No. 450 Squadron RAAF
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No. 450 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force was formed during World War II, 450 Squadron came into existence at Williamtown in New South Wales on 16 February 1941. The squadrons nickname the Desert Harassers was derived from the taunts of the German propaganda broadcaster Lord Haw Haw.
Raised under the Empire Air Training Scheme the squadron arrived in the Middle East in May 1941. At the time the squadron consisted only of ground crew and it was combined with the pilots and Hawker Hurricanes of 260 Squadron, Royal Air Force, to form an operational squadron.
In August 1941 No. 450 was separated again from 260 when the latter received its own ground crew. In October 1941 still without pilots or aircraft the squadron moved to Egypt and began operating as an advanced Repair and Service Unit. On 18 December the squadron's first aircraft, Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks, began arriving allowing the squadron to reform as a fighter squadron. 450 Squadron commenced operations on 20 February 1942 and remained active for the rest of the war, taking part in the campaigns in the Western Desert and Italy. Operationally the squadorna cting in the ground attack role. The squadron was disbanded on 20 August 1945 in Lavarino.
During the war the squadron had suffered 63 fatalities of which 49 were Australian.
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