We Never Disappoint: A History of 7 Squadron 1940-1945

No 7 Squadron RAAF could be known as the forgotten squadron. To many it may come as a surprise that during World War II No 7 Squadron was famous in the RAAF for its great camaraderie and esprit de corps; being known as the ‘Happy Squadron’. When No 7 Squadron was at the forefront of the New Guinea campaign during 1944-45, there was a false impression that Australians were only engaged in ‘mopping-up’ operations. Reality tells a different story and the truth is a remarkable one. We Never Disappoint tells the story of No 7 Squadron, RAAF, and their struggle as the unit built itself up several times to be ready for operational deployments in the Pacific, only to be let down by aircraft shortages, constant personnel changes and uncertainty over its role in the defence of Australia. When the time for action came, the squadron’s participation included some of the first anti-submarine strikes by Australian Beauforts, search and rescue tasks, reconnaissance missions, and air operations during the Wewak amphibious campaign of May 1945. This book chronicles five years of No 7 Squadron’s operations through the recollections and records of the men who were there. It fills a gap in the RAAF’s history, helping to tell the story of Australian Beauforts in action and the crews that flew them. If you are interested in how past leaders dealt with friction caused by strategic-level decision-makers as well as by war, then We Never Disappoint is well worth a read.