JUNE 1945
30 SQUADRON DAILY COMBAT MISSION REPORTS
PHOTOS AND EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS
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SANGA SANGA STRIP, SANGA SANGA ISLAND
JUNE 1-14, 1945.
SAN 78 - On June 2, two Beaufighters sweep west coast Celebes. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-152 Roberts/McNamara, A8-144 Warner/Hackshaw, departed 0638/2I returned 1305/2I. Mission carried out with nil enemy activity.
JUNE 3, 1945 - SAN 80 - SANGA SANGA STRIP
SAN 80 - On June 3, six Beaufighters sweep Samarinda area, Borneo. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-165 Read/Koff, A8-187 Fellowsmith/Duncan, A8-179 Madigan/Bond, A8-152 Leask/Richard, A8-157 Hewlett/Stocker, A8-70 Cameron/Willis, departed 0633/3I returned 1236/3I. Three oil storage tanks strafed and burned two 3 ton M/T’s totally destroyed. Enemy seen and strafed with U/O results.
JUNE 4, 1945 - SAN 84 - SANGA SANGA STRIP
SAN 84 - On June 4, five Beaufighters bomb and strafe Target No. 103 in Brunei. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-145 Madigan/Bond, A8-147 Hewlett/Stocker, A8-70 Read/Koff, A8-179 Storry/Crichton, A8-144 Warner/Hackshaw, departed 0625/4I returned 1135/4I. 60% bombs on target area. Area strafed and fires started.
SAN 93 - On June 6, five Beaufighters bomb and strafe Brunei Targets Nos. 104 and 105 buildings and search escape routes Keningau, Ranau, Pensiangan. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-153 Thompson/Meachem, A8-154 Mierisch/Larsen, A8-91 Fisher/Kelly, A8-141 Barter/Oakley, A8-155 MacKenzie/Gilfillan, departed 0750/6I returned 1250/6I. Six bombs on targe area several building damaged. Strafed and hit one possibly serviceable aircraft. Strafed several large buildings at Labuan.
JUNE 7, 1945 - SAN 51 - SANGA SANGA STRIP
SAN 51 - On June 7, five Beaufighters attack Target area 108 Brunei and search Brunei Bay. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-141 Barter/Oakley, A8-155 Birch/Perry, A8-152 Gregory/Connell, A8-144 Redfern/Collison, A8-72 Redenbach/Gatcum, departed 1032/7I returned 1511/7I. Four bombs on target with one direct hit, strafed and damaged W/T station and buildings.
SAN 53 - On June 7, two Beaufighters maintain air alert at Tarakan. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-84 Roberts/McNamara, A8-179 Trew/Anderson, departed 01225/7I returned 0745/7I. Mission carried out without incident.
John Anderson Log Book Entry 7-6-45.
Alan Leask Log Book Entry 7-6-45.
SAN 56 - On June 8, two Beaufighters maintain air alert at Tarakan. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-130 Davy/Jacobi, A8-84 Darvall/McWhirter, departed 1558/8I returned 2046/8I. Mission carried out without incident.
Kittyhawk at Sanga Sanga with Mt Bongo in background a pranged Catalina in centre Photo - Dave Beasley
SAN 58 - On June 8, six Beaufighters in three details of two aircraft maintain air alert at Tarakan. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-155 Leask/Richard, A8-163 Baker/Lyons, departed 2208/8I returned 0237/8I. A8-165 Mierisch/Larsen, departed 0028/8I returned 0551/8I. A8-91 Fisher/Kelly, departed 0028/8I returned 0256/8I A8-70 Redfern/Collison, A8-178 Charlton/Everingham, departed 0320/8I returned 0738/8I. A8-91 returned to base due to U/S wireless. A8-165 was vectored onto one bogey, felt slipstream but no visual sighting.
JUNE 9, 1945 - SAN 71 - SANGA SANGA STRIP
SAN 71 - On June 9, four Beaufighters to bomb and strafe targets in North Borneo. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-141 Baker/Lyons, A8-72 Redenbach/Gatcum, A8-170 Cameron/Willis, departed 1600/I returned 1850/I. A8-156 McKenzie/Gillfillan, departed 1600/I but failed to return after having struck trees when pulling out of bombing run. Crashed and burnt. All bombs on target.
On June 9, SAN 71 Sanga Sanga to Brunei area strafed and bombed. Four Beaufighters were involved and one flying low must have clipped at tree as I saw it flip over and crash and the crew was killed.
Dick Woodgate - Navigator A8-157.
On June 9, quiet day except poor McKenzie went in after dropping his bombs near Jesselton on the west coast of Borneo.
June 9, 1945 - LOSS of A8-156 and Crew - Beaufighter aircraft A8-156 whilst participating in operations over Beaufort town British North Borneo crashed into trees and burst immediately into flames the pilot F/O G.S. McKenzie (434178) and navigator No 442384 Sgt Gilfillan W.J. were posted Missing believed Killed
JUNE 10, 1945 - SAN 68 - SANGA SANGA STRIP
SAN 68 - On June 10, six Beaufighters carry out direct air support Obeo 6. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-153 Thompson/Meachem, A8-165 Read/Koff, A8-187 Fellowsmith/Duncan, A8-179 Storry/Crichton, A8-91 Mierisch/Larsen, A8-167 Redfern/Collison, departed 0935/10I returned 1534/10I. Bombed and destroyed bridges strafed personnel at Lingkungan with U/O results.
SAN 69 - On June 10, six Beaufighters carry out direct air support Obeo 6. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-145 Madigan/Bond, A8-147 Hewlett/Stocker, A8-84 Wemyss/Woodgate, A8-163 Young/Kefford, A8-141 Barter/Oakley, A8-152 Roberts/McNamara, departed 1110/10I returned 1715/10I. Bombed road with all bombs on target are. Strafed and hit three rail trucks and large house near Lumut.
JUNE 11, 1945 - SAN 77 - SANGA SANGA STRIP
SAN 77 - On June 11, six Beaufighters carry out direct air support Obeo 6. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-153 Thompson/Meachem, A8-165 Read/Koff, A8-187 Fellowsmith/Duncan, A8-179 Storry/Crichton, A8-91 Mierisch/Larsen, A8-72 Redfern/Collison, departed 1118/11I returned 1614/11I. Bombed and strafed enemy troop concentrations strafed and fired on one M/T north of target area.
JUNE 11a, 1945 - SAN 78 - SANGA SANGA STRIP
SAN 78 - On June 11, six Beaufighters carry out direct air support Obeo 6. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-145 Madigan/Bond, A8-155 Stocker/Hewlett, A8-58 Wemyss/Woodgate, A8-163 Young/ Kefford, A8-141 Barter/Oakley, A8-30 Davy/Jacobi, departed 1248/11I returned 1854/11I. Bombed and strafed road and bridge area all bombs on target area with U/O results.
SAN 81 - On June 12, six Beaufighters carry out direct air support Obeo 6. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-145 Thompson/Meachem, A8-163 Clay/Press, A8-130 Mierisch/Larsen, A8-155 Redfern/Collison, A8-152 Cameron/Willis, A8-147 Warner/Hackshaw, departed 0625/12I returned 1140/12I. Bombed and strafed Jap concentration with all bombs on target area.
JUNE 12, 1945 - SAN 82 - SANGA SANGA STRIP
SAN 82 - On June 12, six Beaufighters carry out direct air support Obeo 6. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-145 Young/Kefford, A8-163 Baker/Lyons, A8-130 Davy/Jacobi, A8-155 Birch/Perry, A8-152 Roberts/McNamara, A8-147 Leask/Richard, departed 0735/12I returned 1300/12I. Bombed and strafed Jap concentration with all bombs on target area destroying one house and damaging several others.
SAN 97 - On June 13, two details of two Beaufighters provide cover over HMAS Shropshire. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-130 Davy/Jacobi, A8-84 Gregory/Connell, departed 0647/13I returned 1033/13I, A8-187 Cameron/Willis, A8-167 Fisher/Kelly, departed 0946/13I returned 1350/13I.
HMAS SHROPSHIRE was a 9,850 ton County Class Heavy Cruiser, built in 1928 she was 633ft in length with a crew of 820.
Photo - AWM - Public Domain.
PITOE STRIP, MOROTAI ISLAND
JUNE 1-30, 1945.
PIT 7 - On June 26, two Beaufighters provide convoy cover. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-144 Warner/Hackshaw, A8-58 Birch/Perry, departed, 1400/26I returned 1700/26I. Cover effected without incident.
PIT 9 - On June 27, two Beaufighters provide cover over Force ‘K’. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-165 Redfern/Collison, A8-70 Trew/Anderson, departed 1730/26I returned 2115/26I. Cover effected without incident.
John Anderson Log Book Entry 27-6-45.
PIT 19 - On June 29, two Beaufighters provide air cover Force ‘M’. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-147 Wentworth/Miller, A8-141 Gattorna/Mann, departed 1555/29I returned 1925/29I. Cover effected without incident.
JUNE 30, 1945 - PIT 28 - PITOE STRIP, MOROTAI ISLAND
PIT 28 - On June 30, five Beaufighters escort P40s to Labuan via Tawi Tawi. Aircraft and crews taking part A8-154 Redenbach/Gatcum departed 0700/30I returned 1400/30I, A8-173 Charlton/Everingham, A8-157 Leask/Richard, departed 0800/30I returned 1500/30I, A8-179 Darvall/McWhirter, A8-163 Davy/Jacobi, departed 0858/30I returned 1605/30I.
TARAKAN STRIP, TARAKAN ISLAND
JUNE 20-30, 1945.
Due to difficulties in repairing the strip at Tarakan a detachment of Beaufighters was sent from Morotai to Sanga Sanga where they operated for a number of weeks. Then in mid June when the Americans needed the Sanga Sanga strip back, the Beaufighters were flown back to Morotai. However all the Squadron equipment and transport was taken by LSTs to Tarakan which from July became the Headquarters for the Squadron. Morotai was a detachment from where all flying operations were conducted, with aircraft only being flown to Tarakan by experienced pilots for regular maintenance and inspection when needed.
On June 20, apart from some rough seas and steady rains the voyage of the Sanga party was completed without incident when the LCTs unloaded all transport, equipment and personnel at Tarakan.
On June 22, six airmen departed Tarakan for their home Personnel Depots and a further eight were sent to No. 3 RPP Morotai whence they there were to proceed on home leave.
On June 23, F/O C.A. Donovan’s temporary Command of the Tarakan Detachment was advised effective June 20, 1945.