No. 489 Squadron RNZAF

489 (NZ) Squadron was formed from pilots of the Royal New Zealand Air Force on 12 August 1941 under RAF Coastal Command as an anti-submarine and reconnaissance unit.

History
On 19 December 1939 Article XV was promulgated, creating the Empire Air Training Scheme. Under this article provision was made for the formation of Commonwealth squadrons within the RAF. On 17 April 1941 a further agreement was negotiated allowing for six New Zealand Squadrons to be formed: 485 Sqn., 486 Sqn., 487 Sqn., 488 Sqn., 489 Sqn. and 490 Sqn. These units were manned and (mostly) commanded by New Zealanders trained under the EATS. provisions, although this didn't preclude other nationalities from being members. Administratively the "Article XV squadrons" were an integral part of the RAF, with all command appointments being made by the RAF. Other Dominion or Commonwealth countries involved were Australia and Canada, along with Rhodesia and South Africa.

No. 489 was formed at RAF Leuchars with Bristol Beaufort, the squadron had some time becoming operational. As Beauforts were in short supply, they were supplemented and eventually replaced by the Bristol Blenheim Mk.IVf aircraft, handed over from No. 143 Squadron RAF. These were used over the North Sea and Norway. The Squadron converted to Hampdens in April and became a dedicated anti-submarine torpedo bomber unit in March 1942, carrying out its first torpedo attacks in July 1942 during sorties in the Trondheim fjord. The squadron converted to Beaufighters in November 1943. Beaufighters were used to attack shipping in the North Sea and along the coast of Occupied Europe, Northern Germany and Scandinavia. From April 1944 it formed part of the Anzac Strike wing. It also flew air sea rescue missions, escorted convoys and continued anti-submarine work. The squadrons last operational mission in Europe was flown off the Norwegian coast on 21 May 1945. It began to re-equip with Mosquitos in June 1945 with a view to moving to the Pacific, but following the collapse of Japan, it was disbanded on 1 August 1945, before completion.

The squadron operated out of several stations: RAF Leuchars, RAF Thorney Island, RAF Wick, RAF St Eval, RAF Skitten, RAF Langham, RAF Dallachy and RAF Banff. It flew 2,380 sorties and 9,773 hours on operations. Awards were two Distinguished Service Orders, three Distinguished Flying Medals a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and 19 Distinguished Flying Crosses.

The Squadron's Māori motto is Whakatanagata kia kaha, which can be translated as "Quit ye like men, Be Strong".

No 489 Squadron aircraft are known to survive, but relics are preserved at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Awards and Decorations awarded whilst serving with No 489 Squadron
Roll of Honour August 1941 to August 1945

BACON Frederick William						4 April 1943 BAILLIE William Russell						31 March/ 1 April 1944 BARNARD Anthony Edgar Buchanan				       14 April 1943 BILLINGTON Harold Joseph					31 March / 1 April 1944 BOLDING Theodore						25 September 1944 BRANDON Charles Henry						14 / 15 September 1942 BRIGHTWELL John Mostyn						14 April 1945 BROWN Alexander George						14 / 15 September 1942 BROWN Alfred George Greenwood					23 January 1943 BURT Robert Erskine 						13 February 1943 CAMERON William Hugh Iain					19 May 1944 CARLSON Stanley Carl Walter 					28/ 29 October 1942 CHAPMAN Douglas Launcelot Blackmore 				5 June 1944 CLEGG Tom Ransley 						14 June 1944 DOUGLAS Wallace John 						4 April 1943 EASTON Reginald William 					19 May 1943 FISHER Henry Guy 						28/ 29 October 1942 FOY Edgar Joseph 						14 April 1945 FREEMAN Sydney 							5 June 1944 FRESHNEY Charles John 						4 April 1943 FRICKER Douglas John 						10 August 1944 GAITENS James Joseph 						22 July 1942 GARRISON Wilfred Reed 						1 November 1944 GRIFFITHS Ivor 							13 April 1943 HEFFERNAN Neville Alexander 28 January 1945 HEY Ronald John William 					8 August 1944 HOLOBROW Frederick Michael 					13 April 1943 HORWOOD Cyril Ernest						 2 October 1941 HUGHES Thomas Edward 						1 November 1944 HURLEY John Joseph 						11 August 1942 JONES George Arroll 						11 August 1942 KEEPING John Ross 						19 May 1943 KELLOW Stanley William 						10 August 1944 LANIGAN William Percival					4 April 1943 LATTA Selwyn 							9 April 1943 LAWRENCE Jack Bailey						28/ 29 October 1942 LESLIE Raymond William Gibson 28 January 1945 LONDON Jack Adrian Colin 					8 April 1942 LOWCOCK Charles Henry						14 May 1944 McALLISTER John							9 April 1943 McEACHERN Gerald Joseph 					19 May 1943 MacERLICH W I 							13 April 1943 McKECHNIE William 						1 July 1943 MacQUACKER Robert 						19 May 1944 MAGUIRE James 							23 January 1943 MORRISON John Kendall 						26 April 1945 MOYNIHAN Frederick Kingsmill 					17 June 1944 MURRAY Thomas Donald Gordon 					14/ 15 September 1942 NEWMAN Douglas 							14/ 15 September 1942 NUGENT Royden Leslie 						14 April 1945 OLIVER Jack Moss 						1/ 2 April 1944 PARKIN Graham George 						19 April 1945 PETTITT Ivan Alfred 						14 May 1944 POLLARD Cyrus Ralph 						17 June 1944 PRIEST Cedric Hubert Owen 					8 March 1942 RICHARDSON Alan 						13 February 1943 RICHES Leslie 							22 July 1942 SALMOND William Clive 						23 January 1943 SELTHUN Leo Norman 						9 April 1943 SHEPPERD John Henry 						23 January 1943 SMITH Geoffrey Harcourt 					9 April 1943 SPINK Frederick Ellis						8 August 1944 STOURTON Brinley Edward						20 April 1944 STUCHBERY Lloyd Robert 						28 January 1945 TOOMBS William Henry Clemens 					29 December 1943 TRIPTREE Alan Charles 						11 August 1942 TUCK William Robert 						30 July 1944 WAIT Stanley William						1 February 1944 WALPOLE Sydney Herbert						9 April 1943 WARD Ronald Leslie 						4 April 1943 WARDE Brian James Douglas 					22 July 1942 WHEELER Denis Walton 						9 April 1943 WHITE Robert Lawrence 						20 April 1944 WHITSED Edward Miles 						19 May 1943 WILKINSON Francis Henry 					8 March 1943 WILKINSON Frederick Raymond 					26 April 1945 WOODCOCK William Robertson 					12 August 1944 WRENCH Horace 							13 February 1943 WRIGHT James Alan Skirrow					19 May 1944 WRIGHT Laurie Aubrey 						19 May 1944

Sourced: www.cwgc.org, ORB – 489 Squadron, RNZAF Museum, Christchurch NZ and David Burrowes