No 20 Squadron RNZAF

HISTORY

Formed, August 1942
Disbanded, July 1943
Re-formed, January 1944
Disbanded, September 1945

COs

S/L, S. R. Duncan. RNZAF, January 1944 to July 1944
MID, Air Medal [US],

S/L, G. M. Robertson. July 1944 to November 1944

S/L, L. R. Reynolds. December 1944 to September 1945

BASES

Onerahi, Whangarei, NZ August 1942 to July 1943

Ardmore, Auckland, NZ, January 1944 to April 1944
Palikulo Bay. Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, April 1944
Henderson Field. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, April 1944 to 14 May 1944
Torokina Field, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 14 May 1944 to June 1944
NZ June 1944 to August 1944
Palikulo Bay . Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, August 1944 to September 1944
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, September 1944 to October 1944
Nissan Island, Green Islands, Solomon Islands, 26 October 1944 to 19 November 1944
NZ November 1944 to January 1945
Piva Y Field, Bougainville Solomon Islands, January 1945 to April 1945
Jacquinot Bay, New Britain, Bismark Archipelago, May 1945 to August 1945
NZ August 1945 to September 1945

AIRCRAFT TYPES

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Hawker Hinds August 1942 to July 1943

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Harvard January 1944 to April 1944

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Kittyhawk January 1944 to April 1944

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Servicing on Nissan Island

Corsairs April 1944 to September 1945

ROLES

Fighter / Ground Attack January 1944 to September 1945

CODE

Hawker Hinds ZG
Curtis P-40 NH

S/L, C, R, Busch, was “ One Of The Few”

The Squadron was formed at Onerahi, near Whangarei, as an Army Co-operation Squadron.

The changing role of the RNZAF meant that this version was no longer required, so it was disbanded in July 1943

The Squadron was re-formed at Ardmore, Auckland, in January 1944, equipped with Harvards and Curtis P-40 Kityhawks.

When the Squadron moved to Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, in April 1944, they exchanged the P-40 aircraft for the new Vought F4U Corsairs.

They then moved forward to Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, where they provided fighter cover for the Island.

In May/June 1944 they advanced to Torokina Field, on Bougainville Island, where it helped provide fighter cover for the main Allied Base at Empress Augusta Bay, and also provided offensive sweeps over the Japanese held parts of Bougainville and Rabaul.

This was the first NZ Squadron to operate the Corsairs operationally, commencing on 14th May 1944, there were some inevitable teething troubles with the bomb racks which needed some modification, but the Corsair was a large improvement on the P-40.

In June 1944, the Squadron returned to NZ for their rest and recuperation, returning to Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo in August and advancing to Henderson Field, Guadalcanal in September 1944.

On 26th October 1944, the Squadron moved to Nissan Islands, Green Islands, between Bougainville and Rabaul, this was part of a general move of NZ Squadrons onto US Bases in the Bismark Islands and saw No 20 [F] Squadron take over from 2 US Corsair Squadrons.

The Squadron had 3 main tasks during its short stay on Nissan Islands, Dawn and Dusk patrols, escorting “Dumbo” Catalina aircraft in their air-sea rescue missions, and maintaining a number of fighters at full readiness in case of a surprise Japanese raid.

After the 12th November, they also flew a series of ground attack sweeps over New Ireland.

After another period of rest and recuperation in NZ, the Squadron relieved No 24 [F] Squadron on Piva Y Field, Bougainville in January 1945.

They remained on Bougainville, helping the Australian Army with ground attack strikes as required, until April 1945, during this period the Squadron was averaging 30 sorties per day, when both No 20 and 18 [F] Squadrons were relieved by No 14, 16, 22 and 26 [F] Squadrons, as the intensity of the Australian Army’s attack built up.

During their time on Bougainville, both the Squadron’s tasks had been to clear a swamp and jungle area in front of the Australian lines at Mawaraka, during their advance to the Puriata River, they used a mixture of 1,000 lb, 500 lb bombs, depth-charges and strafing attacks.

On the 6th March 1945, both Squadrons attacked a suspected tank depot in Northern Bougainville, destroying 2 tanks.

In May 1945, No 20 [F] Squadron was moved to Nissan Island, Green Islands, while it waited for a new base at Jacquinot Bay, New Britain to become available, this was ready by the end of the month, so the Squadron moved to Jacquinot Bay, the Aircraft flew over on the 20th May, but the Support Unit was unable to move due to the unfinished living quarters.

From the 29th May, when the SU arrived, the Squadron flew up to 5 daily patrols over Rabaul, strafing and bombing suitable targets, from mid-July until 12th August 1945 the Squadron focused on bombing raids using larger formations.

The Squadron was relieved on 12th August 1945, by No 16 [F] Squadron and was disbanded in September 1945

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner