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control flying in Europe and over the
Atlantic. The squadron was formed in 1942 and was disbanded in mid-1945, just after the end of the war in Europe. Personnel were drawn from many countries of the British Empire, although the majority were Australians. Throughout the war, the squadron was credited
318:
Following the liberation of France the numbers of German U-boats in the
Atlantic declined and No. 461 Squadron made few contacts with the enemy between October 1944 and the end of the war; between September and October 1944 a detachment from the squadron operated over Norwegian waters from a base in
310:
in April 1943. These patrols exposed the squadron's aircraft to frequent attacks by German fighters. The
Sunderland aircraft were fitted with a heavy defensive armament, however, and were often successful in beating off fighter attacks. During 1943, the squadron sank a total of three U-boats. By May
311:
1943, No. 461 Squadron was fully equipped with the more advanced Mark III Sunderland. This aircraft allowed the
Squadron to operate at night. Equipped with these improved aircraft the squadron continued to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic, including patrols in support of the
319:
the
Shetland Islands. No. 461 Squadron was disbanded at Pembroke Dock on 4 June 1945. The squadron lost 20 Sunderlands to enemy action and accidents. A total of 86 squadron members of all nationalities were killed on operations, including 64 Australians. The squadron was awarded six
291:. The engagement was not successful and although several U-boats were damaged the squadron was not successful in sinking any submarines during 1942. The squadron flew a number of transport flights to
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351:
925:
RAF Squadrons: A Comprehensive Record of the
Movement and Equipment of All RAF Squadrons and Their Antecedents Since 1912
757:
283:
most of the aircrew were inexperienced and required further training and flight experience. No. 461 Squadron moved to
264:
224:
106:
268:
887:
Combat Codes: A Full
Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes Since 1938
1410:
375:
367:
359:
343:
335:
991:
Units of the Royal
Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 4 – Maritime and Transport Units
1513:
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patrols over the
Atlantic in July. While some of No. 461 Squadron's aircrew had previously served with
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1095:
1090:
1085:
260:
130:
1035:
102:
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1016:
994:
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909:
890:
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312:
542:
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aircraft instead. After a period of training, the squadron began flying operational anti-
302:
During 1943, No. 461 Squadron mainly conducted daylight anti-submarine patrols over the
88:
972:
The Anzac
Squadron: A History of No 461 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force, 1942–1945
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501:
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307:
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240:
145:
17:
231:
538:
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During the war No. 461 destroyed a total of six German U-boats. These were:
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73:
46:
A No. 461 Squadron Sunderland Mark V landing at Pembroke Dock, Wales in 1944
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in Britain on 25 April 1942 as an anti-submarine squadron raised under an
239:
with destroying a total of six German U-boats, and operated mainly in the
546:
244:
870:. Weston Creek, Australian Capital Territory: Aerospace Publications.
267:. It was originally intended that the squadron would be equipped with
509:
288:
944:
Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft
906:
The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988
532:
1044:
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in August 1942 and the next month it encountered its first
460:
Bases and ports used by no. 461 Squadron RAAF, data from
993:. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.
390:
Aircraft operated by no. 461 Squadron RAAF, data from
561:
Officers commanding no. 461 Squadron RAAF, data from
1571:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
927:(2nd ed.). Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing.
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1015:. Sydney, New South Wales: Angus & Robertson.
889:. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing.
851:. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing.
828:Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979).
791:
789:
787:
668:
666:
1566:Military units and formations established in 1942
908:. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians).
806:
804:
194:(April 1942 – August 1943, July 1944 – June 1945)
974:. Carlisle, Western Australia: Hesperian Press.
868:Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force
687:
685:
683:
681:
1576:Australian Article XV squadrons of World War II
315:. The squadron sank three U-boats during 1944.
715:
703:
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8:
1072:Royal Australian Air Force flying squadrons
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183:A demi-shark couped, pierced by a harpoon
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672:
559:
458:
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156:English Channel and North Sea, 1939–1945
810:
650:
1523:Joint Netherlands-Australian squadrons
885:Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003).
778:
727:
691:
549:, 28 September 1944 – 29 October 1944
31:
946:. London: Jane's Publishing Company.
760:from the original on 24 February 2018
754:Second World War, 1939–45 units
744:
742:
740:
738:
736:
657:
7:
832:. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens.
622:Wing Commander J.M. Hampshire, DFC
27:Royal Australian Air Force squadron
25:
989:RAAF Historical Section (1995).
306:, having moved to a new base at
101:
87:
72:
40:
608:Wing Commander D.L.G. Douglas,
597:Wing Commander R.C.O. Lovelock
255:No. 461 Squadron was formed at
1:
942:Rawlings, John D.R. (1982).
140:"They shall not pass unseen"
756:. Australian War Memorial.
633:Wing Commander R.R. Oldham
271:, but it was equipped with
55:25 April 1942 – 4 June 1945
1592:
1013:They Shall Not Pass Unseen
849:The Source Book of the RAF
716:Flintham & Thomas 2003
704:Bowyer & Rawlings 1979
313:Allied landing in Normandy
265:Empire Air Training Scheme
225:Royal Australian Air Force
107:Royal Australian Air Force
1036:RAAF Museum: 461 Squadron
970:Ashworth, Norman (1994).
904:Halley, James J. (1988).
323:for its wartime service.
295:in October in support of
39:
1406:Rescue and Communication
923:Jefford, C.G. (2001) .
830:Squadron Codes, 1937–56
180:Squadron Badge heraldry
159:Biscay Ports, 1940–1945
866:Eather, Steve (1995).
502:RAF Hamworthy Junction
269:Catalina flying boats
234:which operated under
35:No. 461 Squadron RAAF
1426:Article XV squadrons
281:No. 10 Squadron RAAF
18:No. 461 Squadron RAF
847:Delve, Ken (1994).
781:, pp. 119–120.
562:
556:Commanding officers
461:
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153:Atlantic, 1939–1945
146:Battle honours
750:"No. 461 Squadron"
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525:RAF Pembroke Dock
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385:Aircraft operated
364:(28 January 1944)
327:U-boats destroyed
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168:Arctic, 1940–1945
165:Biscay, 1940–1945
16:(Redirected from
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486:RAF Mount Batten
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445:Short Sunderland
431:Short Sunderland
416:Short Sunderland
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380:(13 August 1944)
372:(10 August 1944)
273:Short Sunderland
257:RAF Mount Batten
251:Squadron history
230:squadron during
221:No. 461 Squadron
210:Short Sunderland
127:No. 19 Group RAF
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1030:External links
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162:Normandy, 1944
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813:, p. 95.
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796:Rawlings 1982
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673:Rawlings 1982
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627:February 1945
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619:February 1945
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529:Pembrokeshire
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518:21 April 1943
517:
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506:Poole Harbour
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498:21 April 1943
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1535:No. 19 (NEI)
1530:No. 18 (NEI)
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821:Bibliography
811:Jefford 2001
774:
762:. Retrieved
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602:January 1943
594:January 1943
521:20 June 1945
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344:
340:(1 May 1943)
336:
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254:
232:World War II
220:
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123:Part of
29:
1079:Main series
779:Eather 1995
764:14 November
728:Eather 1995
692:Halley 1988
591:August 1942
580:August 1942
425:August 1942
63:4 June 1945
1560:Categories
658:Delve 1994
640:References
409:April 1942
261:Article XV
83:Allegiance
630:June 1945
442:June 1945
428:June 1945
293:Gibraltar
285:Hamworthy
277:submarine
78:Australia
60:Disbanded
1411:Seaplane
1011:(1956).
758:Archived
577:May 1942
547:Scotland
537:Det. at
412:May 1943
404:Version
401:Aircraft
245:Atlantic
175:Insignia
137:Motto(s)
1401:Fighter
1021:9069916
488:, Devon
474:Remark
434:Mk.III
263:of the
68:Country
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510:Dorset
420:Mk.II
289:U-boat
223:was a
205:Patrol
98:Branch
52:Active
645:Notes
572:Name
533:Wales
448:Mk.V
377:U-270
369:U-385
361:U-571
353:U-106
345:U-461
337:U-332
1017:OCLC
995:ISBN
976:ISBN
948:ISBN
929:ISBN
910:ISBN
891:ISBN
872:ISBN
853:ISBN
834:ISBN
766:2014
566:From
471:Base
465:From
395:From
243:and
113:Role
1514:467
1509:466
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1499:463
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610:DFC
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1371:94
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803:^
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680:^
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569:To
545:,
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468:To
398:To
299:.
247:.
192:UT
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