Australia's WWII Safe Haven

Passing through Lake Boga today visitors

would describe the town as a small country
town whose main appeal is its lake. Now,
this observation presents the town as quiet
and tranquil to strangers, however those who
know of the towns history are proud that the
lake is the main feature of their small
country town. In the Second World War
Lake Boga was a key instrument in the
towns contribution to the war effort as it
allowed access to the Lake Boga Flying Boat

Base, where damaged planes were repaired

and sent back out into the warzone. This
article aims to highlight how the Lake Boga
Flying Boat Base and the people involved,
contributed to the war effort and what
adversities they had to overcome along the
way.
[Above] A USN Black Cat 08465, #9 taking off
from Lake Boga as part of a demonstration.
(Source: Brett Freeman 1995, p. 187)

Gemma Symons Making History 2015

STRONG AND UNITED: LAKE BOGAS CONTRIBUTION TO WWII

BROOMES DAY OF DARKNESS
Prior to the establishment of the base at Lake Boga,
an event occurred that became one of the main
contributing factors towards the necessity of the
base. On the third of March 1942, the Japanese
made their first air attack on Broomei, an attack that
would leave behind unrepairable devastation.
Moments before the attack sixteen flying boats
packed with evacuees from Java, laid at their
moorings in Roebuck Bayii waiting to leave for
their next destinations. Suddenly, uncamouflaged
Japanese Zero fightersiii swept in and began open
firing on the flying boats and their exhausted
passengers. Due to the devastation that this attack
caused it was decided that a reserve flying boat
baseiv, a secret base, was needed to prevent attacks
like the one on Broome did not occur again.
WHY LAKE BOGA?
Since 1938 Lake Boga had been considered as a
possible site for the establishment of a base that
would specialise in the servicing and repairing of
flying boats. However, it was not until the attack on
Broome that it really hit home that an inland flying
boat base would be a safer option as well as a smart
choice. Initially, both Lake Boga and Kangaroo
Lakev were inspected as possible sites for the base,

View of the Lake Boga Flying Boat Base in 1945.

(Source: Brett Freeman 1995, p.242)

but it was Lake Boga that was successfully chosen

due to its excellent location and the state of the lake.
The decision in favour of Lake Boga was made due
to the site being closely aligned to the railway line,
the highway and within close proximity to Swan
Hill. Also, the lake itself was free of obstacles
allowing a clear space for flying boats to take off
and land around the lake. Once it was established
that Lake Boga was the best choice for the flying
boat base, construction began almost immediately.
THE SECRET SAFE HAVEN
In April 1942 construction of the flying boat base
began and the first RAAF (Royal Australian Air
Force) personnel arrived alongside their commander
Flight Lieutenant G.S. Moffattvi. The twelfth of July
that year saw the base welcome its first Catalina
flying boatvii, arriving to be repaired at the base
which would later be referred to more commonly as
the No.1 Flying Boat Repair and Service Depot. As
the base grew and more personnel arrived to
contribute to the war effort the base grew to be the
largest inland flying-boat establishment in the
worldviii, it is therefore remarkable that such a large
base was capable of staying a secret from the rest of
Australia for two years. This secret was
eventually revealed to the world by the
media on the eighth of August 1944 as the
base was removed from secret
classificationix, as it was believed that the
base was no longer under threat from an
attack by the Japanese. Furthermore, the
flying boat base since its development in
1942 right up until it was finally
vacatedx on the twelfth of November
1947, dedicated its time and energy to
repairing various flying boats which
contributed significantly to the war effort.

Gemma Symons Making History 2015

THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS

The flying boat base serviced and
repaired numerous types of flying
boats throughout the time that it
was in operation. These flying
boats included; Catalinas,
Sunderlands, Dorniers, Walrus,
Martin Mariners and Kingfishers.
Often when a flying boat arrived at
the base it was obvious that the
workers would be changing [the]
engines and replacing damaged
panelsxi, however there was also a
more extensive list of repairs and
checks that would need to be
completed. Once the flying boats
were admitted to the base it often
took around about a month to complete the
necessary servicing and repairing. The process of
repair often involved the engines being stripped
from the planes, the instruments being checked and
reset, servicing of the propellers and if needed the
replacement of them, the wiring and controls were
checked and then finally a test flight was
performedxii. The test flights were an essential part
of the process as they determined whether the
aircraft was ready to leave the base, they also
provided the personnel at the base the opportunity to
have a little bit of fun in the process. After, the
official test flight the pilots often liked to fly at a
very low level above the main street of Swan Hill,
which gained mixed responses from people within
the town, some saw the fun side of the test hopsxiii
others of course did not. However, no harm ever
came of the pilots adventurous antics and the
aircrafts passed their final tests, and were flown to
the Rathmines base to collect personnel on their way
back out to the warzones. Therefore, the various
personnel who came from different walks of life and
possessed numerous skills came together as

A Catalina performing a test hop over the main street

of Swan Hill. (Source: Brett Freeman 1995, p. 78)

a team, and consequently played a major role in the

success of the base.
RAAF PERSONNELS HARD WORK
When the RAAF personnel first began work at the
base they enlisted the help of civilian workers as
well, thus providing more employment opportunities
for local people. The RAAF, civilian workers and
later the WAAAF (Womens Auxiliary Australian
Air Force) filled various occupations throughout the
base. These occupations included; carpenters,
welders, electricians, painters, instrument makers,
aeroplane fabric workers, plumbers, cipher experts,
wireless assistants, radio mechanics, clerks,
armorers, boat repairers and various types of
mechanic expertsxiv. All of these occupations even
though they differed played a major role in ensuring
that the flying boats were serviced and repaired
efficiently and as quickly as possible, so that
Gemma Symons Making History 2015

Australia was not left unprotected for any

length of time. It was often necessary to fill
occupations that would have normally been
filled with RAAF personnel with WAAAF
members, as the RAAF personnel were in
high demand in various warzones.

WAAAF TO THE RESCUE

The Womens Auxiliary Australian Air Force
was not a very strong presence at the
beginning of operations at the base, this was
because there was enough RAAF personnel to
fulfil duties throughout the first few months.
However as the war heated up and more
servicemen were distributed to warzones, it
became necessary for women to fulfil these
duties on a temporary basisxv whilst the men
were away. Also as the WAAAF was the first
of the womens defence Services established
in Australiaxvi it meant that there was a large
amount of women waiting to be dispatched to
bases in need of extra hands. The women were
capable of fulfilling various duties such as the
ones that were listed previously.
However, it is interesting to discover that some
womens occupations before the war differed from
the ones they were employed in at the base. Audrey
Lorraine was a window designer and decoratorxvii
prior to the war, once she arrived at the base she
worked as a fabric workers assistant, and Billy
Anderson who was a singer became an equipment
assistant.
For all of the women just like Audrey and Billy
taking on new occupations it was their ability to
adapt to new situations and duties that allowed them

A Black Cat being repaired by depot personnel at the base (Source:

Brett Freeman 1995, p. 184)

to be successful contributors to the war effort. Also,

for those adapting to a new environment and set of
responsibilities it was their Commanding Officers
leadership skills that helped guide all personnel in
the right direction.

Gemma Symons Making History 2015

INFLUENTIAL LEADERS

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

Within the flying boat base it was the role of the

Commanding Officer to ensure that the repairs and
servicing was getting done properly and efficiently,
whilst at the same time looking out for the wellbeing
of the staff. The first Commanding Officer Wing
Commander Geoffrey Marshall set the standard for
how the base was going to run for the following
years. Even though W/Cdr Marshall was influential
in setting the standard for high quality results and
efficiency, there was another Commanding Officer
who was held in high regard by the personnel at the
base. Wing Commander George Urquhart (Scotty)
Allan became the Commanding Officer of the base
in September 1943, and was held in high regard for
his all round abilities[and] cautious skilled
tutelagexviii by the personnel present at the base.
Therefore it was not just the personnels hard labour
that made the base successful, the guidance the
Commanding Officers gave their workers allowed
the base to run smoothly, efficiently and kept their
morale up which improved their quality of work.

The flying boat base ran smoothly most of the time,

however the times that it did not in fact run
smoothly it was due to elements outside of the
Commanding Officers or personnels control.
Particular adversities that arose that were out of the
COs control involved the event of a fire, this event
happened to occur twice within the duration of the
base, both of these fires happened within ten days of
each other. Brett Freeman refers to the second fire in
his book, this fire occurred in the Sergeants Mess
and when asked about the incident a Sergeant who
was witness claimed that he saved the beerxix from
the fire. This piece of information gives an insight
into the fact that the personnel at the base were just
regular, down to earth people. Another struggle that
the workers endured was putting up with the
unbearable heat at Lake Boga in the summer which
caused great discomfort [to those] working
within the confines of intolerably hot aircraft
fuselagesxx and led to reduced morale throughout
the base. Finally, the greatest dilemma the base
faced throughout its five years was the
occurrence of frequent dust stormsxxi which
could at times black out the whole town. Due
to these black out stages the dust storms
decreased operational efficiency and
moralexxii, in an attempt to combat these issues
a plan to provide irrigation to the troublesome
areas of land was put in place. Therefore even
though the flying boat base faced adversities
that attempted to thwart their reputation as the
No.1 Flying Boat Repair and Service Depot, it
still managed to persevere with its commitment
to successfully aiding the war effort.

CO W/Cdr G.U. (Scotty) Allan socialising with personnel at the

Lake Boga Flying Boat Base (Source: Australian War Memorial)

Gemma Symons Making History 2015

The Lake Boga Flying Boat

Museum erected on the
former site of the base.
(Source: authors own)

MONUMENT TO AUSTRALIAS NO.1

REPAIR DEPOT
In order to honour the dedication given from all
those involved with the Lake Boga Flying Boat
Base, a museum has been built on a portion of the
former base site. The Lake Boga Flying Boat
Museum tells the story of the base and has even
incorporated a restored PBY5 Catalina A24-30 as a
solid reminder of what the personnel at the base
could achieve. Many have praised the achievements
of the base highlighting that Lake Boga was an

integral part of allied defence duringxxiii the war and

provided a much needed safe havenxxiv for
Australias valued resources; the flying boats.
Therefore it is clear to anyone who has visited the
museum that the museum itself acts as a monument
to everyone that was involved in the development of
the flying boat base and what they did for Australia,
by ensuring the flying boats got back to defending
the country as quickly as possible. Furthermore, the
Lake Boga Flying Boat Base and the personnel
present there were successful in overcoming
uncontrollable events in order to serve Australia
efficiently. Also, the base brought a small country
town to life and gave them a sense of pride in their
towns contribution to winning the war for
Australia.

Restored PBY5 Catalina A24-30 inside the Lake

Boga Flying Boat Museum (Source: authors
own)

Gemma Symons Making History 2015

NOTES
i

Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the

Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 32.
ii
Ibid.
iii
John Gunn, Challenging Horizons: Qantas 1939-1954
(Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 1987) 57.
iv
John Gunn, Challenging Horizons: Qantas 1939-1954
(Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 1987) 62.
v
Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the
Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 35.
vi
Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum, History, Lake Boga
Flying Boat Museum [website], (2015) <
http://www.flyingboat.org.au/index.php/about/history>,
accessed 12 Sept. 2015.
vii
Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the
Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 49.
viii
Big Flying Boat Base on Lake, News, 16 Aug. 1944, 8, in
Trove [online database], accessed 9 Oct. 2015.
ix
Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the
Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 188.
x
Graham Gardner, Murray-Mallee Country: Swan Hill and
District 1836-1986 (Swan Hill: Swan Hill and District 150th
Anniversary Committee, 1986) 120.
xi
Kathryn Wells, Flying boats of Australia, Australian
Government, (30 Oct. 2013), para. 21, <http://www.australia.
gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/flying-boats-ofaustralia>, accessed 11 Oct. 2015.
xii
Jean Coote, David Mark: Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum
an amazing glimpse into a past era, The Legacy Hour
[podcast], (Radio Adelaide, 28 Sep. 2015) < https://radio.
adelaide.edu.au/david-mark-lake-boga-flying-boat-museuman-amazing-glimpse-into-a-past-era/>, accessed 10 Oct. 2015.
xiii
Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the
Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 78.
xiv
Australias Great War Effort, The Australian Worker, 23
Aug. 1944, 6, in Trove [online database], accessed 1 Oct.
2015.
xv
Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the
Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 82.
xvi
D. Collett Wadge, (ed.), Women in Uniform (London:
Imperial War Museum, 2003) 224.
xvii
Elizabeth Auld, S.A. Girls Unusual Job on Catalinas, The
Mail, 20 Jan. 1945, 3, in Trove [online database], accessed 10
Oct. 2015.
xviii
Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the
Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 132.

xix

Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the

Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 97.
xx
Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the
Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 90.
xxi
Ibid.
xxii
Brett Freeman, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story of the
Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII (Swan Hill:
Catalina Publications, 1995) 189.
xxiii
Ross recalls his Catalina flying boat days, Times, 6 Nov.
1997, 12, in Trove [online database], accessed 10 Oct. 2015.
xxiv
Brown, Emma, Second World War flying boat base in
Victorian Mallee welcomes veteran back, ABC Rural, (18
Sept. 2015) < http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-18/lakebogas-black-cats-remembered-70-years-on/6785594>, para. 2,
accessed 12 Oct. 2015.

Gemma Symons Making History 2015

Primary Sources

Keeping the Catalinas on Job, The South-Western

News, 21 Sept. 1944, 1, in Trove [online database],
accessed 20 Sept. 2015.

Auld, Elizabeth, S.A. Girls Unusual Job on

Catalinas, The Mail, 20 Jan. 1945, 3, in Trove
[online database], accessed 10 Oct. 2015.

The Cats go Inland, The Australasian, 26 Aug.

1944, 12, in Trove [online database], accessed 9
Oct. 2015.

Australias Great War Effort, The Australian

Worker, 23 Aug. 1944, 6, in Trove [online
database], accessed 1 Oct. 2015.

Secondary Sources

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Base for Repairs to Flying Boats, The Argus, 16

Aug. 1944, 7, in Trove [online database], accessed 1
Oct. 2015.
Big Flying Boat Base on Lake, News, 16 Aug.
1944, 8, in Trove [online database], accessed 9 Oct.
2015.
Contact, On the Beam: Aero Club and World
Flying, Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners
Advocate, 29 Nov. 1947, 5, in Trove [online
database], accessed 2 Oct. 2015.
District and General News, The Riverina
Recorder, 28 March 1942, 2, in Trove [online
database], accessed 9 Oct. 2015.
Flying Boat Base, Geraldton Guardian and
Express, 27 Sept. 1944, 3, in Trove [online
database], accessed 11 Oct. 2015.
Flying Boat Depot Miles from the Sea, The
Advertiser, 17 Aug. 1944, 8, in Trove [online
database], accessed 5 Oct. 2015.
Herald Newspaper, 141565 [image], (15 Aug. 1944)
<https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/
141565/>, accessed 5 Sept. 2015.
Huge Flying Base In Lake, The Courier-Mail, 17
Aug. 1944, 2, in Trove [online database], accessed 8
Oct. 2015.

Brown, Emma, Second World War flying boat base

in Victorian Mallee welcomes veteran back, ABC
Rural, (18 Sept. 2015) < http://www.abc.net.au/
news/2015-09-18/lake-bogas-black-cats
remembered-70-years-on/6785594>, accessed 12
Oct. 2015.
Coote, Jean, David Mark: Lake Boga Flying Boat
Museum an amazing glimpse into a past era, The
Legacy Hour [podcast], (Radio Adelaide, 28 Sep.
2015) < https://radio.adelaide.edu
.au/david-mark-lake-boga-flying-boat-museum-anamazing-glimpse-into-a-past-era/>, accessed 10 Oct.
2015.
Department of Planning and Community
Development, The Drying Lake Lake Boga's
experience of change and uncertainty (2010),
< http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fiona_
Mckenzie3/publication/262677044_The_Drying_La
ke_Lake_Boga's_experience_of_change_and_uncert
ainty/links/0a85e5386b48121086000000.pdf>,
accessed 7 Oct. 2015.
Freeman, Brett, Lake Boga at War: The Inside Story
of the Secret RAAF Inland Flying Boat Unit WWII
(Swan Hill: Catalina Publications, 1995).
Gardner, Graham, Murray-Mallee Country: Swan
Hill and District 1836-1986 (Swan Hill: Swan Hill
and District 150th Anniversary Committee, 1986).
Gunn, John, Challenging Horizons: Qantas 19391954 (Queensland: University of Queensland Press,
1987).
Gemma Symons Making History 2015

Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum, About the

Museum, Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum
[website], (2015) < http://www.flyingboat.org.au
/index.php/about/about-us>, accessed 12 Sept. 2015.
Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum, History, Lake
Boga Flying Boat Museum [website], (2015)
<http://www.flyingboat.org.au/index.php/about/hist
ory>, accessed 12 Sept. 2015.
Ross recalls his Catalina flying boat days, Times, 6
Nov. 1997, 12, in Trove [online database], accessed
10 Oct. 2015.
Wadge, D. Collett (ed.), Women in Uniform
(London: Imperial War Museum, 2003).
Wells, Kathryn, Flying boats in the Second World
War, 193945, Australian Government, (30 Oct.
2013) < http://www.australia.gov.au/aboutaustralia/australian-story/flying-boats-in-ww2>,
accessed 11 Oct. 2015.
Wells, Kathryn, Flying boats of Australia,
Australian Government, (30 Oct. 2013) < http:
//www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australianstory/flying-boats-of-australia>, accessed 11 Oct.
2015.
Van Raay, Lara & King, Charlotte, Catalina returns
to make a splash, ABC Mildura - Swan Hill, (11
March 2011) < http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos
/2011/03/11/3161185.htm>, accessed 10 Oct. 2015.
Images
The Images of the Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum
and the Restored PBY5 Catalina A24-30 were taken
by Gemma Symons on the 26th of September 2015.

Gemma Symons Making History 2015