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In mid-1942, No. 54 Spitfire Squadron left for Australia to help deploy a Spitfire force in defence of the Northern Territory against the Japanese. In January, 1943, it joined No. 1 Wing (Spitfire Wing) of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Heavily depleted during the Battle of Britain and the 1941 air offensive, No. 54 Squadron had mainly new personnel for the task. However, both flight commanders, Bob Foster and Robin Norwood, were Battle of Britain veterans.

This photo, recently unearthed by the Australian Spitfire Association, shows the squadron’s flying personnel “on a flat piece of ground with a tree in the background.”, somewhere in Australia. In other words, information is sought about the location, time, and perhaps the names of the people. All leads, however small, would be appreciated.

The aircraft is obviously a Spitfire Mk. VC Trop. Another Spitfire in the background is serialled BR4??.

[Spitfire Association]