100 Squadron beaufort's

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

100 Squadron received six Beaufort's from Australia.

These were as I understand British built aircraft that had been shipped to Australia and rebuilt there for the RAAF.

The six aircraft sent to 100 Squadron were according to "Bloody Shambles" vol 1-
( British serial number's :T9540; T9542; T9544; T9545; T9546; T9547 ),
(Australian Serial number's: A9-1 ; None ; A9-5 ; A9-6 ; A9-7 ; A9-8 ).

T9540 was retained and used as a Photo Recce a/c.

The other five were returned to Australia.
T9542 went to 1 OTU and crashed on 18/05/1942.
T9544 went to 1 OTU and crashed on 17/11/42.
T9545 went to 1 OTU and force landed on 09/03/43.
T9546 went to 1 OTU and crashed on 16/09/44.
T9547 crashed on 09/01/43.

All the Beaufort File has on T9540 is that it went to 1 OTU and was SOC on 08/08/49.
When she was left with 100 Squadron it was sent to Kota Bharu. What then happened to her, she must have been returned to Australia at some time before the surender to the Japanese in regard to her time with 1 OTU and her SOC date.

2/.
Also would these six aircraft at the time with 100 Squadron still have carried their RAF serial numbers or would the Australian serial numbers have been applied prior to there being sent north to Singapore. Or were the Australian serial numbers only applied on return to Australia and in later service there ?

Look forward to replies,
Alex