RAAF Overseas Headquarters was a

Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

(RAAF) administrative unit established in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Under Article XV of the Ottawa Agreement, signed in 1939, the Australian government agreed to form

RAAF squadrons The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

for service within British

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

(RAF) operational commands. RAAF Overseas Headquarters was formed on 1 December 1941 to oversee the welfare of RAAF personnel posted to: * the so-called " Article XV squadrons"; * other RAAF units serving in Europe and the Mediterranean and; * RAAF personnel attached to units of the RAF and other British Commonwealth air forces. Air minister

John McEwen Sir John McEwen (29 March 1900 – 20 November 1980) was an Australian politician and farmer who served as the 18th prime minister of Australia from 1967 to 1968, in a caretaker capacity following the disappearance of prime minister Harold Ho ...

commissioned Richard Williams to establish the headquarters in August 1941, following concerns about the lack of Australian input into assignments of RAAF personnel. McEwen instructed Williams to procure that "RAAF personnel shall be under the command of Australian officers, warrant officers and non-commissioned officers to the fullest possible extent". The headquarters replaced the Air Liaison Office, which had been run out of the

High Commission of Australia, London The High Commission of Australia in London is the diplomatic mission of Australia in the United Kingdom. It is located in Australia House, a Grade II listed building. It was Australia's first diplomatic mission and is the longest continuously ...

. The new agency was not assigned any subordinate units. RAAF Overseas Headquarters was disbanded on 19 July 1959.

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * *{{cite book , last=Herington , first=John , year=1954 , title=Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume III – Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939–1943 , location=Canberra , publisher=Australian War Memorial , url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070211/ , oclc=3633363 Military units and formations of the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II Military units and formations established in 1941 Australia–United Kingdom relations

See also

References