50th Anniversary Edition. Peter Ferry outside the East Sale RAAF base where he trained in 1943-1944. 7 Squadron RAAF moved to Ross River airfield from Nowra on 6 November 1942. As the RAAF East Sale base squadron CO during the 5Oth anniversary celebrations, I was able to participate in the launch of the second edition of the book and attend the official opening of tle Beaufort Gardens Memorial of which Baimsdale is so proud. RAAF Station, Bairnsdale No.1 OTU Beauforts were flown from Bairnsdale until relocated to East Sale. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAAF Port Pirie, South Australia he was awarded his Air Gunner's Badge and promoted to Sergeant on 1 April 1943. The RAAF Museum records the history of the Royal Australian Air Force and Australian military aviation. The Commonwealth Government commenced planning for air bases to support and defend the Bass Strait shipping lanes just south of here in the mid 1930's. History [edit | edit source]. Kittyhawk Ave, East Sale RAAF Base (8,234.69 mi) Sale, VIC, Australia, VIC 3852 Includes detailed information regarding Hudson, Beaufort and miscellaneous accidents at RAAF Bairnsdale. 1 OTU moved to Bairnsdale later in June 1942 where they absorbed most of 7 Squadron. Royal Australian Air Force Commonwealth War Graves and Memorials In Australia 1939 - 1945 There are a total of 2,372 Royal Australian Air Force personnel including W.A.A.A.F.s buried in War Cemeteries or public & private cemeteries or listed on various Memorials around Australia in the One such facility was the RAAF Base at Bairnsdale. RAAF House Brisbane . History. General Reconnaissance School (GRS), formed at Point Cook in 1940, with Ansons was also resident here from 1943 to 1946. ( ABC Gippsland: Robert French ) It was clear that by the end of the … RAAF Base East Sale opened as a training base on 22 April 1943. RAAF Base East Sale opened as a training base on 22 April 1943. a new foreword for Jim’s excellent book covering the RAAF Bairnsdale story. RAAF Aboriginal Labour Units . RAAF Base East Sale opened as a training base on 22 April 1943. Comments: The history of the Bairnsdale RAAF Base. 11 Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre at Brighton. No. ... RAAF Bases Current Bases. Initially, the base was home to No.1 Operational Training Unit (1 OTU) equipped with Bristol Beaufort light bomber aircraft, relocated from airfields at West Sale and Bairnsdale . The remainder moved to Nowra in August 1942 where they completed their conversion training to Beauforts in October 1942. On 4 June he embarked at Adelaide for the UK where he disembarked at Cardiff on 4 September 1943 and was posted to No. RAAF Base Darwin RAAF Base Tindal RAAF Base Townsville RAAF Base Amberley ... Bairnsdale Ballarat Benalla Cressy East Sale Lake Boga Laverton: Mallacoota Melbourne Mildura Nhill Point Cook A RAAF air facility established for training and maritime reconnaissance during the Second World War about 300 kilometres east of Melbourne.