No 19 Squadron RNZAF

HISTORY

Formed, 10 December 1943
Disbanded, October 1945

COs

S/L, H. R. Wiggley. RNZAF, December 1943 to April 1944
OBE, MID,

S/L, M. T. Vanderpump. RNZAF, May 1944 to July 1944
DFC, DFC[US],

S/L, J. R. C. Killian. RNZAF, July 1944 to May 1945
Croix De Gurre [F],

S/L, M. A. Eaton. RNZAF, June 1945 to October 1945

BASES

Ohakea, Palmerston North, NZ, December 1943 to February 1944
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, February 1944 to March 1944
Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 12 March 1944 to 20 April 1944
NZ April 1944 to June 1944
Henderson Field. Guadalcanal. Solomon Islands, June 1944 to July 1944
Torokina Field, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, July 1944 to August 1944
NZ August 1944 to October 1944
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, October 1944 to November 1944
North & South Field, Emirau, St Mathis Group, 18 Nov 1944 to December 1944
NZ December 1944 to February 1945
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo New Hebrides, February 1945 to March 1945
Momote Field, Los Negros, Admiralty Islands, March 1945 to May 1945
Jacquinot Bay, New Britain, Bismark Archipelago, June 1944 to October 1945

AIRCRAFT TYPES

Image Source

Kittyhawk, December 1943 to September 1944

Image Source

Corsairs September 1944 to October 1945

ROLES

Fighter / Ground Attack January 1943 to September1945

CODE

S/L, J. R. Cpost-warn. flew with Mt Cook Airlines pre-war.
S/L, H. R. Wigley. went to Mt Cook Airlines post war.

The Squadron was formed at Ohakea, Palmerston North on 10th December 1943, from members of No 3 [BR] Squadron, and was equipped with Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk aircraft.

It’s first deployment was in February 1944 when it was moved to Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, and in March, it relieved No 18 [F] Squadron on Torokina Field, Bougainville, flying patrol and ground attack missions.

They replaced No 18 [F] Squadron just in time for the start of the Japanese Counterattack. On the 26th March, the Squadron bombed Japanese pillboxes at the Southern end of Empress Augusta Bay, and took part in the battle that repulsed the Japanese.

In April 1944, they returned to NZ for rest and recuperation, until June, when they again returned to Henderson Field, Guadalcanal.

In July 1944, they returned to Torokina, Bougainville, flying the usual patrol and ground attacks as required.

In August 1944, they again returned to NZ for rest and recuperation until October 1944, when after a short spell at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, they were moved to North & South Fields, Emirau Island, the first of the NZ Fighter Squadrons to operate from this field, where they provided day fighter cover until January 1945.

On the 1st December the three US Corsair Squadrons that had been based on North & South Fields left, and No 19 [F] Squadron took over their tasks, providing daytime fighter cover over Emirau Island and flying regular night time standing patrols over Kavieng, New Island.

These flights lasted for 4 hours and were flown in pairs, mainly looking for any Japanese aircraft attempting to use the airfield, but they also carried a 1,000 lb bomb to drop on any suitable target they could find.

In late December/early January 1945, they were replaced by No 25 [F] Squadron and returned to NZ for rest and recuperation.

In February 1945 the Squadron moved to Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, until they replaced No 25 [F] Squadron on Momote Field, Los Negros, the most Westerly base that the RNZAF used. The main tasks being the dusk and dawn patrols and identifying unknown aircraft that appeared on radar, most were friendly, but the few that turned away were probably Japanese.

While they were there, there was one attack on Los Negros, on 28/29 April, two Japanese torpedo bombers caught the defenders by surprise and managed to damage a floating dock in Seeadler Harbour [this was claimed as an aircraft carrier sunk, by the Japanese pilot], both aircraft escaped intact, but one was lost on it’s return to Rabaul.

On 2nd July they relieved No 21 [F] Squadron at Jacquinot Bay, New Britain, who, during it’s spell there had suffered from the lack of a Servicing Unit [SU], however one arrived in mid July, so No 19 [F] Squadron was able to begin operations, maintaining 3 aircraft on scramble alert, and a number of patrols over Rabaul.

The Squadrons last operation was a bombing raid on an oil dump at Rapopo.

The Squadron was disbanded in October 1945.

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner