Northern Command (RAAF)

Northern Command
The RAAF's wartime area commands: originally to have been called Northern Area, Northern Command was formed in April 1944, re-designated Northern Area in December 1945, and disbanded in February 1947.
Active	1944–47
Allegiance	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Air defence Aerial reconnaissance Protection of adjacent sea lanes
Garrison/HQ	Milne Bay (1944) Madang (1944–46) Port Moresby (1946–47)
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	Frank Lukis (1944–45) Allan Walters (1945–46)

Northern Command was one of several geographically based commands raised by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during World War II. Established in April 1944, it evolved from No. 9 Operational Group, which had been the RAAF's primary mobile formation in the South West Pacific theatre since September 1942, but had lately become a garrison force in New Guinea. Northern Command was headquartered initially at Milne Bay and then, from August 1944, in Madang. It conducted operations in New Guinea, New Britain, and Bougainville until the end of the war. Re-designated Northern Area in December 1945, it was headquartered in Port Moresby from March 1946 and disbanded in February 1947.

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 air bases and units within his boundary. By mid-1942, Central Area had been dissolved, Northern Area had been split into North-Eastern Area and North-Western Area, and Eastern Area was created, making a total of five commands.