|
Post by Luther Moore on Feb 11, 2012 22:12:04 GMT 12
Does anyone have any knoweldge of the RNZAF Corsairs in helping the Aussies in Operation Porton?
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2012 22:40:56 GMT 12
Yes, No. 16 Squadron was one of the squadrons. Bryan Cox was involved. A few years back there was an Austalian made documentary about the whole debacle, and Bryan was interviewed representing the RNZAF pilots who were involved. Bryan has leant me the doco at the moment actually.
|
|
|
Post by Luther Moore on Feb 11, 2012 22:52:42 GMT 12
Oh nice! I think 14 was helping also. Do you know if it had a code name other than operation Porton? I was reading into it and matched a lot of the events with the logbook but it has a different name, or it could be a different mission in the logbook. I do know that Peter flew mission to cover the Aussies at Buin road.
What is this doco called?
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2012 22:57:42 GMT 12
I don't know if the RNZAF used a different codename, or any code name at all. The Corsair squadrons on Bougainville were continually supporting the Australian army, so it may not have been anything out of the ordinary to them, they won't have known how wrong it had all gone down below till later.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2012 22:58:48 GMT 12
The doco is called The Savage Shore, from 2002, made by Channel 7, by the way.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2012 23:09:22 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by Luther Moore on Feb 11, 2012 23:10:07 GMT 12
Great, I'll search for it, thanks.
In support of the 15th Brigade from 22nd April to 30th June the New Zealand squadrons fle w 2,262 sorties and dropped 768 tons of bombs. Flying was cancelled because of the weather o n only eight days .
Oh wait, here we go from the logbook..''Bombing Porton Pltn'' Wow that was his second last mission.
Here is a PDF of the events-http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awmohww2/army/vol7/awmohww2-army-vol7-ch8.pdf
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2012 23:15:05 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by Luther Moore on Feb 11, 2012 23:29:38 GMT 12
Those were very interesting! cheers for them. From the logbook-Late report by aussies blew target to pieces.
Did you hear about the Japs bringing down the A/A gun to the beach and using it to shoot at the aussie troops?
Just like it says in the article those aussie troops must of been very greateful to the squads
|
|
|
Post by Luther Moore on Feb 11, 2012 23:34:05 GMT 12
Also Dave,whats a MT area?
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 12, 2012 0:54:18 GMT 12
MT normally means Motor Transport, as in vehicles. What is the context used?
|
|
|
Post by Luther Moore on Feb 12, 2012 1:14:51 GMT 12
''Bombed suspected MT area'' So it sounds right.
|
|
|
Post by corsair5517 on Aug 18, 2012 23:31:40 GMT 12
The doco is called The Savage Shore, from 2002, made by Channel 7, by the way. I've got a copy of that, and some other material, that my father (15 Sqn) got from his Aussie friend, who was in 5 Sqn RAAF; "Savage" certainly sums it up!! Dad still has the jungle greens that he was issued when the RNZAF crews went out to the front line to visit the Aussie infantry that they supported. They were asked to change into the greens so as not to be a stand out target for snipers....
|
|
|
Post by davidd on Aug 19, 2012 14:39:01 GMT 12
Following is some information on the RNZAF F4U squadrons and the ordnance dropped during the action at Porton Plantation, from an "official source" (Summary of bombs dropped by RNZAF in various South Pacific campaigns.) Note, the 325 lb bombs mentioned below are actually standard depth charges, used for blast effect. Generally the comments stated with respct to each strike are listed as "Unobserved results", which was fairly typical for bombing strikes against jungle targets. All four Piva-based F4U squadrosn aprticiapted in these strikes. I am not certain if any other (non-bomb) Corsairs participated in this operation, but probably not.
9/6/45; 8 F4Us of 22 Sqdn drop 8 x 1,000 lb, 2 x 325 lb. 9/6/45; 8 F4Us of 26 Sqdn drop 4 x 1,000, 4 x 325 lb. 9/6/45; 8 F4Us of 15 Sqdn drop 15 x 325 lb. 10/6/45; 16 F4Us of 22 Sqdn drop 9 x 1,000 lb, 11 x 325 lb. 10/6/45; 8 F4Us of 15 Sqdn drop 16 x 325 lb on Porton guns. 10/6/45; 8 F4Us of 16 Sqdn drop 2 x 1,000 lb, 6 x 325 lb on Porton guns. 11/6/45; 8 F4Us of 16 Sqdn drop 8 x 325 lb in attempt to destroy Australian barges stranded off shore at Porton. Destroyed. 11/6/45; 6 F4Us of 16 Sqdn drop 4 x 1,600 lb, 2 x 325 lb on Porton pillboxes, one only damaged. I make this total of 70 sorties.
Note that the attack on the barges standed offshore was an attempt to prevent the Japanese capturing the field gun that was aboard this vessel. A most disagreeable aspect of this strike was the presence on the barge of several dead and clearly visible Austrlian soldiers, who could not be recovered because of the tactical situation. There was an article in a wartime "Contact" magazine about this incident (October 1945, page 61), and about an engraved 25 pounder shell case presented to the RNZAF for their assistance in this drama, and named unofficially as the "Porton Pot". A photograph of the "Pot" with two RNZAF members is included (both of 22 Squadron), the members being F/O K R Horsley of Wanganui (Intelligence Officer), and P/O F C Tomlinson, of Auckland (Pilot). David D
|
|
|
Post by htbrst on Aug 19, 2012 17:17:33 GMT 12
There is quite a good series of small articles from people who were there' in the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Association Journal about the Porton Pot - including a photo of the said item.
Hopefully Dave can beat some of the Gremlins into submission that are holding the new site back soon and make the archive live so that I can link to the articles in question
|
|
|
Post by brenton on Aug 19, 2012 20:04:38 GMT 12
Interesting reading this.It seems my dad was involved and its news to him as well ! See thread on 26 sqn. Reply #13
|
|
|
Post by Luther Moore on Aug 20, 2012 1:40:58 GMT 12
This might be interesting to you Brenton.
|
|
|
Post by davidd on Aug 20, 2012 9:49:26 GMT 12
Can anybody suggest any designation for the 1,600 pounder bombs mentioned above? I presuem that these were a standard US type, but I have not heard of these being used before by RNZAF. David D
|
|
|
Post by brenton on Aug 20, 2012 10:51:12 GMT 12
This might be interesting to you Brenton. Yes I am interested but could you explain a little more as to what that is? Who wrote it and when etc. Thanks. In my dads case he doesn't remember anything unusual about that sortie - just 'business as usual' I guess. 26sqn left just after that and I suppose they where not made aware of the Aussie troops situation.
|
|
|
Post by Luther Moore on Aug 20, 2012 14:35:48 GMT 12
This logbook belonged to Peter Moore who was with 14 Squad. See it says ''smoked for 26 squad'' (no idea what ''228'' is?) Peter laid down smoke for your Fathers Squad on that operation.
|
|