In World War I, the Australian airmen of 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps had blazed an aggressive trail over the desert and harsh terrain of the Middle East leaving the theatre as the highest scoring squadron in the theatre. In World War II another Australian Squadron, 3 RAAF was to become the leading squadron of the Syrian/North African campaign. Even more significantly the squadron had been based on the traditions of 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps when it was formed in 1921 as part of the second independent air force on the globe, the Royal Australian Air Force.
When war broke out, 3 Squadron RAAF was equipped with Hawker Demon's at Richmond Airbase, 65 kilometre's west of Sydney but upon being ordered oversea's as part of the Australian Imperial Force, the squadron left it's planes in Australia and sailed for Egypt where they were equipped with Westland Lysanders, Gloster Gladiators and Gauntlets. The original intention operational role of the squadron was to be close support as opposed to Army Cooperation. The squadrons first operational sortie occurred on the 13th of November and the first air to air combat between Gladiators and Italian CR.42 fighters happened less than a week later. The squadron became fully equipped with Gladiators and supported the 8th Army through the desert campaign on late 1940 and early 1941.
In January 3 Sqn RAAF received the more modern Hurricanes and was to achieve it's first victory over the Luftwaffe when FP J Saunders shoots down a Ju.88. The squadron began scoring regularly despite being out numbered by German and Italian formations, and despite the retreat that was occuring with allied forces in the theatre. In May of 1940 3 Sqn RAAF received P40 Tomahawks and they were used in the support of allied operations against the Vichy French in Syria. In July of 1940 the squadron began supporting the second allied Libyan Campaign, the squadrons scoring continueing to rise despite the Bf109's in the theatre being better in all round performance than the P40's. On November 30th the squadron achieved it's 100th kill, demonstrating it was the Desert Air Forces ( DAF ) pre-eminent squadron. In Decemeber 1941 the squadron was the first to receive Kittyhawksand by October 23, Squadron Leader Gibbes shot down the squadrons 200th aircraft. After the North African campaign the squadron operated from Malta in support of the Sicilian campaign and later was to fly in Italy in support of allied forces there in Mustangs.
3 Sqn RAAF is the top scoring squadron of allied forces in the North African campaign. By wars end the squadron will be credited with 212 enemy aircraft destroyed, 63 probables and 136 damaged. 3 Sqn RAAF is the only squadron to have been operational at the very beginning of the Desert Campaigns and to remain operational throughout the campaign. 3 SQn was in air support during the first push to the Nile and in the last battles with the 8th Army.
With the Empire Air training scheme being set up squadrons were to grow from the large amount of trained Australian aircrew coming from the scheme. Part of this were the Article XV squadrons. The RAAF was to form five squadrons from the EATS personnel which were flowing in to the Desert Air Forces pilot pool. These were 450 Sqn, 451 Sqn, 454 Sqn, 459 Sqn and 462 Sqn.
450 Sqn RAAF was formed at Williamtown, Australia on February 7th 1941. The squadron immeadiately left Australia's shores for the Middle East where it joined up with the Australian Ace, G. Steege who was to be the Squadron Comander. Originally equipped with Hurricanes and merged with 260 Sqn RAF due to lack of machines, flying personnel and ground staff from both squadrons. The combined squadron flew against the Vichy French in Syria. In July, 260's ground staff arrived and the squadrons seperated, 450 Sqn without a full complement of aircrew and aircraft served as an OTU for a time. Finally in January 1942, the squadron received Kittyhawks and was instated in the Desert Air Force as a fighter squadron. Soon afterwards Sgt Shaw recorded the suadrons first victory when he shot down a Ju.88. 450 Sqn was to suffer heavy losses as they strafed and bombed German and Italian ground and air forces. It is from this period on 450 Sqn RAAF was to earn the nickname, the "Desert Harrassers". 450 Sqn RAAF followed the allied armies march to Tunisia where it operated from advanced fields that hadnt been cleard of mines, on one occasion three men died and four were wounded from a mine explosion, on another occasion a P40 was lost when a mine exploded. 450 Sqn followed the allied advance through Sicily and Italy being based in originally in Malta and then later supporting operations in Yugoslavia. 450 Sqn was known for it's low altitude attacks, so low that one one occasion Fl/Sgt Eaves shot himself down with his own ricocheting bullets while attacking a bridge.
451 Sqn RAAF formed at Bankstown in Sydney, Australia on February the 15th 1941. By may the squadron had left for the Middle East. The squadron was originally equipped with Hurricane I's which were used for artillery spotting and reconnaissance. In November 1941, an attachment of Hurricanes from 451 Squadron operated from the besieged town of Tobruk, being hidden underground at night. At the end of Operation Crusader the squadron was moved back to cover convoys from Syria. RAF Middle East Command wished to redesignate the squadron a fighter squadron, which for some reason the Australian Air Board refused. The DAF was unable to use 451 Squadron and morale in the squadron suffered. IN January 1943 the squadron was finally designated a fighter squadron and received Spitfires VC's. In 1944 the squadron moved to Corsica and took part in the campaign there, before moving to the UK in late 1944 in the ETO.
At wars end the RAAF was the fourth largest Air Force in the world, behind the US, UK and Russian Air Forces. At the RAAF's peak it comprised over 8000 aircraft spread across three theatres. Wartime enlistments totalled over 216000 men and women of which over 10000 were killed and over 3000 wounded.