No. 11 Squadron
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)

Background
No. 11 Squadron was established September 25, 1939 in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at Richmond Airfield under the command of Flight Lieutenant James Alexander. The first assigned aircraft were two Supermarine Seagulls and two Short Empire flying boats.

Wartime History
During late September 1939, deployed to Port Moresby Flying Boat Base in Fairfax Harbor off Port Moresby in the Territory of New Guinea with flying boats operating from forward bases. Their mission was to monitor shipping movements in the region.

On January 15, 1942 in the morning, PBY-5 Catalina A24-11 pilot SdrLdr Thomas H. Davies and PBY-5 Catalina A24-13 took off from Simpson Harbor at Rabaul on a bombing mission against the Japanese at Truk Lagoon and first landed at Kavieng Harbor off Kavieng to refuel. During take off, PBY-5 Catalina A24-11 hit by a large swell that detonated the wing bombs and sunk.

PARTIAL HISTORY

On January 7, 1943 In the early morning, RAAF PBY Catalina pilot FtLdr David Vernon bombs and sinks Nichiryu Maru. Meanwhile other PBY Catalinas bomb Gasmata Airfield and unsuccessfully attacked a destroyer.

References
AWM No. 11 Squadron

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