No. 30 Squadron was formed on 9 March 1942 at RAAF Base Richmond in New South Wales as a long-range fighter squadron, operating the Bristol Beaufighter.

In August 1942 the squadron moved to Townsville and then to New Guinea. and in early September became the first RAAF Beaufighter squadron to see action.

The squadron returned to Australia December 1945,

The squadron was disbanded on 15 August 1946.

COMMANDING OFFICERS

9.3.42 SQNLDR C.F. Read

4.6.42 WGCDR B.R. Walker, DSO

18.6.43 WGCDR C.P. Glasscock, DFC

23.9.43 SQNLDR W.T.M. Boulton, DFC

25.5.44 WGCDR P.L.B. Gibson

11.6.44 SQNLDR J.T. Sandford, DSO, DFC

9.10.44 WGCDR C.H.C. Thompson, AFC

3.7.45 SQNLDR G.D. Wentworth

1.11.45 FLTLT R.T. Bruce (Temp)

No. 30 Squadron was reformed as No 30 (Target Towing) Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond on 8 March 1948.

In this role, the squadron supported Army, Air Force and navy training exercises and research conducted by the CSIRO. It operated Beaufighter, Wirraway and Oxford aircraft in this role.

The squadron moved to Schofields on 11 March 1949, to Canberra 18 September 1952 and returned to Richmond on 15 April 1954.

The squadron disbanded again on 21 March 1956.

COMMANDING OFFICERS

8.3.48 SQNLDR C.A. Greenwood

28.4.48 FLTLT S.W. Dallywater

29.4.49 FLTLT W. Addison

8.10.49 FLTLT F.J. Inger

12.2.51 SQNLDR R.J. Rankin, AFC

29.2.52 WGCDR J.E.S. Dennett

16.9.52 SQNLDR J.W. Hubble, AFC

19.11.52 FLTLT B. Parker, AFC

5.7.54 FLTLT F.P. O'Leary

14.11.55 SQNLDR R.D. Albrecht

No. 30 Squadron was reformed on 11 January 1961 at RAAF Base Williamtown as a Surface-to-Air Guided Weapons squadron equipped with Bloodhound missiles.

The squadron was disbanded again on 30 November 1968.

COMMANDING OFFICERS

11.1.61 WGCDR E.W. Tonkin, OBE

16.9.63 SQNLDR K.H. Foster, DFM (Temp)

18.1.64 WGCDR R.H. Glassop, DFC

23.5.66 SQNLDR B.T. Sweeney

No. 30 Squadron was reformed as No. 30 (City of Sale) Squadron on 1 July 2010 at RAAF Base East Sale.

The squadron operates as an Air Base Operations Squadron, at RAAF Base East Sale, and is part of the Combat Support Group.

No. 30 (City of Sale) Squadron was formally presented with its Squadron Standard at RAAF Base East Sale on 23 March 2021, by Governor-General David Hurley. The Squadron Standard features the 11 battle honours from the squadron's WWII Pacific theatre service.

COMMANDING OFFICERS

1.7.10 WGCDR S.M. Bolitho

19.4.12 SQNLDR S. Wheal (Temp)

14.1.13 WGCDR J.R.A. Svede

11.1.16 WGCDR M.D. Quirke

14.1.19 WGCDR J.M. Allen

14.12.20 WGCDR N.J. Foate

15.1.24 WGCDR P.B. Ferris