Country United Kingdom | Branch Royal Air Force | |
Active 15 Dec 1943 – 31 Oct 1945 Squadron Codes TS (Apr 1944 – Oct 1945) | ||
No. 548 Squadron RAF was a fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1943 to 1945.
History
The squadron was formed at Lawnton, near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 15 December 1943 to provide air defence duties with Spitfires, as the RAAF Kittyhawks were inadequate for interception missions. It was first formed under the command of Dave Glaser. The first months were spent training with Wirraways and de Havilland Tiger Moths, but in April 1944 the squadrons Spitfire's arrived. The squadron was made up of RAF Aircrew and RAAF Groundstaff. On 15 June 1944 the squadron moved initially to Livingstone Airfield and Strauss Airfield in Northern Territory, Australia. The squadron was then relocated in October 1944 to Parap Airfield, at Darwin, Northern Territory.
Only two operations were undertaken by the squadron before the Japanese surrender. A sweep was conducted over Selaru Island, 300 miles north of Darwin, on 5 September 1944 and the airfield at Cape Chater, Timor was attacked on 3 June 1945. The squadron was disbanded according to some sources at Parap Airfield (Darwin/Civil), Northern Territory on 9 October 1945 -but a more recent source states 31 October at Melbourne, Victoria- and the RAF personnel returned to the United Kingdom.