QANTAS during World War 2

Even though QANTAS was a civilian unit, the airline was under contract to the government during World War 2. This was only so that the aircraft and crews and their passengers were afforded some protection under international law while they were in route over the Indian Ocean. Most of the crews were either seconded from the RAAF or were reserve officers while they were doing this work so the unit was really a RAAF unit in disguise.

The five aircraft (PBY-5) that QANTAS used at the Crawley Sea Base in Western Australia were supplied by the RAF they did not come from RAAF stocks and they flew with civilian registration marked on the fuselage and each aircraft had a large single number on the fin and ruder, the aircraft themselves were camouflaged in standard RAF pattern and they had to be disposed of after the war as they could not be kept on the British register. The remaing 4 aircraft were sunk just off Perth and they may still be laying there today. (Can anyone confirm?)

QANTAS was not the only airline that was a wolf in sheep's clothing during the war. ANSETT did a lot of transport work for the US Air force as did other smaller airlines. It was Reg Ansett's war time work that made him so successful.

Subject:    Archerfield ww2 and the engineers
Date:             Thu, 21 Dec 2000 16:49:14 +1000
From:           "Laurinda Cronk" <laurindal@ozemail.com.au>

I can not help but put `finger to keyboard' in regard to the men who worked at places like QANTAS during WW2.

Reading the pages on the sight, I could feel the sadness my father ( Thomas Lacey) felt during the war at being turned away from the RAAF, Navy and Army, as he was in a protected occupation.

He began working for QANTAS as an apprentice engineer, and living in New Farm, peddled a push bike to Archerfield to work the extra long shifts expected of all men during the war. By the time the Americans joined the war he was seen by many as a fit young man who just didn't want to fight. On the contrary, he wanted to join and worked alongside men of the American Air Force.

He became Works Inspector for QANTAS at 24/25years of age. He died suddenly in 1978 at the age of 53 years. He would not have been looking for thanks, but I know he would have been very proud to be mentioned along with such men as John Close who also spent their war and their young lives at Archerfield and later at Eagle Farm.

I'd like to thank Dennis Whiley <pcdrw@esc.net.au> for his assistance with this home page.

I need your help

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