No. 31 Squadron RAAF

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A group portrait of pilots and observers of No. 31 Squadron in January 1943

No. 31 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron of World War II. The Squadron was formed in August 1942 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre of the war.

[edit] History

No. 31 Squadron was formed at RAAF Base Wagga on 14 August 1942 and was equipped with Bristol Beaufighter fighter and attack aircraft. After a period of training the Squadron deployed to the Northern Territory in October and began flying combat operations on 17 November. From November 1942 until December 1944 the Squadron flew ground-attack missions against Japanese forces in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), concentrating on airfields and ships. From December 1944 until the end of the war the Squadron continued in the ground attack role from bases in the NEI. After the war No. 31 Squadron conducted weather reconnaissance and escorted single-engined aircraft from the NEI to Australia. The Squadron returned to Australia in December 1945 and was disbanded at RAAF Base Williamtown on 9 July 1946.

[edit] References

• Steve Eather (1995) Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force. Aerospace Publications.
• RAAF Historical Section (1995), Units of the Royal Australian Air Force. A Concise History. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
• RAAF Museum 31 Squadron

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