286:), being 23 years old and having had his wings for 4 years. The Squadron is then launched to provide "Top Cover" to landing craft transports and an allied invasion fleet as its heads towards a beach head. The Squadron are there to keep Japanese aircraft away while the invasion force lands and defeats the Japanese garrison. The Americans and Australians are then seen landing on the beach head. The landing forces include RAAF ground staff who go begin the task of clearing the former Japanese airfield and expanding the area. The RAAF ground staff can be seen conducting surveying, mine disposal and bulldozer operations. Once the airfield has been completed the squadron moves forward to their new home. At their new base the Australians go about their normal camp routine, washing, cleaning and trying to survive in the poor conditions and in the incessant rain. Beaufighters are then sent out to conducting aerial reconnaissance and gather aerial imagery of Japanese positions. Once the imagery intelligence is analysed the staff identify the highest priority targets for the squadron. Ground maintenance staff continue to prepare the fighter aircraft and load the ammunition in preparation for the next mission. The aircrew prepares their emergency supplies in case of the need to bail out. Wing Leader Les Jackson then provides orders for the squadron. The squadron scrambles to conduct a ground attack mission on a Japanese headquarters. Although all aircraft return two of the aircraft have been damaged due to anti-aircraft fire.
334:(Works) at Kamiri airstrip. The Japanese were quickly overrun in fact not a shot was fired by the Japanese who were shelled and bombed prior to the landings. Clearance and expansion of the airfield commenced by the engineers later that day. By the afternoon of 6 July the first aircraft from the Wing had arrived at the airstrip Wing Operations Officer Les Jackson. This appears to be the 78 Wings Headquarters element stepping up to establish the Wings Headquarters presence on the island. The film depicts other Kittyhawk arriving as being the first, but are other elements of 78 Squadron arriving on 20 July, the ground staff had arrived two days earlier. The remainder of the Wing arrived from Biak on 22 July.
363:
Kittyhawk lands with its port side wing partially destroyed which is attributed to the "Woodpeckers" aka
Japanese Anti Aircraft fire. The damage was actually caused by a mid-air collision when callsign "Yellow 3" collided with his and another plane. The second Kittyhawk, was damaged while taking off in formation where it struck the propeller of RAAF Hudson on the right hand side of the strip, removing and damaging two-foot of the Kitthawk's starboard wing. The pilot, Flight Sergeant Roy John Sheppard was not injured and the aircraft was passed to 22 Repair and Salvage Unit (RSU) on 6 Aug 1944 for repair.
31:
295:
however provides names of personnel, places and dates. The film, which is online, only picks up halfway through the original film and was broadcast on
Australian Channel7 Two. The film provides much of the context for "Island Target". It is known that the filming was conducted Jul-Aug 1944 through multiple sources
337:
The next portion of the film is dedicated to everyday scenes at the camp. The camp is a collection of tents and demonstrates the rapid movement of the unit as the only semi-permanent structures seen are an air tower and large shed. In fact by July 1944 78 Squadron had moved six times in nine months.
362:
on 30 July. The Wing departs and the footage captures strafing runs and fuel canister drops over the
Japanese targets. All aircraft return successfully to Kamiri Airfield. The film implies that two aircraft were badly damaged however the aircraft shown were in fact involved in accidents. The first
294:
The film does not provide much specific information regarding names, dates and locations. Only the "Wing Leader", (Squadron Leader) Les
Jackson is specifically named. A few first names of pilots as they land and take off are mentioned "Jim, Wally & Curly". A second film using the same footage
232:
may have been an anomaly as No. 13 Sqn flew
Beaufort Bombers and none appear in the final documentary. 13 Sqn was also based in North Queensland in Cook Town in May 1944 and moved to Darwin in the Northern Territory in Aug 1944. It may have been a mis-transcription of "30 Squadron" who appear in
341:
The film covers reconnaissance by RAAF Beaufighters from 30 Squadron who locate and conduct aerial reconnaissance of the
Japanese's positions. The film also captures an unknown downed allied pilot who is making his way down a river in an inflatable boat using a triangle to signal the aircraft his
353:
On return the aerial photography film is developed for analysis. This is then used by HQ No. 10 Operational Group led by Air
Commodore Harry Cobby and the Officer Commanding 78 Wing Group Captain W. D. Brookes to develop the plan for the Wing to target these positions. Harry Cobby did not arrive
322:
west of Biak. The
Japanese had three airfields on the island including Kamiri Airfield which is the focus of the film. The day prior to the landings 75 and 80 Squadrons relocated from Cyclops to Mokmer Airfield on Biak to cover the Noemfoor operation. 80 Squadron patrolled over Biak during the
497:
The Daily
Telegraph described the film "As propaganda, and as entertainment, "Island Target" cannot lose in Australia...It is notable for its magnificent camera work by Trerise and Carty... however.... It lacks the first essential, a properly planned, explanatory script, properly carried out."
323:
landing on
Noemfoor and then extended its patrols over Noemfoor the following day but had no enemy contact. The footage of the aircraft taking off is actually from Kamiri Airfield, the airfield they are about to capture and an example of the lack of chronological continuity of the film.
227:
The documentary was filmed between Jul - Aug 1944 in the North of Western New Guinea. The Melbourne Herald newspaper reported that the working title for the documentary was "No 13." and was to be based upon the Kittyhawk's of RAAF No 13 Squadron & No. 78 Squadron. The mention of
357:
The final portion of the film the Wing is briefed by the 78 Wing Operations Officer, Squadron Leader Les Jackson on 29 Jul 44. The briefing is for a Wing attack on Sansapor to harass enemy defences and sink supply craft. The attack is to supporting the US Army landing at the
253:
was a RAAF officer at the time and was escort and Director. The cameramen Bill Trerise and William Carty had just filmed "Jungle Patrol". In the film Bill Trerise can be seen loading a camera into a modified belly tank of one of the Kittyhawks. Other production crew were:
240:
The scenes are not necessarily in chronological order and there is some noticeable lack of continuity in places. Footage has been edited to provide a storyline for the general public and to that end it follows closely the actual RAAF operations at that time.
314:), Dutch New Guinea. From here they covered the landing of US forces at Biak island during June before their next operation in July. The footage at the start of the film appears to cover the allied invasion of Kamiri Airfield, Noemfor Island (
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which began on 22 April 1944. The film is focused on a single squadron, 78 Squadron, however the aircraft are all part of 78 Wing which also included 75 Squadron and 80 Squadron. 78 Wing was part of the Australian
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219:, which concentrated on the army. The film purports: "This is the story of one squadron of Australian airmen whose daily job in the Western Pacific typifies the spirit of the Royal Australian Air Force."
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The film was processed by Filmcraft which was the studio which had modern film processing in Australia in the late 1930s. Movietone Recordings was the production company.
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https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/247663007?searchTerm=%22Island%20target%22&searchLimits=l-decade=194%7C%7C%7Cl-year=1945%7C%7C%7Cl-month=2#
791:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/247661150?searchTerm=%22Island%20target%22&searchLimits=l-decade=194%7C%7C%7Cl-year=1945%7C%7C%7Cl-month=2#
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https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/44993373?searchTerm=%22Island%20target%22&searchLimits=l-decade=194%7C%7C%7Cl-year=1945%7C%7C%7Cl-month=1
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473:. The film was in general release at least from 2 February 1944 where it appeared alongside commercial feature films of the time including
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Also present in the film are two Australian Beaufighters. The one identifiable aircraft is LY-V placing it as part of
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283:
718:
Australia in the war of 1939-1945, Series Three - AIR, Volume II, Air War Against Japan 1943-1945, Chapter 15.
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ADF-SERIALS, Australian & New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials & History. Retrieved on 29 April 2020
824:
805:, Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954), Sunday 4 February 1945, page 26, retrieved 27 April 2020
743:
793:
Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954), Friday 2 February 1945, page 6, retrieved 27 April 2020.
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426:. The wing consisted of the following Squadrons which are identified by the markings of their aircraft:
781:
West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Friday 12 January 1945, page 4, retrieved 27 April 2020
282:
The film begins with the introduction of the Squadron Leader who is described as being from Armidale (
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Greg Jones, Tom Jackman (Hit during staffing run), John Wadey, David, Greg, Bob Crawford, Jim, Wally
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until early Aug and had replaced Air Commodore Scherger who had been injured in a jeep accident.
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viewed the film at the Capital Theatre on 11 January 1945 along with another DOI produced film,
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The following personnel have been identified in the film and confirmed through a second source.
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Squadron Leader Geoffrey Charles Atherton, Commanding Officer 80 Squadron (In command tent)
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commenced on 2 Jul with the landing of US troops and Australian support staff from
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is a 1945 documentary commissioned by the Australian Government, Commonwealth
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564:. Darwin, NT: National Library of Australia. 3 February 1945. p. 1
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In May 1944 the Wing was based at Cyclops Airfield near Hollandia (now
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Squadron Leader Colin Wellesly Lindeman Commanding Officer 75 Squadron
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Squadron Leader Adam "Curly" Howie Brydon Command Officer 78 Squadron
379:, Air Officer Commanding No. 10 Operational Group from early Aug 1944
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589:
The Tumut & Adelong Times (NSW : 1864 - 1867; 1899 - 1949)
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Squadron Leader Les Jackson, Most likely Operations Officer 78 Wing
536:. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 24 October 1945. p. 2
318:). The Island is a small island on the north of Dutch New Guinea
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667:
Historical Dictionary of Australian and New Zealand Cinema, 2017
592:. NSW: National Library of Australia. 16 January 1945. p. 2
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The main focus of the film are Kittyhawk P-40N aircraft from
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and was also located at Kamiri Airfield from 4 August 1944.
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and did not arrive at Kamiri Airfield until 2 August 1944.
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location. 30 Squadron were flying from Tadji Airfield (now
517:, Australian War Memorial, retrieved on 30 April 2020
744:"RAAF: Squadron Codes | The Australian War Memorial"
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Flying Officer T. R. Jacklin (Damaged aircraft GA-N)
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397:Warrant Officer Peter Barton Lavender, 78 Squadron
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382:Group Captain W. D. Brookes, Commander 78 Wing
615:"The Australian War Memorial | Island target"
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298:The film is set in the wider context of the
647:Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954)
556:""Island Target" Tells of RAAF Kittyhawks"
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561:Army News (Darwin, NT : 1941 - 1946)
515:https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C188857
72:Squadron Leader Geoffrey Charles Atherton
66:Squadron Leader Adam "Curly" Howie Brydon
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867:Australian black-and-white films
847:National Film and Sound Archive
643:"FILM WILL SHOW FIGHTS BY RAAF"
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731:http://www.adf-serials.com.au
305:No. 10 Operational Group RAAF
453:. The Squadron was part of
409:Identified through records
300:Western New Guinea campaign
233:the film but were based on
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649:. 9 August 1944. p. 6
465:Australian Prime Minister
208:Royal Australian Air Force
202:. It tells the story of a
284:Armidale, New South Wales
94:J. William "Bill" Trerise
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267:Narrator: Wilfrid Thomas
35:Island Target film title
825:Australian War Memorial
270:Producer: Jack S. Allan
882:1940s Australian films
872:1945 documentary films
471:Australia is Like This
264:Sound: Walter C. Bird
451:No. 30 Squadron RAAF
443:No. 80 Squadron RAAF
437:No. 78 Squadron RAAF
431:No. 75 Squadron RAAF
235:Bristol Beaufighters
230:No. 13 Squadron RAAF
18:1945 Australian film
836:Imperial War Museum
483:Song of the Islands
360:Battle of Sansapor
328:Battle of Noemfoor
320:Western New Guinea
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479:Lassie Come Home
455:No. 77 Wing RAAF
424:No. 78 Wing RAAF
332:No. 62 Wing RAAF
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377:Harry Cobby
251:Ralph Smart
80:Narrated by
52:Produced by
46:Ralph Smart
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862:1945 films
856:Categories
584:"Untitled"
502:References
223:Production
124:Production
493:Reception
367:Personnel
258:Editing:
175:Australia
132:Movietone
105:Edited by
596:10 March
568:10 March
540:10 March
487:Gung Ho!
418:Aircraft
312:Jayapura
180:Language
115:Music by
60:Starring
753:19 June
687:19 June
653:19 June
624:19 June
461:Release
346:) near
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183:English
172:Country
167:20 mins
149: (
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445:(BU-#)
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433:(GA-#)
348:Aitape
755:2020
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626:2020
598:2014
570:2014
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485:and
326:The
278:Plot
245:Crew
151:1945
147:1945
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
