No. 75 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) wing that operated during World War II. It was formed in October 1943 at Townsville, Queensland, under North-Eastern Area Command. The wing soon deployed to Horn Island to take control of RAAF units based there and at Thursday Island and Cape York Peninsula. Responsible for air defence and maritime patrol in the Torres Strait, No. 75 Wing's flying units operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters, Bristol Beaufort reconnaissance bombers, and A-31 Vengeance dive bombers. The wing was disbanded in August 1944.
Beaufort crew of No. 7 Squadron, which operated under the control of No. 75 Wing in 1943–44
No. 84 Squadron Kittyhawks from Horn Island in formation over Thursday Island, December 1943
Edgar Bruce Courtney (pictured in 1940), commanding officer of No. 75 Wing
North-Eastern Area Command
North-Eastern Area Command was one of several geographically based commands raised by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during World War II. For most of its existence it controlled units based in central and northern Queensland as well as Papua New Guinea. It was formed in January 1942 from the eastern part of the former Northern Area Command, which had covered all of northern Australia and Papua. Headquartered at Townsville, Queensland, North-Eastern Area Command's responsibilities included air defence, aerial reconnaissance and protection of the sea lanes within its territory. Its flying units, equipped with fighters, reconnaissance bombers, dive bombers and transports, took part in the battles of Rabaul, Port Moresby and Milne Bay in 1942, and the landings at Hollandia and Aitape in 1944.
Air Commodore Lukis (centre), with Group Captain Garing (left), hands over North-Eastern Area Command to Group Captain Cobby in August 1942
No. 11 Squadron Catalina at Port Moresby
Air Commodore Summers (left), who succeeded Air Commodore Cobby as AOC North-Eastern Area Command, with staff in Townsville, May 1944
Flight Lieutenant Les Jackson (second left), brother of Squadron Leader John Jackson, with fellow pilots of No. 75 Squadron in Port Moresby, August 1942