World War II John Lerew

1 world war ii

1.1 preparations @ rabaul
1.2 invasion of rabaul
1.3 later war service

world war ii

fairey battle photographed lerew battle on geelong, september 1940

lerwe still based in melbourne when world war ii broke out in september 1939. promoted squadron leader in june 1940, , same month took charge of no. 1 aircraft park in geelong. 1 of initial tasks test fly first fairey battle single-engined light bomber assembled in australia. posted no. 2 aircraft depot @ raaf station richmond, new south wales, in september 1940, , shortly afterwards undertook survey of solomon islands , island of new britain, including capital rabaul. lerew given command of no. 24 squadron in may 1941, , raised temporary wing commander in october.

no. 24 squadron s complement in november 1941 consisted of 1 fairey battle, 3 de havilland moth minor biplane trainers, 5 lockheed hudson twin-engined light bombers, , eleven cac wirraway monoplane trainers. two-seat wirraways expected employed in operations fighters, suitable such role in minds of air board , in words of raaf historian alan stephens. on 1 december, raaf headquarters in melbourne put lerew s squadron on notice deployment rabaul advance garrison in defence of northern australia.

preparations @ rabaul

no. 24 squadron s hudsons began moving vunakanau airfield, rabaul, raaf station townsville in far-north queensland on 5 december 1941. middle of month had been joined unit s wirraways. vunakanau afforded little shelter staff or aircraft, , japanese reconnaissance planes active in vicinity, suggesting attack imminent. no. 24 squadron began carrying out reconnaissance missions hudsons, , on 1 occasion attempted bomb enemy ship without success. raaf headquarters threatened relieve lerew apparent lack of results , delays in communications, , demanded know excuses. possessed of official history of raaf in world war ii described impish irreverence , lerew listed among reasons disappointment in lack of assistance rendered almighty . later reported being caused more worry own headquarters in south enemy situated in north .

wirraway similar in no. 24 squadron

no. 24 squadron s strength @ beginning of 1942 4 hudsons, 6 wirraways, , 130 staff. on new year s day, lerew led hudsons on raid against kapingamarangi island, igniting fuel dump still burning when squadron returned follow attack 2 days later. during 4–7 january, vunakanau airfield suffered 4 raids unescorted japanese bombers, destroying 1 of hudsons. although wirraways scrambled intercept attackers on several occasions, rate of climb poor once did 1 of them manage engage enemy seaplane, without result; action, on 6 january, first air-to-air combat between raaf , japanese forces. @ point, lerew signalled headquarters 6 modern fighters defend airfield; none forthcoming.

squadron leader arch tindal, northern area command armaments officer, added weight lerew s pleas modern aircraft. tindal had arrived inspect no. 24 squadron in middle of enemy attack on 3 january, , leapt nearest wirraway attempt interception. later submitted report headquarters @ townsville, echoing lerew s concerns regarding wirraway s capabilities , warning rabaul wide open bombing attack . despite this, morale remained high in unit; lerew remarked on devil-may-care attitude of personnel, waited until last moment take cover during air raids. on 17 january, lerew able gain sufficient height in wirraway confront japanese seaplane in head-on attack, .303 machine-gun ammunition not sufficient bring down. in 1956, while @ conference in tokyo, coincidentally met japanese plane s pilot, informed him lone assault had damaged engine , killed 2 crewmen, adding lerew bravest enemy ever faced .

invasion of rabaul

japanese fleet employed in invasion of rabaul, photographed raaf hudson on truk on 9 january 1942

on 20 january, force of on 100 japanese aircraft, comprising bombers, dive bombers , fighter escort, converged on rabaul. led commander mitsuo fuchida, had controlled attack on pearl harbor on 7 december 1941. 2 patrolling wirraways of no. 24 squadron attacked first wave of japanese raiders. lerew s 6 remaining wirraways scrambled, 1 crashing on take-off. of 7 airborne, 3 shot down sea mitsubishi 0 fighters, 2 others crash landed severe damage, 1 escaped minor damage, , 1 remained unscathed. ten-minute action killed 6 raaf aircrew , wounded five. australian soldier on ground later recalled, sat @ our guns, shocked massacre had observed . japanese fighters compounded humiliation executing aerobatics on bombed airfield. lerew signalled headquarters, 2 wirraways useless defence. please send fighters? , receiving reply, regret inability supply fighters. if had them them. next day ordered attack approaching japanese fleet available aircraft . 2 serviceable wirraways had no bomb racks, left 1 remaining hudson execute order; duly took off search enemy ships unable locate them nightfall, , returned base.

it following further directive headquarters on 21 january 1942 keep airfield open , lerew, after discussion intelligence staff, sent signal made him famous: morituri vos salutamus . message flummoxed headquarters, until officer familiar latin decoded legendary phrase used ancient gladiators honour emperor: die salute you! lerew chose ignore 2 other orders received headquarters, firstly turn remaining ground staff , aircrew infantrymen assist army s defence , secondly leave rabaul in remaining hudson take command of new squadron in port moresby, new guinea. first order replied trained raaf crews more valuable in future actions in last-ditch effort repel invader @ rabaul; second turned blind eye , refusing escape alone in aircraft left evacuate personnel. on 22 january, sent off ninety-six staff in hudson , in flying boats called in port moresby. others escaped overland or in boats; lerew s careful planning helped ensure 3 of men captured japanese.

later war service

following evacuation of rabaul, lerew took command of composite squadron in port moresby later became no. 32 (general reconnaissance) squadron. on 11 february 1942, led flight of 3 hudsons in raid on gasmata harbour, making official history of raaf in world war ii described first mast-height attack on enemy shipping in new guinea campaign . having set 2 ships on fire, hudsons attacked enemy fighters , 2 shot down, including lerew s. aircraft in flames, ordered crew bail out of rear hatch while parachuted front window. lerew landed in jungle , narrowly avoided capture before making way coastwatcher post , returning port moresby in schooner, 9 days after having been posted missing; crew members had died. on 7 april, lerew awarded distinguished flying cross outstanding courage, determination, skill , tenacity in course of bombing raids on enemy positions in new britain . success of gasmata operation prompted chief of air staff commend lerew s squadron effort required both crews , ground personnel owing our small numbers , general condition .

hudson similar in nos. 24 , 32 squadrons

returning australia, lerew held various base commands including raaf station townsville, raaf station nowra in new south wales, , batchelor airfield near darwin, northern territory. led no. 7 squadron, operating bristol beauforts out of first nowra , townsville, august december 1942. returned raaf station laverton take charge of no. 1 aircraft depot (no. 1 ad). lerew s biographer, lex mcaulay, speculated of quick succession of postings across country: ...it easy assume wing commander critical reports seen war cabinet, , had twice escaped enemy @ close quarters, not allowed personal contact media of day until experiences no longer topical , overtaken more recent momentous events . though degree-qualified in civil engineering, lerew believed underused in technical environment of no. 1 ad, , sought overseas posting. nevertheless, tenure @ laverton helped prepare him later flying safety work. in september 1943, investigated crash of vultee vengeance flown experienced aviator, , found when rolling aircraft right possible pilot s movements release safety harness, making impossible him remain in seat , control aircraft. lerew designed , developed clip prevent recurrence of mishap, later adopted worldwide such harnesses.

lerew posted raaf overseas headquarters, london, in december 1943. travelled via united states, meeting film stars bing crosby, bob hope, , dorothy lamour on set of road utopia @ los angeles in february 1944. in london, undertook study of raf , usaaf methods of operations, diplomatic duties. of invasion of france on 6 june 1944, wrote: there has been no rejoicing. hushed quietness has descended on london , of england. people have relatives in it, , there 1 wish: is, end quickly. depressing playing no part in it. later in year, lerew invested distinguished flying cross king george vi @ buckingham palace. returned australia in 1945, , married laurie steele, australian-born widow of royal air force night-fighter pilot, having met when stationed in england. couple had 2 daughters, divorced. in march, lerew took part in investigation crash of hudson carrying major general george vasey; determined pilot s lack of experience in instrument flying had been factor, , recommended further such training raaf flight crew. promoted group captain, formed directorate of flying safety in june 1945 , served inaugural director. believing promotion of flying safety in raaf cut across both administrative , operational spheres, , aware of notorious feud between service s 2 senior officers, air vice marshals george jones , bill bostock, lerew had proposed new directorate placed squarely under auspices of jones chief of air staff, authority demand free access information other directorates.