60th Anniversary of 44 Wing Surveillance & Control GroupPrint Page

The plaque commemorates the 60th anniversary of the formation of the 44 Wing Surveillance & Control Group who served during World War Two.

No. 44 Wing, known initially as No. 44 RDF Wing, was formed on 14 December 1942 in Adelaide River, 100 kilometres south of Darwin, Northern Territory.  Coming under the control of North-Western Area Command, the wing was responsible for controlling the radar stations that acted as an early warning system for Japanese air raids. The North Western Area Campaign was, in the words of the official history of the Royal Australian Air Force in the Pacific theatre, "almost entirely an air war, with raid and counter-raid". The wing was commanded by Flight Lieutenant Hannam, and by March 1943 had a staff of 77 officers and other ranks.

On formation, No. 44 Wing controlled six radar stations in the Darwin area. Over the next two years it established seventeen new stations throughout the North-Western Area, relocated ten, and disbanded two others, and also set up twelve homing beacons. It further established supply, maintenance and repair facilities, as well as communications with No. 5 Fighter Sector Headquarters to coordinate air defence in the region. Hannam was mentioned in despatches for his achievements. After the fighting in New Guinea had ceased, the threat of air raids on mainland Australia eased, and No. 44 Wing was disbanded on 22 August 1944.

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