Eastern Area Command (RAAF)

Eastern Area Command
RAAF area commands, November 1942. Eastern Area's boundaries remained in place until it re-formed as Home Command in October 1953, beginning the supersession of the area command system.
Active	1942–53
Allegiance	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Air defence Aerial reconnaissance Protection of adjacent sea lanes
Garrison/HQ	Sydney (1942–49) Glenbrook (1949–53)
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	William Anderson (1942–43) Alan Charlesworth (1943–44, 1946) Leon Lachal (1945, 1946–47) Frank Lukis (1945–46) Frank Bladin (1947–48) John McCauley (1949–53)

Eastern Area Command was one of several geographically based commands raised by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during World War II. It was formed in May 1942, and controlled units based in New South Wales and southern Queensland. Headquartered in Sydney, Eastern Area Command was primarily responsible for air defence, aerial reconnaissance and protection of the sea lanes within its boundaries. The area continued to function following the end of the war, transferring its headquarters to Glenbrook, in the Blue Mountains, in 1949. By this time most of the RAAF's operational units were based within Eastern Area's boundaries. It was re-formed in October 1953 as Home Command (renamed Operational Command in 1959, and Air Command in 1987) under the RAAF's new functional command-and-control system.

Prior to World War II, the Royal Australian Air Force was small enough for all its elements to be directly controlled by RAAF Headquarters in Melbourne. When war broke out, the RAAF began to decentralise its command structure, commensurate with expected increases in manpower and units. Between March 1940 and May 1941, Australia and Papua were divided into four geographically based command-and-control zones: Central Area, Southern Area, Western Area, and Northern Area. The roles of the area commands were air defence, protection of adjacent sea lanes, and aerial reconnaissance. Each was led by an Air Officer Commanding (AOC) who controlled the administration and operations of all air bases and units within his boundary.