RAAF Bradfield Park was a
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF) station located at the former suburb of
Bradfield Park (now
Lindfield),
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
History of Bradfield Park
On 19 July 1924, the engineer
Dr John Bradfield unveiled a sign-post "Bradfield" at the junction of Fiddens Wharf Road and Queens Road (Bradfield Road),
West Lindfield.
Ku-ring-gai Shire Council had earlier in 1924, decided to delineate 640 acres of land near the
Lane Cove River
The Lane Cove River, a northern tributary of the Parramatta River, is a tide-dominated, drowned valley estuary west of Sydney Harbour, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The river is a tributary of the Parramatta River, winding thro ...
for the new suburb. One of the councillors present stated:
: "...that it would be fitting to call the new suburb Bradfield so that it numbers among its citizens the designer of the bridge and in this way its pride would be permanently recorded."
Bradfield Park was originally planned as a garden suburb.
but from 1940 a station was built on the grounds, to house a number of RAAF and
WAAAF units. During World War II, more than 200,000 members of the RAAF and the WAAAF received training on their way to service in World War II.
After World War II the base was utilised as a
migrant hostel for new arrivals in Australia and for Australian families in urgent need of accommodation due to the acute housing shortage.
[
The site was later cleared and reclaimed for housing. A RAAF Memorial was officially opened to commemorate the former base on 29 October 2006.][
]
Units based at RAAF Bradfield Park
No. 2 Initial Training School
No. 2 Initial Training School was formed as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), or Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) often referred to as simply "The Plan", was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zea ...
. New recruits were posted to an Initial Training School to learn the basics of military life. They were taught subjects such as mathematics, navigation and aerodynamics.
No. 6 Initial Training School
No. 6 Initial Training School was also formed as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme.
No. 2 Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force Training Depot
No. 2 WAAAF Training Depot was relocated to Bradfield Park as a lodger unit on 7 March 1942. It was disbanded on 18 February 1943 and its personnel incorporated into No. 5 WAAAF Training Depot.
No. 5 Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force Training Depot
No. 5 WAAAF Training Depot was formed at Bradfield Park on 4 February 1943 to provide skilled and semi-skilled signals and maintenance personnel to fulfil RAAF commitments for local defence in Australia. The unit relocated to Penrith, New South Wales on 31 July 1944.
No. 2 Embarkation Depot
At the end of their courses of training aircrew and ground staff were posted to embarkation depots, where they were appropriately kitted and given final medical examination before going to operational theatres.
No. 3 RAAF Hospital
No. 3 RAAF Hospital was transferred from RAAF Base Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base located within the City of Hawkesbury, approximately North-West of the Sydney Central Business District in New South Wales, Australia. Situated between the towns of W ...
in 1941 and was a repatriation hospital for injured aircrew and ground staff.
Notes and references
External links
OzatWar website
{{coord, 33, 46, 40.92, S, 151, 8, 55.99, E, region:AU_type:landmark, display=title
Bradfield
Migrant hostels in Australia