No 17 Squadron RNZAF

HISTORY

Formed, October 1942
Disbanded, September 1945

COs

S/L, J. V. A. Reid. RAF, October 1942 to July 1943

S/L, P. G. H. Newton. RNZAF, July 1943 to January 1944
DFC,

S/L, D. F. St George. RNZAF, April 1944 to November 1944

S/L, B. V. Le Pine. RNZAF, November 1944 to September 1945

BASES

Ohakea, Palmerston North, NZ October 1942 to 29 July 1943
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 29 July 1943 to 11 September 1943
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 11 September 1943 to 20 October 1943
NZ 20 October 1943 to 19 December 1943
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 19 December 1943 to 17 January 1944
Ondonga Field, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, 17 January 1944 to 22 January 1944
NZ 22 January 1944 to April 1944
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, April 1944
Torokina Field, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 23 April 1944 to 2 June 1944
NZ June 1944 to August 1944
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, August 1944
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, August 1944 to September 1944
Piva Y Field, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, September 1944 to November 1944
NZ November 1944 to January 1945
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, January 1945
Nissan Island, Green Islands, Solomon Islands, January 1945 to March 1945
NZ March 1945 to May 1945
Momote Field, Los Negros, Admiralty Islands, May 1945 to September 1945

AIRCRAFT TYPES

Image Source

Harvards October 1942 to January 1943

Image Source

Kittyhawk October 1942 to 1944

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Corsairs 1944 to September 1945

ROLES

Fighter / Ground Attack Oct 1942 to September 1945

CODE

EFFORTS
Sorties
Hours
Destroyed 4
Probable
Damaged
Boats / Barges
Tanks

ROLE OF HONOUR

D Jones                 Dec 1943

F/O S Broadbent
W/O B A Mc Hardie

The Squadron was formed at Ohakea, Palmerston North, in October 1942. and after a period of training to was moved on 29th July 1943 to Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, where it relieved No 14 [F] Squadron, who then returned to NZ for their rest and recuperation.

The Squadron assumed the air defence of Espiritu Santo.

They were moved to Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, between 11 - 15 September 1943, to relieve No 16 [F] Squadron, they remained in the combat zone until 20 October 1943 when they returned to NZ for rest and recuperation.

While at Henderson Field, the US carried out their first large raid on Rabaul from Bougainville, most of the aircraft were based on New Georgia and used Bougainville’s new Torokina airfield to refuel.

The RNZAF Wing provided 24 of the 80 aircraft that took part in the raid, they claimed 5 Japanese fighters, but lost the Wing Leader, W/C T.O. Freemen.

The Wing returned to Rabaul on 24th December 1943 when they claimed 12 Japanese aircraft for the loss of 5 NZ pilots.

On the 28th December 1943, a detachment from the Squadron was moved to the new airfield at Torokina, Bougainville.

The Squadron spent three spells at Bougainville during 1944, the first in January, the second in April to June and again in September to November, these brought the Squadron in regular contact with the Japanese, providing some of the air cover over Empress Augusta Bay, as well as flying fighter-bomber sweeps over Bougainville.

The remainder of the Squadron moved to Torokina by the 17th January, but didn’t stay there long as they were relieved at the end of the month.

The move was popular with the Squadrons as it saved an average of 3 hours flying off most sorties.

During the second and third spells on the Island, the Squadron added supporting the limited fighting on the Island as well as the long campaign against Rabaul.

In 1945 the Squadron relieved No 14 [F] Squadron on Nissan Island in the Green Islands in January, taking over the tasks that they had been flying, dusk and dawn patrols, escort duties for Catalina’s flying “Dumbo” air-sea rescue missions, as well as the standing patrol over Rabaul.

They were relieved in March 1945 by No 24 [F] Squadron and returned to NZ for their rest and recuperation.

In May 1945, the Squadron relieved No 19 [F] Squadron on Momote Field, Los Negros, the most Westerly Airfield the RNZAF used, with the main tasks of dusk and dawn patrols, and intercepting any unknown aircraft that appeared on radar.

They were planned to be relieved by No 14 [F] Squadron in August, but the servicing unit for that Squadron was delayed and the war ended before the swap could be made, so the Squadron remained on Momote Field until September when it was disbanded

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner