Home » Themes » Conflict » World War Two
No. 21 (City of Melbourne) SquadronPrint Page
The plaque commemorates personnel who served in No. 21 (City of Melbourne) Squadron during World War Two.
The plaque location is indicated by the red poppy in the second image.
Formed in the mid-1930s as a unit of the part-time Citizen Air Force (CAF), it was mobilised for service during World War Two, when it saw action against the Japanese as a fighter unit in the Malayan campaign, a dive bomber unit in the New Guinea campaign, and a heavy bomber unit in the Borneo campaign.
In 1948 the squadron was re-formed as No. 21 (City of Melbourne) Squadron at RAAF Laverton as a Citizen Air Force (reserve) fighter squadron. It flew CAC Wirraway, P-51 Mustang and de Havilland Vampire aircraft from 1948 until 1960, when the CAF ceased flying operations. At that time, No. 21 Squadron converted to a non-flying support role, which it currently fulfils at RAAF Williams.
Location
Address: | Fairbairn & Limestone Avenues, Australian War Memorial Sculpture Garden, Campbell, 2612 |
---|---|
State: | ACT |
Area: | AUS |
GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -35.279626 Long: 149.147118 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
Monument Type: | Plaque |
---|---|
Monument Theme: | Conflict |
Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
Actual Event Start Date: | 03-September-1939 |
Actual Event End Date: | 15-August-1945 |
Dedication
Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Friday 14th August, 2009 |
---|
No. 21 (City of Melbourne) Squadron
Malaya New Guinea Markham Valley Morotai Borneo
1941 - 1942 1944 1944 1945 1945
No.21 Squadron, RAAF, was formed at Laverton, Victoria, in 1936 as a reserve unit. It was the only fighter squadron on the Malayan mainland when the Japanese attacked in December 1941.
The squadron operated Vultee Vengeance dive-bombers at Nadzab, New Guinea before converting to Consolidated B24 Liberator heavy bombers, which they operated for the remainder of the war.
Reformed as a fighter squadron in 1948, it became an auxiliary unit in the Air Force Reserve in 1960.
Dedicated to all who served