 Air Commodore Alan Charlesworth was appointed AOC Eastern Area in December 1943 . Japanese submarine activity had decreased in the months prior to Charlesworth taking command , and he was concerned that Allied ships were becoming complacent . He observed " a general slackening off in procedure ; ships are seldom where they should be , and a minority of merchant ships identify themselves to aircraft " . The RAAF 's patrols had also settled into a predictable pattern that an observant submarine captain could easily avoid . Charlesworth relinquished command in September 1944 to take over North @-@ Western Area . In December , aircraft from Eastern Area took part in the search for the German submarine U @-@ 862 , but could not prevent it sinking the Liberty ship Robert J. Walker on Christmas ; a Beaufort of No. 15 Squadron , based at Camden , located the wreck . No. 32 Squadron lost a Beaufort with its crew shortly after takeoff from Lowood during the search for U @-@ 862 , which was called off in January 1945 . That month , Air Commodore Leon Lachal became AOC Eastern Area , and held command for the duration of the Pacific War . 
