed its training in June, by which time it had received its full complement of 24 fighters and 38 pilots.

The squadron deployed to the front lines of the New Guinea Campaign during July 1942. Its advance party left Townsville for its new base at Milne Bay early in the month, and the fighters departed on 19 July. No. 76 Squadron flew its first combat mission on 22 July when its new commanding officer, Squadron Leader Peter Turnbull, led a force of six Kittyhawks from Port Moresby to attack Japanese positions near Gona. No. 75 Squadron also arrived at Milne Bay on 31 July. Conditions at Milne Bay were extremely difficult as the squadron's airfield was not finished, living and maintenance facilities were almost non-existent and high rainfall meant that any aircraft which ran off the runways and taxiways became bogged in mud. No. 76 Squadron aircraft intercepted Japanese raids on Milne Bay on 4 and 11 August.

During late August and early September No. 75 and No. 76 Squadrons were involved in the Battle of Milne Bay. On 25 August No. 76 Squadron aircraft bombed a Japanese naval convoy which was approaching the area. While this attack damaged several ships, the force continued on and landed troops at Milne Bay on the night of 25/26 August. From dawn the next day the two Kittyhawk squadrons were heavily engaged with attacking Japanese positions and intercepting Japanese air raids on the area. On 28 August the Kittyhawks were withdrawn to Port Moresby when the Japanese troops came close to their airstrips, but they returned to Milne Bay the next day. No. 75 and No. 76 Squadrons supported the Allied counter-offensive at Milne Bay which ended with the remaining Japanese troops being evacuated in early September. The squadron flew 220 sorties between 26 and 5 September but suffered a heavy blow when Squadron Leader Turnbull was shot down and killed on 27 August. Turnbull was replaced by Squadron Leader Keith Truscott that day. Following the battle Lieutenant General Sydney Rowell, the commander of New Guinea Force, stated that the attacks made by the two squadrons on the day of the Japanese landing were "the decisive factor" in the Allied victory. No. 76 Squadron was relieved by two United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) squadrons on 21 September and began moving to the Darwin area of northern Australia the next day.

No. 76 Squadron completed its movement to Strauss Airfield south of Darwin in early October and became part of the force responsible for defending the area against Japanese air raids on military facilities and Allied shipping. It conducted relatively little flying during October due to shortages of equipment and a high sickness rate from malaria, however. The squadron's flying effort increased in November and December and in January 1943 it was scrambled to intercept several Japanese raids. During one of these attacks Squadron Leader Truscott shot down a Japanese Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" bomber on 21 January. The Supermarine Spitfire-equipped No. 1 Wing RAAF began to arrive in the Darwin area in January and at the end of the month No. 76 Squadron was transferred to Onslow, Western Australia. The ship carrying the squadron's personnel and equipment arrived at Onslow on 5 February and were unloaded the next day, but on the 12th of the month the squadron moved the nearby 'Potshot' airfield as there was insufficient water at Onslow to supply the unit. No. 76 Squadron conducted patrols from Potshot and Onslow during March and April to protect the United States Navy facility in the area, though these were marred by Squadron Leader Truscott's death in a flying accident on 28 March. On 27 April the squadron received orders to move to Bankstown Airport in Sydney to be requipped with more advanced P-40M Kittyhawks. It was relieved at Potshot by a flight of CAC Boomerang fighters from No. 85 Squadron.