450 Sqn

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
February
No personnel movements recorded in this month's ORB
March
Flt Lt	B McR Shepherd	3 Mar 1941	Arrived on posting from RAAF HQ, Melbourne for duty as Adjutant and assumed temporary command
Flt Lt	R H S Gibbs	3 Mar 1941	Arrived on posting from No 23 Sqn RAAF
Fg Off	W G Matthew	19 Mar 1941	Arrived on posting from RAAF Laverton for duty as Equipment Officer
Flt Lt	A G McManis	21 Mar 1941	Arrived on posting from Central Area HQ for duty as Medical Officer
Flt Lt	J S Lamb	24 Mar 1941	Arrived on posting from No 23 Sqn RAAF for duty as Intelligence Officer
Plt Off	H Fullerton	24 Mar 1941	Arrived on posting from RAAF Archerfield for duty as Codes and Cypher Officer
Plt Off	J C Salter	24 Mar 1941	Arrived on posting from RAAF Canberra for duty as Codes and Cypher Officer
April
No personnel movements recorded in this month's ORB as the squadron was at sea en-route to the Middle East
May
Flt Lt	R H S Gibbs	14 May 1941	Posted to No 3 Sqn RAAF
Flt Lt	J S Lamb	26 May 1941	Intelligence Officer, attached to HQ Middle East
Flt Lt	G H Steege	31 May 1941	Arrived on posting from No 3 Sqn RAAF and assumed command of No 450 Sqn
June
Flt Lt	J Paine	23 Jun 1941	Admitted to RAF Aqir SSQ
Flt Lt	J S Lamb	24 Jun 1941	Intelligence Officer, ceased to be attached to HQ Middle East
Flt Lt	G H Steege	29 Jun 1941	Proceeded from RAF Aqir to RAF Amman by air
July
No personnel movements recorded in this month's ORB as the squadron was at sea en-route to the Middle East
August
Flt Lt	J S Lamb	18 Aug 1941	Intelligence Officer, admitted to No 3 CCS following a traffic accident
Flt Lt	J S Lamb	19 Aug 1941	Intelligence Officer, discharged from No 3 CCS
Act Sqn Ldr	G H Steege	23 Aug 1941	Admitted to SSQ
Act Sqn Ldr	G H Steege	26 Aug 1941	Discharged from SSQ
September
Plt Off	H Fullerton	1 Sep 1941	Admitted to No 3 CCS and promoted to Fg Off, wef 1 May1941
Plt Off	J A Nicholls	1 Sep 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Engineer Officer
Sqn Ldr	G H Steege	10 Sep 1941	Proceeded to HQME on temporary duty
Plt Off	J C Salter	12 Sep 1941	Codes and Cypher Officer, proceeded to HQ P & TJ on temporary duty
Act Sqn Ldr	G H Steege	16 Sep 1941	Returned from HQME on completion of temporary duty
Plt Off	J C Salter	16 Sep 1941	Codes and Cypher Officer, returned from HQ P & TJ on completion of temporary duty
Act Sqn Ldr	G H Steege	17 Sep 1941	Attached to RAF Beirut for Controller duties
October
Flt Lt	I F Rose	3 Oct 1941	Arrived on posting
Flt Lt	J G Manford	3 Oct 1941	Arrived on posting
Fg Off	R L V Ross	3 Oct 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Defence Officer
Fg Off	J B Walker	3 Oct 1941	Arrived on posting for duty as Assistant Adjutant
Sgt Plt	W E Beste	17 Oct 1941	Failed to return from a training sortie
Sgt Plt	W E Beste	19 Oct 1941	Returned having had to make a forced landing two days previously
Flt Lt	J G Manford	21 Oct 1944	Posted to HQ Western Desert
Flt Lt	I F Rose	26 Oct 1944	Posted to HQ Western Desert, wef 24 Oct 1941
Fg Off	R L V Ross	26 Oct 1944	Defence Officer, appointed Camp Commandant at Burg El Arab
November
Act Sqn Ldr	G H Steege	1 Nov 1941	Promoted to Temp Sqn Ldr
Plt Off	J C Salter	1 Nov 1941	Codes and Cypher Officer, promoted to Fg Off
LAC	J Gallagher	5 Nov 1941	Posted to Standing Committee of Adjustment, RAF Heliopolis
Fg Off	J B Walker	13 Nov 1941	Assistant Adjutant, promoted to Temp Flt Lt, wef 1 Oct 1941
Sqn Ldr	G H Steege	26 Nov 1941	Attached to No 107 MU
December
Flt Lt	I F Rose	16 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting and admitted to 6th General Hospital for dental treatment
Flt Lt	J G Manford	16 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting
Sgt Plt	Young	16 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting
Flt Lt	I F Rose	17 Dec 1941	Admitted to 6th General Hospital for surgical treatment
Flt Lt	J Paine	17 Dec 1941	Attached to HQ Middle East
Flt Lt	B McR Shepherd	17 Dec 1941	Adjutant, attached to HQ Middle East
Flt Lt	J G Manford	17 Dec 1941	Attached to HQ Middle East
Fg Off	W G Matthew	17 Dec 1941	Equipment Officer, attached to HQ Middle East
Sgt Plt	W E Beste	17 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting
Sgt Plt	Dyson	17 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting
Sgt Plt	Halliday	17 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting
Sgt Plt	Tweedie	19 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting for course of instruction
Sgt Plt	McBride	19 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting for course of instruction
Flt Lt	J Paine	20 Dec 1941	Ceased to be attached to HQ Middle East
Sgt Plt	Danger	20 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting
Sgt Plt	Metherall	20 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting
Sgt Plt	Shaw	20 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting
Flt Lt	B McR Shepherd	22 Dec 1941	Adjutant, ceased to be attached to HQ Middle East
Fg Off	W G Matthew	22 Dec 1941	Equipment Officer, ceased to be attached to HQ Middle East
Flt Lt	J S Lamb	23 Dec 1941	Intelligence Officer, ceased to be attached to HQ Middle East
Flt Lt	Almann	23 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting from HQ Middle East
Sqn Ldr	G H Steege	24 Dec 1941	Ceased to be attached to No 107 MU
Flt Lt	J G Manford	24 Dec 1941	Ceased to be attached to HQ Middle East
Sqn Ldr	G H Steege	26 Dec 1941	Attached to No 107 MU
Flt Lt	J G Manford	26 Dec 1941	Attached to No 107 MU
Flt Lt	J Paine	26 Dec 1941	Admitted to 6th General Hospital with acute bronchitis
Fg Off	J B Walker	27 Dec 1941	Assistant Adjutant, attached to HQME
Plt Off	J A Nicholls	27 Dec 1941	Engineer Officer, attached to HQME
Fg Off	J B Walker	29 Dec 1941	Assistant Adjutant, ceased to be attached to HQME
Plt Off	J A Nicholls	29 Dec 1941	Engineer Officer, ceased to be attached to HQME
Sgt Plt	Metherall	29 Dec 1941	Posting cancelled
Sgt Plt	Shaw	29 Dec 1941	Posting cancelled
Flt Lt	I F Rose	30 Dec 1941	Discharged from 6th General Hospital but unfit for flying for 1 month
Sgt Plt	James	30 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting
Sgt Plt	Jenkins	30 Dec 1941	Arrived on posting

Source - No 450 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1884)

Organisational Movements: Feb - Dec 1941

Date	Notes
February
16 Feb 1941	No 450 (RAAF) Squadron was formed at RAAF Williamtown, Newcastle, New South Wales
March
31 Mar 1941	Strength of the squadron: - Officers - 7 Other Ranks - 272
April
9 Apr 1941	Squadron departed RAAF Williamtown for Sydney Dock by bus and rail Strength of the squadron: - Officers - 7 Warrant Officer - 1 Other Ranks - 267 Squadron embarked on 'HMT Queen Elizabeth'
11 Apr 1941	Convoy departed Sydney Harbour for the Middle East
16 Apr 1941	Convoy arrived in Fremantle The following airmen embarked on posting to the squadron: - 1 x Armourer 2 x Drivers MT 1 x Fitter IIE
17 Apr 1941	The following airmen embarked on posting to the squadron: - 1 x NCO Fitter/Armourer
19 Apr 1941	Convoy departed Fremantle for the Middle East
26 Apr 1941	Convoy arrived in Trincomalee, Ceylon
27 Apr 1941	Convoy departed Trincomalee, Ceylon
May
3 May 1941	Convoy arrived at Port Tewfik
5 May 1941	Squadron disembarked and entrained for the Middle East Pool at Geneifa
14 May 1941	Squadron entrained for No 102 MU, Abu Sueir Strength of the squadron: - Officers - 7 Warrant Officer - 1 Other Ranks - 272 Airmen (except ACH/GDs) were attache dto other squadrons to gain experience
June
17 Jun 1941	The following personnel arrived on posting from No 3 Sqn RAAF: - 1 x WO (Technical) 1 x Flt Sgt Fitter IIA 1 x Sgt Fitter IIA 1 x Sgt Fitter/Armourer 1 x Sgt Fitter/DMT 1 x Cpl Fitter IIE 1 x Cpl Armourer 1 x Cpl Cook 1 x Cpl DMT The following personnel arrived on posting from No 451 Sqn RAAF: - 2 x Medical Orderlies 1 x DMT
18 Jun 1941	The following personnel were posted to No 3 Sqn RAAF: - 1 x Fitter IIE 2 x Fitters IIA 1 x Fitter/Armourer 1 x Armourer 1 x Cook 1 x DMT
19 Jun 1941	The following personnel were posted to No 3 Sqn RAAF: - 1 x Fitter IIE
20 Jun 1941	The following personnel were posted to No 451Sqn RAAF: - 1 x DMT
22 Jun 1941	Squadron convoy departed RAF Abu Sueir for RAF Aqir Remainder of squadron departed RAF Abu Sueir for RAF Aqir by rail
23 Jun 1941	Squadron convoy arrived at RAF Aqir, later followed by the rail party (At this stage No 450 had no pilots except the OC) No 260 Sqn was also at RAF Aqir, without ground staff, so the ground staff of No 450 Sqn undertook maintenance of No 260's aircraft
24 Jun 1941	1 x Sgt Storekeeper arrived on posting from No 3 Sqn RAAF
25 Jun 1941	The following personnel were posted to No 3 Sqn RAAF: - 3 x NCOs and 9 x airmen Signals personnel
26 Jun 1941	1 x officer, 1 x NCO and 3 x airmen from the Signals Section proceeded to Jerusalem, collected a wireless ender and proceeded to Damascus for operations The following personnel were posted to No 3 Sqn RAAF: - 1 x AC WEM
28 Jun 1941	'A' Flight (3 x NCOs and 46 x airmen) departed RAF Aqir for RAF Amman in five vehicles 3 x Airmen Signals personnel arrived on posting Aircraft (Hurricane Is) that had been operating with No 260 Sqn at RAF Haifa were flown to RAF Amman, together with another four collected from No 102 MU and were allotted to No 450 Sqn (still flown by No 260 Sqn pilots)

29 Jun 1941	Remainder of squadron departed RAF Aqir for RAF Amman in 27 vehicles 2 x airmen admitted to No 60 General Hospital, Jerusalem following a MT accident en-route
30 Jun 1941	1 x airman arrived on posting from RAF Haifa
July
5 Jul 1941	A small refuelling party detached to Mezze aerodrome, Damascus
9 Jul 1941	The squadron (less Workshop Section) departed RAF Amman to Mezze aerodrome, Damascus
18 Jul 1941	'A' Flight ground personnel and maintenance personnel of HQ Flight moved to RAF Haifa
27 Jul 1941	Advance party, HQ Flight moved to RAF Haifa
28 Jul 1941	'B' Flight departed Damascus for Beirut Reminder of squadron departed Damascus for RAF Haifa 1 x Hart was collected from RAF Gaza for use as a communications aircraft

31 Jul 1941	2 x Hurricane Is, Z4164 and T9530, were collected from RAF Gaza
August
3 Aug 1941	HQ and 'A' Flight personnel moved from RAF Haifa to RAF El Bassa Aircraft remained at RAF Haifa
4 Aug 1941	'A' Flight aircraft moved from RAF Haifa to RAF El Bassa
10 Aug 1941	No 260 Sqn ground personnel arrived at RAF Haifa
11 Aug 1941	HQ and 'A' Flight moved from RAF El Bassa to RAF Haifa (All Stores handed over to No 250 Sqn)
15 Aug 1941	'B' Flight departed RAF Beirut for RAF Rayak in No 260 Sqn transport
18 Aug 1941	HQ and 'A' Flight departed for RAF Rayak in No 260 Sqn transport
September
No relevant entries recorded in this month's ORB
October
1 Oct 1941	Squadron informed it would be used as an OTU to train 20 fighter pilots, utilising: - 12 x Hurricanes 5 x Magisters 1 x Audax
2 Oct 1941	20 x Sgt pilots (16 x RAAF and 4 x RAF) arrived for training
3 Oct 1941	12 x Hurricanes were collected from RAF Gaza, with the assistance of No 80 Sqn pilots
4 Oct 1941	3 x Magisters and 1 x Hart (Dual) were collected from No 103 MU Squadron was instructed to exchange 12 x tropical Hurricanes with 12 x non-tropical Hurricanes of No 80 Sqn
10 Oct 1941	2 x Magisters were collected from No 108 MU
11 Oct 1941	Flying instruction on Magisters commenced
12 Oct 1941	Flying instruction on Hurricanes commenced
20 Oct 1941	Serviceable aircraft were flown from RAF Rayak to RAF Aqir Pupil pilots were posted to RAF Khartoum
21 Oct 1941	Pupil pilots departed RAF Rayak for RAF Khartoum Squadron personnel entrained for Damascus
22 Oct 1941	Road party departed RAF Rayak for RAF Haifa
23 Oct 1941	Rail party entrained at Haifa for El Kantara
24 Oct 1941	Rail party arrived El Kantara, crossed the Suez Canal and then entrained for Burg El Arab
26 Oct 1941	Road party arrived at Burg El Arab
28 Oct 1941	1 x Hart, K6424, was collected from No 103 MU
29 Oct 1941	MT and Stores were collected from Genaifa
30 Oct 1941	Squadron advised it was to act as an Aircraft Repair Depot
November
2 Nov 1941	The following personnel arrived on posting from Middle East Pool: - 3 x RAF NCOs
5 Nov 1941	The following personnel were posted to No 233 Sqn: - 1 x Armourer
8 Nov 1941	Control of Burg El Arab was taken over by No 450 Sqn from No 54 RSU
10 Nov 1941	The following personnel arrived on posting from No 127 Sqn: - 1 x Sgt Rigger 2 x damaged Hurricanes, Z4953 and Z4609, arrived from No 1 ARSU
11 Nov 1941	2 x damaged Hurricanes, Z4229 and Z4249, arrived from No 1 ARSU
13 Nov 1941	1 x Blenheim, V5899, arrived from No 55 Sqn for engine change
16 Nov 1941	1 x Hurricane, Z4696, arrived from No 1 ARSU but allotted to Hurricane Repair Section, Helwan Hurricane , Z4609 despatched to BARU, Heliopolis by road
17 Nov 1941	1 x Blenheim, V5967, arrived from No 55 Sqn for 180 hour inspection 1 x Blenheim, V5957, arrived from No 55 Sqn for double engine change Hart, K6424, was transferred to No 270 Wing
22 Nov 1941	1 x Blenheim, V7373, arrived from No 11 Sqn for skin repairs
24 Nov 1941	1 x Blenheim, P3919, arrived from No 1 ARSU for extensive skin repairs
25 Nov 1941	1 x Blenheim, T2365, arrived from No 113 Sqn for skin repairs and undercarriage rectification
27 Nov 1941	1 x Blenheim, Z6146, arrived from No 113 Sqn but should have gone to No 103 MU
30 Nov 1941	The following aircraft were despatched by air: - Blenheim, V5899 to No 45 Sqn Blenheim, Z9657 to No 55 Sqn Blenheim, V5967 to No 45 Sqn
December
2 Dec 1941	Blenheim, Z6146, taken over for repair
3 Dec 1941	1 x Blenheim, V5506, arrived from No 11 Sqn for repair
4 Dec 1941	The following aircraft were received for repair - Blenheim, V5992 from No 45 Sqn Tiger Moth, from 803 Sqn Hurricane, N2639, from No 33 Sqn The following aircraft were despatched by air: - Hurricane, Z2429, to No 803 Sqn
5 Dec 1941	The following aircraft were despatched by air: - Blenheim, V5506, to No 11 Sqn Blenheim, V7373, to No 11 Sqn
6 Dec 1941	Advance party of No 40 Sqn SAAF arrived to relieve No 450 Sqn of its ARD duties
7 Dec 1941	27 personnel proceeded to No 1 School of Technical Training (American Aircraft), Ismailia
9 Dec 1941	Advance party departed Burg El Arab for 'Y' LG, Abu Sueir Hand over to No 40 Sqn SAAF completed at Burg El Arab
11 Dec 1941	Rear party departed Burg El Arab for 'Y' LG, Abu Sueir
12 Dec 1941	Rear party arrived at 'Y' LG, Abu Sueir
18 Dec 1941	10 x RAF personnel arrived on posting
21 Dec 1941	Notification received of the following postings from AHQ Western Desert for flying duties: - 3 x Plt Offs 5 x Sgts
24 Dec 1941	Notification received of the following postings for flying duties: - 1 x Plt Off and 2 x Sgts from No 112 Sqn 2 x Sgts from No 274 Sqn 1 x Sgt from No 80 Sqn 1 x Sgt from No 33 Sqn
26 Dec 1941	The following personnel were posted to HQ Middle East: - 1 x DMT All personnel on instructional course returned to No 1 School of Technical Training (American Aircraft), Ismailia 1 x Kittyhawk I, AK606, was received

27 Dec 1941	2 x Kittyhawk Is, AK609 and AK670, were received

Source - No 450 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1884)