80 [Radar] Squadron RNZAF

Radar Sqn

Early in 1939 NZ was informed about a “Secret Device” which was of sufficient importance to the Air Defence to warrant the despatch of a physicist to England to study it.

The Director of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research [DSIR], Dr E Marsden, was sent to England,

He arrived in April 1939 and was attached to the office of the NZ Liaison Officer, Squadron Leader Wallingford, at the Air Ministry.

Together they studied the new equipment and submitted a joint report to the NZ Chief of Air Staff covering the technical and operational aspects of this new device.

As a result, 2 radar sets were ordered by the NZ Government, one, a ground unit, the other, an airborne unit.

When he returned to NZ Dr Marsden brought back a large number of drawings and specifications, from which DSIR was able to make plans for local production of sets.

The first ground set, ordered shortly after Dr Marsden's return, was used by the Electrical & Wireless School, at Wigram, for training, until the outbreak of war with Japan.

This set was then transferred to Fiji, and installed on Malolo Island, near Nadi, in January 1942.

The first ground operational set in NZ was constructed by Collier & Beale, of Wellington, from drawings and specifications of an early Admiralty set, and installed by DSIR at Fort Mototapu, in the Waitemata Harbour, Auckland.

As NZ, in the early years of the war, didn’t have fighter aircraft to intercept attacking air forces, the development of a ground radar warning system was considered unnecessary.

Consequently, the RNZAF confined its activities in conjunction with radar to the development of airborne rather that ground equipment.

The original airborne set, which Dr Marsden had brought back with him from England, was used as a pattern from which another set was designed by DSIR and fitted to a Waco Aircraft in April 1940.

The Aircraft and radar set were handed over to Electrical & Wireless School at Wigram for further experimental work, and for the training of maintenance personnel.

Twenty airborne sets were made by the Post & Telegraph Department and fitted to the Vickers Vildebeest and Airspeed Oxford Aircraft that carried General Reconnaissance duties around the Coast.

In mid-1941, when the threat of war with Japan was becoming more evident, the priory was changed to Ground Radar Units, and for the remainder of the war efforts were directed towards the erection and maintenance of ground warning systems, both in NZ and the Pacific.

In March 1942, a sub-committee of the Chiefs of Staff in London recommended that NZ should establish 15 COL [ Chain Overseas Low-Flying] Stations, 7 TRU [Transportable Radar Units] and 5 GCI[ Ground Control Interception’ Stations.

The only Radar unit in operation at the time was the one at Fort Motutapu, near Auckland,

A second station was to have been built on the Coromandel Peninsula, with a planned completion date of December 1941, but the equipment, which was being constructed in NZ was unsatisfactory and this station did not become operational until July 1942.

Four other stations, 2 near Auckland and 2 near Wellington, were to have been completed by the end of February, but these also were delayed by the lack of suitable equipment.

It had been planned to manufacture as much as possible in NZ, but the essential components, particularly valves, had to be imported, and many difficulties were meet trying to obtain them.

It became obvious that relying on NZ made sets was not a practical solution so complete sets were ordered from Britain.

Most of this equipment was ordered after the receipt of the London Chiefs of Staff Committee recommendations.

By August 1942, 3 stations were in operation in the Auckland area and working satisfactorily, 3 more in the North Auckland area were being fitted with their technical equipment, 4 stations in the Wellington area were in various stages of completion, with 6 further sites in the North Island being Selected.

Three flights were established to administer the units which were formed, or planned.

No 1 Flight, based at Whenuapai, Auckland, embracing all units in the Auckland area.

No 2 Flight, at Rongotai, was responsible for units between New Plymouth to the Clarence River in the South Island.

No 4, at Wigram, was responsible for those in Canterbury and Otago.

Later in the year, these were expanded into Squadrons, with No 60 Squadron taking over No 1 Flights duties. No 61 Squadron taking over No 2 Flight and No 62 Squadron, which was to form at Wigram, and take over No 4 Flight.

However, the Radar systems in the South Island were not yet developed, so the number was given to the Squadron that formed at Guadalcanal in August 1943.

While NZ was never subjected to air attack, the radar units were never required for their primary purpose, they did, however, perform other duties, plotting ships in their areas and informing the Navy when ships appeared in unexpected areas of the coast.

An aircraft was then dispatched to investigate, as well as locating and assisting inbound aircraft that had got lost and guide them into a safe landing.

60 Sqn

North Island Above New Plymouth

61 Sqn
North Island below New Plymouth to Clarence River, South Island

No 1 Unit

CO s
S/L, R J Gibbs, RNZAF, December 1941
W/O, I S Rowe, RNZAF,

Bases
Malolo Island, Nadi, Fiji, December 1941 to 1942

This was the original CHL set obtained from England by Dr Marsden.

After the unit was up and running F/L R J Gibbs returned Staff Officer at Air HQ.

W/O I S Rowe, who had led the team to do the erection, remained at the site until the set was taken over by the US.

During its operation under NZ control, the unit did not report any hostile aircraft, but reported and tracked several Japanese Submarines around its sector of the Fiji coast.

When the US took over the defence of Fiji they erected several other radar sets relieving the RNZAF of any further responsibly.

In December 1942 a RNZAF radar unit was sent to Tonga, and attached to No 15 [F] Squadron,

There were 2 radar stations on the Island, manned by US troops who were needed at Guadalcanal, so the NZ troops replaced them.

The original training they had been given was on British designed units and the units they took over were US designed, within the 2 or 3 days they had for the handover the incoming NZ troops were able to operate the US units satisfactorily.

Early in April 1943, another draft of US radar personnel arrived to relieve the NZ troops, who were then moved on the USS President Hayed to Noumea.

No Unit

CO
F/O, L. F. W. Mercer, RNZAF, April 1943
MID,

Bases
Norfolk Island, April 1943 1945

By the time the unit arrived at Norfolk the island was no longer used as a base for operational units, but, because it was an important staging point on the route to and from NZ and the forward area, it was maintained for the remainder of the war, assisting many aircraft lost in the bad weather.

No 52 Unit, GCI

CO
S/L C J Barnwell RNZAF February 1943
MID

F/L Miles RCAF
F/L Mercer

Bases

Palmerston North January 1943 February 1943
Guadalcanal February 1943 February 1945

This was a British GCI unit, requested by the US due to the lack of supply of the US units in the Pacific.

The unit was formed, trained, and ready to go before the end of February 1943.

As there were no controllers with GCI experience, the US sent 3 Officers and a SNCO to help train the unit.

It was recommended that the US Squadron that this unit was going to be attached to at Guadalcanal, be sent to NZ to assist training coordination with each other, this was endorsed by Air HQ Wellington, but turned down by CINPAC [Commander in Pacific] who instructed that training should be coordinated with the calibration of the equipment on its operational site.

The main party arrived at Guadalcanal on 1st March and started work on the installation of its equipment.

This included clearing the site, laying concrete foundations, and building the necessary huts, this was completed within 3 weeks and the unit opened for business on 21st March 1943.

The US 6th Night Fighter Squadron, from Hawaii, flying P 70 Havoc aircraft, flew in and set to work to evolve a suitable technique of co-operation.

This was the first of its kind in the South Pacific.

For the first 2 days after the US had landed on Guadalcanal in August 1942. fighter direction had been performed from USS Chicago, and fighter cover had been flown from the carriers Saratoga and Enterprise.

When the ships left the area the US had neither fighters or radar.

By the 20th August 1942, F4Fs and SBD’s were based at Henderson Field, but no provision for fighter direction.

The unit kept a 22 1/2 hour watch with the remaining 1 1/2 hours being allocated for maintenance each morning.

The operating crew was divided into 4 watches of an NCO in charge, and 4 airmen in the operations room, plus a radar mechanic.

One airman acted as long-range warning plotter, another as GCI plotter, another as PPI reader and the fourth as height - range reader.

The first major operation was on 7th April when the Japanese sent a large formation of dive bombers and fighters in a daylight raid.

The unit gave accurate plots to the Island Fighter Control which resulted in 33 aircraft being shot down, after the raid a letter of commendation was received from CONAIRSOL [Commander in Chief, Air, Solomons] for its share of the work.

62 Sqn

Formed 15 August 1943
Disbanded October 1944

CO
F/L, J P Conyers – Brown, RNZAF, 15 August 1943

Bases
Lunga Beach, Guadalcanal,

During the first half of 1943 CONSOPAC [Commander South Pacific] [Admiral Halsey] asked for additional NZ radar units be sent to the forward area, complete with technical and operational personnel.

There was a lack of manpower in NZ, but because it was a matter of National Prestige, 2 further CGI and 4 COL units were formed and sent to the forward area.

To coordinate and administer these units a Squadron HQ was formed at Lunga Beach, Guadalcanal, and all units sent to the area became part of the Squadron

No 53 Unit, COL

Formed July/August 1943
Disbanded February 1945

CO

F/O N Gregory Aug 1943

Bases
Cape Astrolobe, Malaita Island, October 1943 to February 1945

This was the first of the additional units requested, and its site on top of the Cape was excellently located giving first-class coverage of its area.

As the Island of Malaita was never formally occupied by the Allies this made the unit one of the most isolated RNZAF detachments in the Pacific.

In addition to its normal radar duties, it had, for some months, to provide its own protection, so machine gun positions and defence posts were built.

In February 1944, half a rifle company of the 298th US Infantry Regiment was attached to provide guards.

Supplies were shipped weekly from Guadalcanal, and urgent supplies by flying boat.

Christmas dinner in 1943 was supplied by the 1st US Marine Parachute Regiment.

One and a half tons of supplies were dropped from the air, including turkey, fresh vegetables, mail, parcels, and 12 dozen bottles of beer.

The drop was very successful, not even 1 bottle of beer was broken.

No 54 Unit

Formed December 1943
Disbanded May 1943 Absorbed by 55 Unit

Bases
Nukualofa Tonga December 1942 to April 1943
Transit Camp Noumea April 1943 to May 1943
Guadalcanal May 1943 September 1943
N Z September 1943 to October 1943
Guadalcanal October 1943

55 Unit

Formed December 1942
Disbanded October 1943

Bases
Nukualofa Tonga December 1942 to April 1943
Transit Camp Noumea April 1943 May 1943

Unit 54 and 55 were originally the two units in Tonga. When these were moved to Guadalcanal towards the end of May 1943 they were combined and known as No 54 Unit.

At the end of September 1943, the men were repatriated to NZ having completed their tour of duty.

A new 54 Unit was formed in NZ in October and was sent to Guadalcanal.

It had been intended to install the unit at Buka Hill, on Bougainville, but when they arrived at Guadalcanal the site was still in Japanese hands.

As the unit was not required anywhere else it was split up and the men posted to other units to replace the many vacancies caused by illness.

56 Unit, GCI
Formed Aug 1943
Disbanded Mar 1944

C O
P/O E Lawrence, RNZAF, August 1943

Bases
N Z, July/August 1943 to September 1943
Munda, New Georgia, September 1943 to February 1944
Guadalcanal, March 1944

Efforts

Assist in 3 Destroyed

This was a mobile unit and was first installed at Munda in September.

The US was setting up a unit on Kokohale Island, just off Munda, but, as theirs was a fixed set which it was expected would take considerable time to install, the NZ unit began operations immediately.

At the beginning of 1944, the unit was ordered to return to Guadalcanal, and everything was dismantled ready for the move, but the US unit on Kokohale Island was not yet operational they were then ordered to continue operating for some time longer.

In March 1944, they handed over the unit to the US and returned to Guadalcanal.

57 Unit, COL

Formed November 1943

CO
P/O W G Leatham, RNZAF, November 1943

Bases
Rendova Island, November 1943

58 Unit COL

Formed January 1944
Disbanded February 1945

CO
P/O J Russell, RNZAF, January 1944

Bases
West Cape, Guadalcanal, January 1944

Unit 57 and 58 COL were the next units to be formed.

Unit 58 was as isolated from the rest of the Allied forces as No 53 Unit, as the only access was by sea.

59 Unit, Mobile GCI

Formed November 1943
Disbanded August 1944

CO
F/L Mercer, RNZAF, November 1943

Bases
Guadalcanal, November 1943
Torokina Field Bougainville 6 December 1943
Cape Torokina Bougainville January 1944

Efforts

Assist in 12 Destroyed
8 Probable
Unit 59 was initially installed on the same site as No 52, on Guadalcanal, to enable No 52’s equipment to be overhauled.

The unit was destined for Bougainville, so while it was operating on Guadalcanal, a party of 3 Officers were sent to Torokina Airfield o select a site for it.

They chose the only site available, next to the fighter strip, with a heavily wooded area to the North-West,[ the direction the Japanese would attack from], there was also a large ration dump in front of the position of the aerial, which caused interference until it was partially removed.

The main party left Guadalcanal with its equipment on 3rd December 1943 and arrive at Torokina on the next day.

During the voyage, one of the LST’s, with men and equipment, was hit by a torpedo during a night attack by an enemy aircraft.

The torpedo did not explode, and one of the attacking aircraft was destroyed by a US night fighter and exploded in mid-air.

The Night fighter who had come too close to the enemy was caught up in the explosion and his aircraft also blew up.

The party was the first RNZAF unit to be posted to Bougainville and proudly raised the flag on 6th December 1943.

The unit was operational on the 10th December, in spite of the technical difficulties and on the night of 15th December scored the first “touch down” [enemy aircraft shot down].

That night the US night fighters claimed 1 destroyed, 2 probable.

In early January 1944, the unit was moved to a new position on top of Cape Torokina giving a greatly increased range and improvement in picking up hostile aircraft.

The unit remained there until August 1944 when it handed over the equipment to a US unit and returned to NZ.

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner