Kunsan - Meteor

In March 1954 the Squadron moved to a new base at Kunsan the move was supervised by Flight Lieutenant Alan Royston (Intelligence Officer) and the CO was Wing Commander Doug Beattie.  

At K8 the Squadron was responsible for Southern Sector air defence and held in varying states of readiness in daylight hours with two aircraft on Strip Alert, two minutes notice with pilots strapped in cockpits.  Training at K8 concentrated on high altitude work and air to air gunnery with camera guns supervised by Flight Lieutenant Tony Powell (RAF).

K8 was most fortunate to have a very lateral thinker in the shape of Pilot Officer Neil Hampton who built ‘Hampton Court’ an odourless toilet block in a marquee tent.  This caught the attention of our American hosts and high ranking officers came to examine Hampton’s masterpiece. 

The Americans always put on a good display for Independence Day and, as hostilities had ceased, a great fireworks display was organized on the baseball diamond.  The large stock of fireworks were stored under a tarpaulin.  Very early in the show an errant rocket went under the tarpaulin,  the unplanned early ending was very short, loud and spectacular and not without panic.

In July 1954 Wing Commander Roy Royston took command of the Squadron. 

13 October 54 saw the Squadron’s aircraft flown to Iwakuni in preparation for the trip back to Australia.