View source for North-Eastern Area Command

{{short description|Royal Australian Air Force command}}
{{featured article}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=North-Eastern Area Command
|image=[[File:RAAFAreaCommands1942.png|330px|alt=Map of Australia showing state borders, with RAAF area command boundaries superimposed]]
|caption=RAAF area commands in November 1942
|allegiance=Australia
|branch=[[Royal Australian Air Force]]
|battles=[[World War II]]
<!--*[[Battle of Rabaul (1942)]]
* [[Battle of Port Moresby]]
* [[Battle of Milne Bay]]
* [[Operations Reckless and Persecution]]-->
|command_structure=
|garrison=[[Townsville]], Queensland
|dates=1942–1956
|role= Air defence<br />Aerial reconnaissance<br />Protection of adjacent sea lanes
|notable_commanders=[[Frank Lukis]] (1942)<br />[[Harry Cobby]] (1942–1943)<br />[[Ian Dougald McLachlan|Ian McLachlan]] (1951–1953)
}}
'''North-Eastern Area Command''' was one of several [[RAAF area commands|geographically based commands]] raised by the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] (RAAF) during [[World War II]]. For most of its existence it controlled units based in central and northern [[Queensland]] as well as [[Papua New Guinea]]. It was formed in January 1942 from the eastern part of the former [[Northern Area Command (RAAF)|Northern Area Command]], which had covered all of northern Australia and [[Territory of Papua|Papua]]. Headquartered at [[Townsville]], Queensland, North-Eastern Area Command's responsibilities included [[Anti-aircraft warfare|air defence]], [[aerial reconnaissance]] and protection of the [[sea lane]]s within its territory.  Its flying units, equipped with fighters, reconnaissance bombers, dive bombers and transports, took part in the [[Battle of Rabaul (1942)|battles of Rabaul]], [[Battle of Port Moresby|Port Moresby]] and [[Battle of Milne Bay|Milne Bay]] in 1942, and the [[Battle of Hollandia|landings at Hollandia]] and [[Landing at Aitape|Aitape]] in 1944.

The area command continued to operate after the war, but its assets and staffing were much reduced. Its responsibilities were subsumed in February 1954 by the RAAF's new functional commands: [[RAAF Home Command|Home]] (operational), [[RAAF Training Command|Training]], and [[RAAF Maintenance Command|Maintenance Commands]].  The area headquarters was disbanded in December 1956 and re-formed as [[RAAF Base Townsville|Headquarters RAAF Townsville]].

==History==

===World War II===
[[File:RAAFAreaCommands1941.png|thumb|left|upright=1.28|alt=Map of Australia showing state borders, with RAAF area command boundaries superimposed|RAAF area commands in December 1941]]
The [[Royal Australian Air Force]] (RAAF) formed North-Eastern Area Command at [[Townsville]], Queensland, on 15&nbsp;January 1942, to take over the eastern portion of what was previously [[Northern Area Command (RAAF)|Northern Area Command]].<ref name=Gillison311>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070486/document/5519769.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', p. 311]</ref> Northern Area had been established on 8&nbsp;May 1941 as one of the RAAF's [[RAAF area commands|geographically based command-and-control zones]], covering units in northern [[New South Wales]], [[Queensland]], the [[Northern Territory]], and [[Territory of Papua|Papua]].<ref name=Gillison91>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070724/document/5520006.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 91–92]</ref> The roles of the area commands were [[Anti-aircraft warfare|air defence]], protection of adjacent [[sea lane]]s, and [[aerial reconnaissance]]. Each was led by an [[Air Officer Commanding]] (AOC) responsible for the administration and operations of air bases and units within his boundary.<ref name=Gillison91/><ref name=Pathfinder121>{{cite magazine |title = Organising for war: The RAAF air campaigns in the Pacific | magazine = Pathfinder |issue= 121| date = October 2009| url = http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Pathfinder/PF121-Organising-for-War-The-RAAF-Air-Campaigns-in-the-Pacific.pdf|publisher=Air Power Development Centre|access-date=2 July 2016}}</ref>

Northern Area was split into [[North-Western Area Command (RAAF)|North-Western Area]] (NWA) and North-Eastern Area (NEA) following the outbreak of the [[Pacific War]] in December 1941, to counter distinct threats to Northern Australia and New Guinea, respectively.<ref name=Gillison311/><ref name=Stephens111>Stephens, ''The Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 111–112</ref> Air Commodore [[Frank Lukis]], formerly in charge of Northern Area, was NEA's inaugural AOC, taking responsibility for RAAF operations against the Japanese in New Guinea, [[New Britain]] and surrounding islands.<ref name=Ashworth302>Ashworth, ''How Not to Run an Air Force'', pp. 302–304</ref><ref>Stephens, ''The RAAF in the Southwest Pacific Area'', p. 35</ref> His headquarters staff numbered 248.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', p. 154</ref>

On 20&nbsp;January 1942, over 100&nbsp;Japanese aircraft [[Battle of Rabaul (1942)|attacked Rabaul]], destroying or badly damaging six [[CAC Wirraway]]s and killing or wounding eleven crewmen of [[No. 24 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;24 Squadron]] under Wing Commander [[John Lerew]].<ref name=Stephens135>Stephens, ''The Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 135–136</ref><ref name=Gillison354>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070489/document/5519772.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 354–358]</ref> The next day, NEA headquarters sent a signal to Lerew ordering him to keep his airfield open; Lerew, with only two Wirraways left, replied using a variant of the legendary ancient [[gladiator]]ial phrase to honour an [[Roman Emperor|emperor]], "''[[Morituri vos salutamus]]''" ("We who are about to die salute you"). Ignoring a further message from headquarters to abandon his squadron and escape in a [[Lockheed Hudson]] bomber, Lerew began evacuating staff to [[Port Moresby]], New Guinea, on 22&nbsp;January.<ref name=Gillison354/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/HistoryRecord/HistoryRecordDetail.aspx?rid=408|title=Gladiator's salute from Rabaul's air commander|publisher=Air Power Development Centre|access-date=6 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316041710/http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/HistoryRecord/HistoryRecordDetail.aspx?rid=408|archive-date=16 March 2016}}</ref>

[[File:013177LukisCobby1940.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.28| Air Commodore Lukis (centre), with Group Captain Garing (left), hands over North-Eastern Area Command to Group Captain Cobby in August 1942|alt=Half-length portrait of three military men behind a desk, all with pilot's wings on left breast pocket. One of the men, seated, has a large dark moustache and is wearing a dark winter uniform. The other two, standing on either side of the seated figure, wear short-sleeved tropical uniforms; one of them has a small moustache, the other has a holster on his belt and is smoking a pipe]]
[[No. 33 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;33 Squadron]], operating ex-[[Qantas]] [[Short Empire]] flying boats and several smaller transports, was raised in NEA on 19&nbsp;February 1942.<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070516/document/5519799.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', p. 481]</ref><ref name="Units35">RAAF Historical Section, ''Maritime and Transport Units'', pp. 35–38</ref> Earlier that month, Lukis warned higher command of the poor state of preparedness and low morale of [[Australian Army]] troops at Port Moresby, due to lack of air cover and apparent lack of interest from government echelons.<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070515/document/5519798.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 447–448]</ref> On 25&nbsp;February, Nos.&nbsp;3 and 4&nbsp;Fighter Sector Headquarters were established at Townsville and Port Moresby, respectively, to coordinate fighter operations.<ref>Cooper, ''Kokoda Air Strikes'', p. 53</ref> [[Horn Island, Queensland|Horn Island]], in the [[Torres Strait]], was raided by the Japanese on 14&nbsp;March.<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070515/document/5519798.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 453, 457]</ref> Three days later, seventeen [[Curtiss P-40 Warhawk|P-40 Kittyhawks]] of [[No. 75 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;75 Squadron]], recently formed at Townsville, deployed to Port Moresby.<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070515/document/5519798.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 458–462]</ref> Commanded by Squadron Leader [[John Francis Jackson|John Jackson]], the squadron suffered heavy losses in the [[Battle of Port Moresby|ensuing battle]]. At one point NEA headquarters gave Jackson permission to withdraw but he refused, and the squadron was eventually credited with destroying thirty-five Japanese aircraft in the air and on the ground, securing Port Moresby until relieved by the [[35th Fighter Squadron|35th]] and [[36th Fighter Squadron|36th Squadrons]] of the [[United States Army Air Forces]] (USAAF), operating [[Bell P-39 Airacobra|P-39 Airacobras]].<ref>Stephens, ''The Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 139–141</ref><ref>Johnston, ''Whispering Death'', pp. 164, 177</ref>

Several USAAF bomber formations operated under NEA's control in early 1942, including [[Douglas SBD Dauntless|A-24 Banshees]] of the [[8th Bombardment Squadron]] out of Port Moresby, and [[Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress|B-17 Flying Fortresses]] of the [[435th Bombardment Squadron]] (initially known as the "Kangaroo Squadron") out of Townsville.<ref>Cooper, ''Kokoda Air Strikes'', pp. 147, 180</ref> As of 20&nbsp;April, operational authority over all RAAF combat infrastructure, including area commands, was invested in the newly established Allied Air Forces (AAF) Headquarters under [[South West Pacific Area (command)|South West Pacific Area Command]] (SWPA).<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070516/document/5519799.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', p. 473]</ref><ref name=Odgers15>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070530/document/5519813.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', pp.  15–16]</ref> One result of this was the integration of USAAF and RAAF staff at area headquarters. According to the [[Australia in the War of 1939–1945|official history of the RAAF]], though "more a diplomatic gesture than a practical method of war organisation", it gave personnel from the two services the opportunity to quickly become acclimatised to each other and "in North-Eastern Area, as an example, the atmosphere was happy and the staff extremely cooperative".<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070516/document/5519799.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 473–478]</ref> Following the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]] in May, USAAF units no longer operated under RAAF control in the NEA but were commanded directly by senior American officers of the AAF; overall responsibility for operational tasking in NEA transferred to the AAF at the end of July.<ref>Cooper, ''Kokoda Air Strikes'', pp. 268–270</ref>

[[File:No. 11 Sqn RAAF Catalina (AWM 009102).jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.28|No.&nbsp;11 Squadron Catalina at Port Moresby|alt=Twin-engined flying boat]]
NEA's operational headquarters, a reinforced concrete [[bunker]] known as [[RAAF Operations Building Site|Building&nbsp;81]], was completed in May 1942. Located on Green Street, Townsville, at the base of [[Castle Hill, Queensland|Castle Hill]], it was topped with a suburban house to mislead enemy aircraft.<ref name=WWIINQ>{{cite report |author=Pearce, Howard |date=January 2009 |title= WWII&nbsp;– NQ |url=http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/heritage/documents/ww2_nth_qld_cultural_heritage.pdf  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428050622/http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/heritage/documents/ww2_nth_qld_cultural_heritage.pdf |publisher= [[Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland)|Queensland Environmental Protection Agency]] |location=Brisbane|pages=59, 100, 107 |access-date=6 June 2016|archive-date=28 April 2013}}</ref> The same month, [[Eastern Area Command (RAAF)|Eastern Area Command]] was formed, taking control of units in New South Wales and southern Queensland from [[Southern Area Command (RAAF)|Southern Area]] and NEA.<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070516/document/5519799.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', p. 478]</ref><ref>Ashworth, ''How Not to Run an Air Force'', p. 134</ref> This left NEA in command of Nos.&nbsp;24, 33 and [[No. 76 Squadron RAAF|76 Squadrons]], as well as No.&nbsp;3 Fighter Sector Headquarters, at Townsville; [[No. 100 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;100 Squadron]] at [[Cairns]]; [[No. 32 Squadron RAAF|No. 32 Squadron]] at Horn Island; and [[No. 11 Squadron RAAF|Nos.&nbsp;11]], [[No. 20 Squadron RAAF|20]] and 75&nbsp;Squadrons, as well as No.&nbsp;4 Fighter Sector Headquarters, at Port Moresby.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', p. 151</ref> The Japanese raided Townsville four times between 25 and 31 July; most bombs fell in the sea or the hills causing only one casualty, an injured child.<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070727/document/5520009.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 562–563]</ref>  NEA's boundaries were fine-tuned on 19&nbsp;August: a portion of Queensland within the [[Barkly Tableland]] and the Haslingden and Heywood districts was assigned to the control of North-Western Area.<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070519/document/5519802.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', p. 588]</ref> Lukis handed over command of NEA to Group Captain (later Air Commodore) [[Harry Cobby]] on 25&nbsp;August.<ref name=Gillison588>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070519/document/5519802.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 588–589]</ref> By the end of the month, the headquarters staff numbered 684.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', p. 244</ref> No.&nbsp;75 Squadron, replenished after its defence of Port Moresby, and No.&nbsp;76 Squadron, deployed north from Townsville and also flying Kittyhawks, played what senior Australian Army commanders described as the "decisive" role in the [[Battle of Milne Bay]] in New Guinea during August and September 1942.<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070520/document/5519803.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 603–604, 615–617]</ref>  During the battle, Cobby exercised overall command of the RAAF units from NEA headquarters, while their efforts were coordinated on the ground by Group Captain [[Bill Garing]], NEA's senior air staff officer.<ref>Stephens, ''The RAAF in the Southwest Pacific Area'', pp. 33, 85</ref>

On 1&nbsp;September 1942, [[No. 9 Operational Group RAAF|No.&nbsp;9 (Operational) Group]] was formed at Port Moresby as a mobile strike force to move forward with Allied advances in the Pacific, in contrast to the static, defensive nature of the area commands.<ref name=Odgers6>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070530/document/5519813.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', p. 6]</ref><ref name=Stephens122>Stephens, ''The Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 122–123</ref> It took over all units in New Guinea previously operating under NEA Command. NEA initially retained administrative control of No.&nbsp;9 Group but, on 1&nbsp;January 1943, the group was made independent of the area command and its administration became the responsibility of RAAF Headquarters, Melbourne.<ref name=Gillison588/> September 1942 also saw the formation of [[RAAF Command]], led by Air Vice Marshal [[William Bostock|Bill Bostock]], to oversee the majority of Australian flying units in the SWPA.<ref>Gillison, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070519/document/5519802.PDF ''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 585–588]</ref><ref name=Odgers4>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070530/document/5519813.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', pp. 4–6]</ref> Bostock exercised control of air operations through the area commands, although RAAF Headquarters continued to hold administrative authority over all Australian units.<ref>Stephens, ''The Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 144–145</ref> He personally coordinated operations when they involved more than one area command, for instance when the fighter squadrons of both NWA and NEA were required to repulse a major attack.<ref>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070532/document/5519815.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', p. 42]</ref> [[No. 42 Wing RAAF|No.&nbsp;42 (Radar) Wing]] was formed at Townsville in February 1943, and the following month took control of all [[Radar in World War II|radar]] stations in NEA.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', pp. 326, 350</ref> As of April 1943, the area command directly controlled four squadrons tasked primarily with [[anti-submarine warfare]]: [[No. 7 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;7 Squadron]], flying [[Bristol Beaufort]] reconnaissance-bombers out of [[Ross River, Queensland|Ross River]]; [[No. 9 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;9 Squadron]], a fleet co-operation unit flying [[Supermarine Seagull (1921)|Supermarine Seagulls]] from [[Bowen, Queensland|Bowen]]; and Nos.&nbsp;11 and 20&nbsp;Squadrons, flying reconnaissance and bombing missions with [[Consolidated PBY Catalina|PBY Catalinas]] from Cairns.<ref name=Odgers141>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070558/document/5519841.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', p. 141]</ref>

[[File:RAAF North-Eastern Area staff 1944 (AWM NEA0494).jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.28|Air Commodore Summers (left), who succeeded Air Commodore Cobby as AOC North-Eastern Area Command, with staff in Townsville, May 1944|alt=Informal half-portrait of three men and a woman in light-coloured uniforms]]
In early 1943, Japan was still believed to be capable of invading, or at least bombing, the Torres Strait islands, and NEA had only No.&nbsp;7 Squadron, now operating from Horn Island, to counter the threat. It was reinforced in April by [[No. 84 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;84 Squadron]], flying [[CAC Boomerang]] fighters.<ref>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070556/document/5519839.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', p. 113]</ref> The same month, [[No. 72 Wing RAAF|No.&nbsp;72 Wing]] was formed at Townsville, before deploying to [[Merauke]], New Guinea.  Controlling No.&nbsp;84 Squadron, [[No. 86 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;86 Squadron]] (flying Kittyhawks), and [[No. 12 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;12 Squadron]] ([[Vultee A-31 Vengeance|Vultee Vengeance]] dive bombers), the wing was responsible for Torres Strait's air defence, as well as offensive operations against infrastructure and shipping in [[Dutch New Guinea]]. In October, No.&nbsp;84 Squadron converted to Kittyhawks and transferred to the newly formed [[No. 75 Wing RAAF|No.&nbsp;75 Wing]], which was given responsibility for units at Horn Island, [[Thursday Island]], and [[Northern Peninsula Airport|Higgins Field]] on [[Cape York Peninsula]].<ref name="Odgers">Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070556/document/5519839.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', pp. 113–116]</ref><ref name=Gogler>Gogler, ''We Never Disappoint'', p. 105</ref>  In February 1944, No.&nbsp;75 Wing headquarters moved from Horn Island to Higgins Field, where it was soon joined by other units under its control, Nos.&nbsp;7 and [[No. 23 Squadron RAAF|23&nbsp;Squadrons]]; the latter operated Vengeances until being declared non-operational in June, before re-equipping with [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator|B-24 Liberators]] for duty in North-Western Area.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', pp. 679, 706, 709</ref><ref>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070730/document/5520012.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', p. 245]</ref> By May, NEA's order of battle on the Australian mainland consisted of Nos.&nbsp;7, 9, [[No. 13 Squadron RAAF|13]] (operating [[Lockheed Ventura]]s from [[Cooktown]]), 20 and 23&nbsp;Squadrons.<ref name=Gogler/>

Cobby served as AOC NEA until November 1943, handing over to Air Commodore John Summers, who held command for the remainder of the war.<ref name=Ashworth302/> By the end of November, NEA headquarters staff numbered 499, including ninety-seven officers.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', p. 579</ref> NEA's Catalinas joined aircraft of No.&nbsp;9 Group in support of the [[New Britain campaign|US invasion of New Britain]] in December 1943 and January 1944.<ref>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070557/document/5519840.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', pp. 128–129]</ref> The Catalinas also conducted mine-laying operations around the [[Timor Sea]] in the lead-up to the [[Battle of Hollandia|landings at Hollandia]] and [[Landing at Aitape|Aitape]] in April 1944.<ref>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070562/document/5519845.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', pp. 213, 218]</ref> That month, No.&nbsp;9 Group, which had become a static garrison force similar to the area commands on mainland Australia, was renamed [[Northern Command (RAAF)|Northern Command]] and given responsibility for RAAF units in New Guinea.<ref>Stephens, ''The Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 144, 168</ref><ref>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070561/document/5519844.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', pp. 198–200]</ref> In August, No.&nbsp;75 Wing was disbanded and its units became the direct responsibility of NEA headquarters.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', p. 830</ref> The same month, [[No. 76 Wing RAAF|No.&nbsp;76 Wing]] headquarters, formed at Townsville in January and subsequently based at Cairns, was transferred to [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], Northern Territory.<ref name=DVA>{{cite web|url=http://clik.dva.gov.au/history-library/part-3-order-battle/ch-2-order-battle-air-force/s-2-headquarters|series=Order of Battle&nbsp;– Air Force|title=Headquarters|publisher=[[Department of Veterans' Affairs (Australia)|Department of Veterans' Affairs]]|access-date=24 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805221733/http://clik.dva.gov.au/history-library/part-3-order-battle/ch-2-order-battle-air-force/s-2-headquarters|archive-date=5 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Monograph>AWM, ''Squadrons, Formations & Units'', p. 119</ref> There it came under the control of NWA headquarters and oversaw operations by three Catalina squadrons, including No.&nbsp;20.<ref>Odgers, [https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1070396/document/5519684.PDF ''Air War Against Japan'', p. 365]</ref><ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', p. 829</ref> No.&nbsp;42 Wing disbanded in October 1944, following a decision to assign control of RAAF radar stations to mobile fighter control units or similar formations.<ref>RAAF Historical Section, ''Radar Units'', p. 21</ref> By the end of February 1945, NEA headquarters staff numbered 743, including 127 officers.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', p. 873</ref> No.&nbsp;72 Wing headquarters transferred to Townsville in May that year, and disbanded a month later.<ref name=Monograph/>

===Post-war activity and disbandment===
[[File:RAAFAreaCommands1947.png|thumb|upright=1.28|right|RAAF area command boundaries in 1947. The geographical command-and-control organisation was superseded by a functional system in 1953–1954.|alt=Map of Australia showing state borders, with RAAF area command boundaries superimposed]]
On 2 September 1945, following the end of the Pacific War, South West Pacific Area was dissolved and the RAAF again assumed full control of all its operational elements.<ref>Ashworth, ''How Not to Run an Air Force!'', p. 262</ref> By the end of the month, NEA headquarters staff numbered 526, including ninety-eight officers.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', p. 903</ref> The Air Force shrank dramatically as personnel were demobilised and units disbanded; most of the RAAF's bases and aircraft employed in operations after the war were situated within Eastern Area's sphere of control in New South Wales and southern Queensland.<ref>Stephens, ''Going Solo'', pp. 11–12, 72–73</ref> NEA headquarters staff at the end of 1945 totalled 227, including sixty-three officers.<ref>Royal Australian Air Force, ''Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters'', p. 916</ref>

In September 1946, the [[Chief of Air Force (Australia)|Chief of the Air Staff]], Air Vice Marshal [[George Jones (RAAF officer)|George Jones]], proposed reducing the five extant mainland area commands (North-Western, North-Eastern, Eastern, Southern, and [[Western Area Command (RAAF)|Western Areas]]) to three: Northern Area, covering Queensland and the Northern Territory; Eastern Area, covering New South Wales; and Southern Area, covering Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. The Australian Government rejected the plan and the wartime area command boundaries essentially remained in place.<ref>Helson, ''The Private Air Marshal'', pp. 321–325</ref><ref name=Solo68>Stephens, ''Going Solo'', pp. 68, 462</ref> Northern Command (redesignated Northern Area in 1945) was dissolved in February 1947.<ref name=DVA/> By 1949, NEA headquarters was [[Commonwealth Offices, Townsville|located in Sturt Street]], Townsville.<ref name=Solo68/> [[No. 10 Squadron RAAF|No.&nbsp;10 Squadron]] was based at Townsville from March that year, operating [[Avro Lincoln]]s over the Pacific and Australia's northern approaches in the maritime reconnaissance and search-and-rescue roles.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129976134 |title=RAAF's big task in Qld |newspaper=[[The News (Adelaide)|The News]]  |location=Adelaide |date=16 May 1953 |access-date=10 June 2016 |page=9 |via=[[National Library of Australia]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.airforce.gov.au/sites/default/files/minisite/static/1469/RAAFmuseum/research/units/10sqn.htm|title=No. 10 Squadron|publisher=[[RAAF Museum]]|access-date=10 June 2016}}</ref> Group Captain (later Air Commodore) [[Ian Dougald McLachlan|Ian McLachlan]] was appointed AOC NEA in September 1951;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2837203 |title=New postings in RAAF |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |location=Canberra |date=8 September 1951 |access-date=2 July 2016 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article216557718 |title=Air officers promoted |newspaper=[[Telegraph (Brisbane)|Brisbane Telegraph]] |location=Brisbane |date=4 September 1952 |access-date=21 July 2018 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> he served two years in the post before handing over to acting Air Commodore Patrick Heffernan.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62503697 |title=New RAAF chief for North-Eastern Area|newspaper=Townsville Daily Bulletin |location=Townsville, Queensland |date=9 September 1953 |access-date=2 July 2016 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Commencing in October 1953, the RAAF was reorganised from a geographically based command-and-control system into one based on function. In February 1954, the newly constituted functional organisations—[[RAAF Home Command|Home]], [[RAAF Training Command|Training]], and [[RAAF Maintenance Command|Maintenance Commands]]—assumed control of all operations, training and maintenance from North-Eastern Area Command.<ref name=Pathfinder121/><ref name="Solo">Stephens, ''Going Solo'', pp. 73–76, 462–463</ref> NEA headquarters remained in existence but only, according to the Melbourne ''[[The Argus (Melbourne)|Argus]]'',  as one of Home Command's "remote control points".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23429331 |title=Battle 'nerve-centre' goes north: RAAF fighting control shifted from here |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=21 May 1954 |access-date=2 July 2016 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> It was disbanded on 3&nbsp;December 1956, and was succeeded by [[RAAF Base Townsville|Headquarters RAAF Townsville]] ([[Tactical Transport Group RAAF|Headquarters Tactical Transport Group]] from June 1988, and [[Combat Support Group RAAF|Headquarters Operational Support Group]] from February 1991).<ref>RAAF Historical Section, ''Introduction, Bases, Supporting Organisations'', p. 160</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/AgencyDetail.aspx?reg_no=CA%208590&singleRecord=T|id=CA 8590|title=RAAF Headquarters North Eastern Area|series=Agencies|publisher=National Archives of Australia|access-date=24 December 2018}}</ref>

As of 2009, the former NEA operational headquarters in Building&nbsp;81, Green Street, housed Townsville's [[Queensland State Emergency Service|State Emergency Service]] group.<ref name=WWIINQ/>

==Order of battle==
[[File:150494LDJackson1942.jpg|thumb|upright=1.28|right|Flight Lieutenant [[Leslie Douglas Jackson|Les Jackson]] (second left), brother of Squadron Leader John Jackson, with fellow pilots of No.&nbsp;75 Squadron in Port Moresby, August 1942|alt=Four men in military flying gear walking among single-engined aircraft on an airfield]]
As at 30&nbsp;April 1942, NEA's [[order of battle]] comprised:<ref name=Ashworth299>Ashworth, ''How Not to Run an Air Force'', p. 299</ref>
* RAAF Station Townsville
** [[No. 24 Squadron RAAF|No. 24 (General Purpose) Squadron]]
** [[No. 33 Squadron RAAF|No. 33 (Transport) Squadron]]
** [[No. 76 Squadron RAAF|No. 76 (Fighter) Squadron]]
* RAAF Station Amberley
** [[No. 23 Squadron RAAF|No. 23 (General Purpose) Squadron]]
* RAAF Station Port Moresby
** [[No. 11 Squadron RAAF|No. 11 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron]]
** [[No. 20 Squadron RAAF|No. 20 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron]]
** [[No. 32 Squadron RAAF|No. 32 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron]]
** [[No. 75 Squadron RAAF|No. 75 (Fighter) Squadron]]
* No. 3 Fighter Sector Headquarters, Townsville
* No. 4 Fighter Sector Headquarters, Port Moresby

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book | year = 2000| title = How Not to Run an Air Force! Volume 1&nbsp;– Narrative| url = http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Heritage%20Series/HTG12-How-Not-To-Run-An-Air-Force!-Volume-1.pdf| last = Ashworth | first=Norman| publisher = RAAF Air Power Studies Centre | location = Canberra | isbn =978-0-642-26550-0}}
* {{cite book|last=[[Australian War Memorial]] (AWM)|title=Squadrons, Formations & Units of the Royal Australian Air Force and Their Deployment|year=1995|publisher=Unpublished monograph held by AWM Research Centre|location=Canberra}}
* {{cite book | year = 2014| title = Kokoda Air Strikes: Allied Air Forces in New Guinea, 1942| last = Cooper | first=Anthony| publisher = [[University of New South Wales Press|NewSouth Publishing]] | location = Canberra | isbn =978-1-74223-383-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Gillison | first=Douglas |year=1962| title=Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume I&nbsp;– Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942 | location=Canberra| publisher=[[Australian War Memorial]]|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070209/|oclc=2000369}}
* {{cite book|last=Gogler|first=Kevin|title=We Never Disappoint: A History of 7 Squadron RAAF 1940–1945|year=2012|publisher=Air Power Development Centre|location=Canberra|isbn=978-1-920800-68-0|url=http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Heritage%20Series/HTG21-We-Never-Disappoint-A-History-of-7-Squadron-RAAF-1940-1945.pdf}}
* {{cite book | last = Helson | first = Peter | title = The Private Air Marshal | publisher = Air Power Development Centre | location=Canberra|year = 2010 | url = http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Historical%20Publications/HIST21-The-Private-Air-Marshal-A-Biography-of-Air-Marshal-Sir-Geoge-Jones.pdf|isbn=978-1-920800-50-5}}
* {{cite book|last=Johnston|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Johnston (historian)|title=Whispering Death: Australian Airmen in the Pacific War|year=2011|publisher=[[Allen & Unwin]]|location=Crows Nest, New South Wales|isbn=978-1-74175-901-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Odgers | first=George |author-link=George Odgers|orig-year=1957| year=1968| title=Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume II&nbsp;– Air War Against Japan 1943–1945 | location=Canberra| publisher=Australian War Memorial|  url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070210/|oclc=246580191}}
* {{cite book|author=RAAF Historical Section|year=1995|title=Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 1: Introduction, Bases, Supporting Organisations|location=Canberra| publisher=[[Australian Government Publishing Service]]| isbn=978-0-644-42792-0}}
* {{cite book|author=RAAF Historical Section|year=1995|title=Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 4: Maritime and Transport Units|location=Canberra| publisher=Australian Government Publishing Service|isbn=978-0-644-42796-8}}
* {{cite book|author=RAAF Historical Section|year=1995|title=Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 5: Radar Units|location=Canberra| publisher=Australian Government Publishing Service| isbn=978-0-644-42797-5}}
<!--*{{cite book|author=Royal Australian Air Force|title=Operations Record Book: No. 75 Wing|series=RAAF Unit History Sheets|date=1943–1944|publisher=[[National Archives of Australia]]-->
* {{cite book|author=Royal Australian Air Force|title=Operations Record Book: Northern Area and North-Eastern Area Headquarters|series=RAAF Unit History Sheets|date=1941–1945|publisher=National Archives of Australia |location=Canberra|url=http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1359521}}
* {{cite book|editor-last=Stephens| editor-first=Alan | year=1993| title=The RAAF in the Southwest Pacific Area 1942–1945|location=Canberra|publisher=RAAF Air Power Studies Centre|url=http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Conference%20Proceedings/CONF04-RAAF-History-Conference-1993-The-RAAF-in-the-SouthWest-Pacific-Area.pdf|isbn=978-0-642-19827-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Stephens| first=Alan| year=1995| title=Going Solo: The Royal Australian Air Force 1946–1971|location=Canberra|publisher=Australian Government Publishing Service|url=http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Historical%20Publications/HIST03-Going-Solo-The-Royal-Australian-Air-Force-1946-1971.pdf|isbn=978-0-644-42803-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Stephens| first=Alan|orig-year=2001|year=2006| title=The Royal Australian Air Force: A History| location=London| publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19555-541-7}}
<!--*{{cite book|last=Wilson| first=David|year=2005| title=The Brotherhood of Airmen| location=Crows Nest, New South Wales| publisher=Allen & Unwin |isbn=1-74114-333-0}}-->

{{RAAF area commands}}

[[Category:Military units and formations of the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II|North-Eastern]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1942]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1956]]
[[Category:RAAF commands]]