First RAAF jet bomber strike during the Malayan Emergency

Canberras of No 2 Squadron made the RAAF’s first jet bomber strike on this day, carrying out an Operation Firedog mission against Communist terrorists in Malaya. A formation of five aircraft––operating in conjunction with RAF Canberras and Venoms––attacked a jungle camp near Ipoh, with each RAAF Canberra dropping six 454-kg bombs through cloud onto the target. A second attack obliterated an enemy camp near Grik on 30 September, this time in company with RAF and RNZAF Canberras. A third strike against another base camp in the Ipoh area was carried out on 2 October. During 10 individual sorties flown on the morning of 8 December against a camp in a swamp at Sungei Tinggi, 60 bombs were dropped but once more with inconclusive results.