RAAF Overseas Headquarters

RAAF Overseas Headquarters
Air Marshal Williams (centre) at RAAF Overseas HQ in England, with Air Vice Marshals Wrigley (left) and McNamara (right), 1941
Active	1941–1955
Country	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Administration
Location	London, United Kingdom
Commanders
Notable commanders	Richard Williams (1941–1942) Frank McNamara (1942) Henry Wrigley (1942–1946) Allan Walters (1951–1952) Bill Garing (1953) Alan Charlesworth (1954–1955)

RAAF Overseas Headquarters was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) administrative unit established in London during World War II.

Under Article XV of the Ottawa Agreement, signed in 1939, the Australian government agreed to form RAAF squadrons for service within British Royal Air Force (RAF) operational commands.

RAAF Overseas HQ was formed on 1 December 1941 to oversee the welfare of RAAF personnel posted to:

• the so-called "Article XV squadrons";
• other RAAF units serving in Europe and the Mediterranean and;
• RAAF personnel attached to units of the RAF and other British Commonwealth air forces.

Overseas HQ replaced the Air Liaison Office which had been run out of the High Commission of Australia, London.^[1] RAAF Overseas Headquarters was not assigned any subordinate units.^[2]

See also

• RCAF Overseas Headquarters

References

Notes

1. "RAAF Overseas Headquarters opened in London". History Record Timeline. RAAF Air Power Development Centre. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
2. Ashworth (1999), p. 254

Bibliography

• Ashworth, Norman (1999). How Not To Run An Air Force! The Higher Command of the Royal Australian Air Force During the Second World War. Australia: Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. ISBN 0-642-26550-X.
• Herington, John (1954). Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume III – Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939–1943. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. OCLC 3633363.