Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Adelaide - RAAF WW II 1939-45 Memorials Complex

PLEASE NOTE - The Memorial Plaques listed below, formerly located at Adelaide Airport,  have all been re-located to the northern fringe of the Torrens Parade Ground, Victoria Drive, Adelaide where the Royal Australian Air Force Association (RAAFA) is now located  The plaques form part of a consolidated RAAF suite of memorials.

Three black granite trapezoidal plinths set on a paved / concrete path, arranged radially from a central flag pole in the likeness of a propellor

Each plinth is double sided and carries a dedication on each side at the base.  Above are mounted six plaques, being those originally located at the Adelaide Airport.

FORMERLY ADELAIDE AIRPORT 5950 Now Torrens Parade Ground Adelaide 

MEMORIAL: Memorial Reserve

LOCATION: Northern eastern fringe pf the Parade ground near the NW corner of the Drill Hall.

ORIENTATION: Multi-directional

DESCRIPTION: The individual dedications are to be transcribed.

The plinths are descibed respectively as 1, 2 and 3 clockwise the southernmost.  The face of each is described as (a.) and (b.) again clockwise.

INSCRIPTIONS:

Te dedications are yet to be transcribed but will be posted as that work is completed.

RAAF insignia

AIR FORCE MEMORIAL
THE TREES AND PLAQUES IN THIS MEMORIAL ARE DEDICATED
TO AIRMEN AND AIRWOMEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN SERVICE FOR THEIR COUNTRY
THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS
MEMORIAL MADE BY THE LATE
RONALD H. N. BADGER, O.A.M.
IS GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGED
DEDICATED
18. 10. 87

Memorials plaques counter-clockwise from the left side of the reserve looking west
Plaque 1:

RAAF insignia
TO COMMEMORATE THOSE WHO SERVED
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
 "459 HUDSON" SQUADRON (/explore/units/388)MIDDLE EAST AREA
WORLD WAR 11
"LEST WE FORGET"
ERECTED 25-4-84

Plaque 2:

RAAF insignia
TO COMMEMORATE THOSE WHO SERVED IN
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
31 BEAUFIGHTER SQUADRON (/admin/units/788)
SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA
WORLD WAR 11
" WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
DEDICATED 13.2.83

Plaque 3:

RAAF insignia
ERECTED IN MEMORY OF
FALLEN COMRADES
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
WHO SERVED IN
BEAUFORT SQUADRONS
1-2-6-7-8-13-14-15-32-100 (/explore/units/389)
AND SUPPORT UNITS IN THE
SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA
WORLD WAR 11
UNVEILED 8^TH NOV. 1981

Plaque 4:

RAAF insignia
TO COMMEMORATE THE SACRIFICES
OF THOSE WHO SERVED WITH
NO 453 R.A.A.F. SQUADRON (/explore/units/390)
1941-42 . BUFFALOES : 1942-45 . SPITFIRES.
MALAYA-UNITED KINGDOM-FRANCE (NORMANDY)-
BELGIUM- HOLLAND-GERMANY.
THEY THOUGH AT REST, MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
IT IS FOR US, IN ALL THAT WE DO,
TO REMEMBER THEM.
DEDICATED 1-2-81

Plaque 5:

RAAF insignia
ERECTED IN MEMORY OF
FALLEN COMRADES
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
WHO SERVED IN
452 (/explore/units/391)-457 (/explore/units/833)"SPITFIRE" SQUADRONS
IN WORLD WAR 11
UNITED KINGDOM-DARWIN-MOROTAI-BORNEO
"THEY UPHELD THE SPIRIT OF ANZAC"
UNVEILED 1^ST FEBRUARY 1981

Plaque 6:

RAAF insignia
454 SQUADRON R.A.A.F. (/explore/units/1273)
"NIHIL IMPOSSIBLE"
DESERT AIR FORCE
MIDDLE EAST
1942-1945
PALESTINE-IRAQ-EGYPT
LIBYA-ITALY
"IN MEMORY OF FALLEN COMRADES

Plaque 7:

RAAF insignia
DESERT AIR FORCE
R.A.A.F. FIGHTER SQUADRONS
1939-1945
IN MEMORY OF OUR FALLEN
3 SQUADRON (/explore/units/709)  450 SQUADRON (/explore/units/387)451 SQUADRON (/explore/units/742)"LEST WE FORGET"

Plaque 8:

RAAF insignia
THIS PLAQUE
WAS ERECTED IN 1961
BY EX-MEMBERS OF
10 SQUADRON (/explore/units/568)& 461 SQUADRON (/explore/units/392)S (R.A.A.F.)
IN MEMORY OF
THEIR FALLEN COMRADES
UNITED KINGDOM 1939-1945
"GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS,
THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS"
"ST. JOHN-13-15."

Plaque 9:

R.A.A.F.
Insignia of 5 Airfield Construction Squadron
"THE FLYING SHOVELS (/explore/units/486)
AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION SQUADRON 5 A.C.S. (/explore/units/486)
FOUNDED JULY 1942-DISBANDED DECEMBER 1974
MORESBY-GOODENOUGH-AITAPE-NOEMFOOR-BIAK
LABUAN-JAPAN-THAILAND-VIETNAM-WOOMERA
MONTEBELLO-COCOS-MANUS-BUTTERWORTH
LEARMONTH-TINDAL-DARWIN
IN MEMORY OF OUR FALLEN COMRADES
AND OTHER R.A.A.F.
AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION SQUADRONS
ERECTED 18 FEBRUARY 1979

Plaque 10:

RAAF insignia
MEMBERS
OF THE
86 SQUADRON (RAAF) (/explore/units/393)
KINDRED CLUB
DEDICATE THIS PLAQUE
IN MEMORY OF
OUR FALLEN COMRADES
1939-1945
"ALL THAT THEY HAD-THEY GAVE."
UNVEILED 4^TH OCTOBER 1959

Plaque 11:

AFC Pilots Wings RAAF insignia
ERECTED IN MEMORY
OF OUR FALLEN COMRADES
IN THE
AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS
AND THE
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
IN ALL THEATRES OF WAR
PRESENTED BY
MEMBERS-R.A.A.F. BASE EDINBURGH
2^ND APRIL 1978.

Plaque 12:

RAAF insignia
ERECTED IN 1959
-BY-
455 SQUADRON (/explore/units/408)ASSCN. (S.A.) FLIGHT
(BOMBER AND COASTAL COMMAND U.K.)
IN MEMORY OF
OUR FALLEN COMRADES
1939-1945
THEIR NAME SURVIVES
TO BE REMEMBERED FOREVER

Plaque 13:

RAAF insignia
ERECTED TO THOSE WHO SERVED IN
462 (/explore/units/801)-466 (/explore/units/743)
HALIFAX SQUADRONS
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
UNITED KINGDOM BOMBER COMMAND
4 AND 100 GROUPS
1939 - WORLD WAR 11 - 1945
ERECTED 18 FEBRUARY, 1979

Plaque 14:

NO 460 SQUADRON (/explore/units/28)RAAF ASSOCIATION
IN MEMORY OF
1019 AIRCREW LOST IN ACTION
WHILST ATTACHED TO
R.A.F. BOMBER COMMAND
UNITED KINGDOM
RAAF insignia 1939-1945 460 Squadron Badge
LEST WE FORGET

Plaque 15:

RAAF insignia
ERECTED IN 1962
BY THE MEMBERS
-OF-
456 (NIGHT FIGHTER) SQUADRON (/explore/units/960)
ASSOCIATION
IN MEMORY OF
FALLEN COMRADES
456 SQUADRON (UNITED KINGDOM)
1941-1945
AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND
IN THE MORNING, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Plaque 16:

RAAF insignia
ERECTED IN 1958
BY
458 SQUADRON (/explore/units/498) (S.A. FLIGHT)
IN MEMORY OF
OUR FALLEN COMRADES
1939-1945
"THEIR NAME LIVETH
FOR EVERMORE"

Plaque 17:

ERECTED RAAF insignia IN 1962
BY THE MEMBERS
-OF-
THE PATHFINDER CLUB OF S.A.
IN MEMORY OF
FALLEN COMRADES
PATHFINDER FORCE (BOMBER COMMAND)
1942-1945
"AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND
IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"

Plaque 18:

RAF insignia RAAF insignia
THIS PLAQUE
WAS UNVEILED IN MAY 1960 BY
AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR BASIL EMBRY
G.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., A.B.C., R.A.F.
IN MEMORY OF
R.A.A.F. PERSONNEL WHO PAID THE
SUPREME SACRIFICE WHILST SERVING WITH
R.A.F. SQUADRONS DURING WORLD WAR 11
"LEST WE FORGET"

Plaque 19:

RAAF insignia
NO 24 (CITY OF ADELAIDE) (/explore/units/985)
SQUADRON (/explore/units/985)ASSOCIATION
ERECTED
IN MEMORY OF
FALLEN COMRADES
"LEST WE FORGET"

Plaque 20:

Effigy of a dead pilot lying on a tree frond
IN MEMORY OF THE AUSTRALIAN AIRMEN WHO DIED SERVING IN THE FAR EASTCOMMAND
 

Effigy

of

a

Lockheed

Hudson

Bomber

Effigy of a RAAF eagle

1940 1945

SQUADRON 1 (/explore/units/389)

SQUADRON 8 (/explore/units/1683)

SQUADRON 21 (/explore/units/875)

SQUADRON 459 (/explore/units/388)

SRO.SAMBAWAN

Effigy of a CAC Boomerang Fighter

Plaque 21:

RAAF insignia
463 (/explore/units/737)AND 467 (/explore/units/398)(R.A.A.F.) LANCASTER SQUADRONS
(NO 5 GROUP-BOMBER COMMAND U.K.)
IN MEMORY OF
FALLEN COMRADES
1942-1945
AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND
IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
463 Squadron Badge ERECTED 8^TH MAY 1977 467 Squadron Badge

Plaque 22:

RAAF insignia WAAAF hat badge
ERECTED BY
THE CENTRAL W.A.A.A.F. BRANCH
AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
COMMEMORATING THE W.A.A.A.F. WHO
SERVED IN SUPPORT OF THE R.A.A.F.
COMBAT UNITS IN ALL THEATRES OF
WAR IN WORLD WAR 11
18^TH MARCH 1979

Plaque 23:

RAAF insignia 617 Squadron (/explore/units/1181) Badge
ERECTED IN MEMORY OF
FALLEN COMRADES
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
WHO SERVED IN
617 R.A.F. DAM BUSTER SQUADRON
1943-1945
LEST WE FORGET.
UNVEILED 27^TH APRIL 1980

Plaque 24:

RAAF insignia Catalina Badge
ERECTED BY
THE CATALINA CLUB OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
COMMEMORATING MEMBERS OF THE
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
WHO SERVED IN
CATALINA SQUADRONS 11. 20. 42 AND 43 AND
SUPPORT FLYING BOAT UNITS IN AUSTRALIAN
AND SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA
1939-1945
5^TH APRIL 1981

Plaque 25:

COMMEMORATING
RAAF insignia THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY ATC Badge
OF THE FORMATION OF THE
AIR TRAINING CORPS
THIS PLAQUE WAS UNVEILED BY
WING COMMANDER SIR ARTHUR BARRETT
FIRST STATE COMMANDANT OF THE CORPS
1941-1946. IT IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF
THOSE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SINCE GIVEN
THEIR LIVES IN DEFENCE OF OUR FREEDOM
SERVING IN THE R.A.A.F. AND OTHER
COMMONWEALTH FORCES.
ERECTED BY S.A. SQUADRON AIRTC
7 JUNE 1981

Plaque 26:

RAAF insignia
TO COMMEMORATE THOSE WHO SERVED IN
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
KITTYHAWK SQUADRONS
75-76-77-78-80-82-84-86
SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA
WORLD WAR 11
LET US REMEMBER THOSE WHO GAVE
THEIR LIVES
DEDICATED 14.11.82

Plaque 27:

RAAF insignia
TO COMMEMORATE THOSE WHO SERVED IN
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
SIGNALS AND RADAR UNITS
ALL AREAS
"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
DEDICATED 30.10.83

Plaque 28:

RAAF insignia
ERECTED IN MEMORY OF
FALLEN COMRADES
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
WHO SERVED IN
"LOCKHEED HUDSON SQUADRONS"
2-6-7-13-14-23-24-32
AND SUPPORT UNITS IN THE
SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA
WORLD WAR 11
UNVEILED 28^TH OCTOBER 1984

Plaque 29:

RAAF insignia
TO COMMEMORATE ALL WHO SERVED IN
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
22 (/explore/units/394) AND 30 SQUADRONS (/explore/units/787)
SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA
WORLD WAR 11
DEDICATED 25.4.86

Plaque 30:

RAAF insignia B24 USAAF insignia
LIBERATOR
HEAVY BOMBERS
IN COMMEMORATION OF THOSE MEMBERS OF
THE U.S.A.A.F. AND THE R.A.A.F. WHO SERVED IN
B24-LIBERATOR SQUADRONS FROM NORTH WEST
AREA AUSTRALIA, IN THE NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES
AND SOUTH WEST PACIFIC IN WORLD WAR 11

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE82(HB) WING:

21 (/explore/units/875)-23 (/explore/units/1378)-24 SQUADRON (/explore/units/985)S 85 (HB) WING:

12-25-99-102 SQUADRONS

200-201 (SD) FLIGHTS-SUPPORT UNITS

UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE

380^TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP

528^TH-529^TH-530^TH-531^ST SQUADRONS

-319^TH SQUADRON-SUPPORT UNITS-

1939-1945
DEDICATED 25 SEPTEMBER 1988

Plaque 31:

RAAF insignia

THIS TREE WAS PLANTED 30 OCTOBER 1988 DURING AN ADELAIDE REUNION OF MEMBERS OF THE 18 SQUADRON N.E.I.-R.A.A.F. (/explore/units/1873) FORCES ASSOCIATION TO COMMEMORATE 18 SQUADRONS FORMATION IN 1942 AND IN MEMORY OF 110 COMRADES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES 1942-1945.

THEY DIED WITH THE BRAVE.

Plaque 32:

RAAF insignia 12 SQUADRON (/explore/units/561)12 Squadron badge
1939-1989
-OPERATIONS-
DARWIN-MERAUKE-MOROTAI
COMMEMORATES ALL WHO SAW SERVICE
WITH THIS R.A.A.F. UNIT IN PEACE AND WAR
"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
DEDICATED 26AUG. 1990

Plaque 33:

RAAF insignia ACA logo
THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION
(S.A. BRANCH)
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF OUR FRIENDS
IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND ALLIED SERVICES
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
UNVEILED 24^TH OCTOBER 1993

Plaque 34:

Medical Badge RAAF insignia Medical Badge
ERECTED BY
THE NURSING BRANCH R.A.A.F. ASSOCIATION
S.A. DIVISION
COMMEMORATING THE R.A.A.F. NURSING SERVICE SISTERS
WHO SERVED & DIED 1940-1945
AUSTRALIA-SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA-OCEAN CONVOYS
MEDICAL AIR EVACUATION TRANSPORT UNITS
LEST WE FORGET
DEDICATED 24.10.1993

Plaque 35:

RAAF insignia
'THEY WILL RISE ON WINGS AS EAGLES'
DEDICATED TO ALL MEMBERS OF
THE AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS ASSOCIATION.
THE AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION.
AND THE R.A.A.F. ASSOCIATION.
LEST WE FORGET
R.A.A.F.A. S.A. DIVISION
24 OCTOBER 1993

WHEN ESTABLISHED: 1987 (ADL Airport)

MAINTAINED BY: Formerly West Torrens Council, Adelaide Airport NOW Adelaide City Council

PECULIARITIES/DAMAGE: Nil

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT/DATE: 27 Feb 03  Updated 27 February 2014