RAAF Black Cats: The Secret History of the Covert Catalina Mine-Laying Operations to Cripple Japan's War Machine

by Robert Cleworth, John Suter Linton

In March 1945 Reg Cleworth, a navigator on PBY Catalina seaplanes flying out of Darwin, went missing in action. No details were ever given about the incident that took his life, nor the reason his plane went down. For Reg's younger brother, Robert, the news came as a prophecy fulfilled. The last time they saw each other, Reg confided in Robert, "I don't think I'm coming back." Forty years later Robert decided to investigate what happened to his brother. What he uncovered was an extraordinary story of a covert Australian airborne mine-laying operation in cooperation with the U.S. Seventh Fleet to disrupt the Japanese supply routes. One of the riskier and more dangerous RAAF undertakings of the Pacific War, secrecy restrictions were imposed on everyone involved. They were never formally lifted. Had it not been for a chance meeting that allowed Robert access to previously unopened files in the U.S. national archives, this remarkable story may never have been told. What he unearthed revealed the sacrifice and achievements of the RAAF Catalina crews and the vital role they played in MacArthur's strategic plan for the south-west Pacific. Absorbing, compelling, and powerfully told, RAAF Black Cats is an important addition to our understanding of Australia's role in the Pacific War.

Genres: Aviation, War, World War II

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2019

Reviews

[John Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

For love of a bother...
An engagingly written book is RAAF Black Cats by Robert Cleworth and John Suter Linton. It catalogues the highly successful RAAF aerial mining operations performed in the South West Pacific Area through WWII, at least some of which your reviewer had either never previously known, or knew in only the barest detail.  The search for information began with Bob Cleworth's love for a brother who went missing, and his search for the truth of his loss.
Home in Melbourne on leave in early 1945, Reg Cleworth told his adoring young brother, "I don't think I'm coming back." On 7 March, the aircraft on which Reg was navigator, Catalina A24-203, was one of three that set out on a mining patrol to the Pescadores. It never returned. In deference to his mother, not wanting to cause her further grief, Robert delayed investigating the loss of his brother until after her death in 1986
The RAAF personnel who flew on those mining missions must be truly numbered among the bravest of the brave. They were required to fly some of the longest missions of the war and deliver their mines with the greatest accuracy in the only aircraft at the time with the range to cover the distances involved. They were large and lumbering, the PBY series aircraft (Patrol Bomber, with the Y representing the manufacturer, Consolidated) and commonly known as Catalinas). Supplied fully equipped, the sea plane bases at Lake Boga and Rathmines stripped out all defensive aids in an endeavour to save weight and extend their range. Some of the later missions lasted greater than 24 hours and covered as much as 5800km. There was no rest and everybody was tired almost beyond physical endurance on return. They didn't have the luxury of a relief crew like that on a modern airliner.
Many reasons existed for the lack of detailed information available to the public about the Black Cats, not least because their operation was effectively performed for the US Seventh Fleet. Although the US Navy reports included details of the RAAF and its work in mining harbours and Imperial Japanese Navy safe anchorages, the US Strategic Bombing Survey, who maintain records of aerial activity, gave "...little, if any, acknowledgement." It was much the same with other agencies.
Bob Cleworth flew to the States and gained access to records, but his work was slow and frustrating. Many files were not in continuing order, some mis-filed, with others unavailable. His attempt to garner more detailed information back home by speaking with survivors was clouded, too, by time and failing memories. Even personal logbooks offered little assistance; abbreviations that made sense six decades before now had no meaning. And yet, through it all, he managed to piece together a wonderful record of a war we knew almost nothing about. 
Did the author eventually establish details of his brother's loss? I'll treat that as a potential spoiler and urge you instead to read a beautifully researched and written book. 

[Scifimoth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly good read on an overlooked but important contribution to the 2nd world war against Japan by Catalinas of the Royal Australian Air Force.

[Genny Matejcic · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father was in the RAAF in WWII and flew in the Black Cats. He never talked about his experiences and this book opened my eyes. How brave these young men were and how lucky I was that my father returned safely and lived to a grand age. Lest We Forget

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book as an audiobook and found it deeply moving. It was so pleasing for this important story to be told after exhaustive research by its authors. In Australia, at least in the eastern part, we think of Rosebay NSW as the home of seaplanes. Now, we have the definitive account of the daring and treacherous WWII missions to go with our fascination with the Catalinas. I thought that the book was so well-crafted, and at times, it felt that you were right in that cold cockpit with our WWII heroes, who we owe so much to. We have so much to be thankful for. I felt honoured to hear their stories, appreciate the author’s dedication to a subject difficult to research and to just absorb everything that was written.

[Jez Symes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeez I wish I asked Grandad more questions! He flew Cats in WWII & told me about some radar challenges they had & I never oeuvre much further.

This book is amazingly put together and an awesome collection of diaries and reports from those who flew, rode on or worked on the Cats during mine laying missions against Japan.

It takes a real skill to turn these often dry reports into a page turner and that's what Robert & John have done.

Thank you so much gentlemen in writing this story. Although it's left me for a real hunger for more information!

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on a little known subject. The Catalina's are impressive aircraft and the way the RAAF flew missions of up to 24 hours truly amazing. They achieved a lot with relatively few casualties. The way the US Navy largely airbrushed their contribution out of the Pacific War is sadly commonplace. You would sometimes think WW2 was won by just the Americans without support from the Russians or the British Empire / Commonwealth.

[DJM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant little book on the overlooked role of the RAAF Catalinas, but more over it is a brother’s love for his lost brother that brought this book to life, along with the other men involved.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an interesting book about WW2 operations you never hear about. That said, I think I could only really recommend it to people who are very interested in either PBY Catalinas, the RAAF of WW2, or obscure bits of military aviation history.

Took me awhile to get through the book. I started months ago back in 2020, put it down for a bit to read other things, then recently picked it up again and finished it.

If you want a book with a lot of in flight action tales, this isn't it. But it is more interesting than just a dry operational history book.

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fine book on a very niche topic but guess that’s what I’m all about. I like my niches and this proves to be one that answers some rather interesting questions

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand story of the war in the SWPA and how the lads pulled off the unbelievable among other heroes

[Daniel Bennet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read … understanding the real hidden story behind RAAF Black Cats with one mans obsession to discovers his brothers hidden story …. !

[David Vernon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book struggles to know what it is about. Part personal research journey for author Robert Cleworth, part unit history, part a plea for the airmen not to be forgotten, part memorial and part an exposition explaining just how important the RAAF Black Cats were in WW2. Regrettably it doesn't succeed particularly well in any of these aims. Perhaps with a good restructuring the book might be more readable and have more impact. The book is not helped by it being poorly referenced. In a non-fiction book I expect every verbatim quote to be properly footnoted but this was not the case. More egregiously was when material was lifted without it being clear that it was borrowed from elsewhere. Eg on page 5 it says "British losses during the fighting for Singapore were heavy with 60,000 troops and nearly 25,000 support personnel captured. About 5000 people were killed or wounded , of which Australians made up the majority." Compare this to the Wikipedia entry (accessed 21 Jan 2020) which says: "Allied losses during the fighting for Singapore were heavy, with a total of nearly 85,000 personnel captured... About 5,000 were killed or wounded, of which Australians made up the majority." Such material does not engender confidence in the research undertaken by the authors. More care by the authors and the editors would ensure that this does not happen. More positively, the book did introduce me to the exploits of the RAAF Black Cats of which prior to reading this book I knew little. Perhaps a second edition is called for.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have now read this one at the second attempt as I originally found it hard to get into, but I was rewarded in the end. Not only is the story of the 'Black Cats' a fascinating one, the author interweaves a great account of the history of the Pacific War into the narrative. I found this helpful as with other books I have found it hard to slot the particular battle or incident into the overall scheme of things, The existence of this book is warranted by the need to tell the story of achievement and gallantry of the RAAF Clack Cats.

[Dean Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great account of an oft forgotten piece of aeronautical military history. Worth a read if its your thing.