 Promoted to squadron leader , in November 1942 Pentland was posted to Port Moresby , New Guinea , as commanding officer ( CO ) of No. 1 Rescue and Communication Squadron , better known as " Pentland 's Flying Circus " . The official history of Australia in the war described this as the RAAF 's " most unusual operational unit " , asserting that its " strange assortment of light aircraft was as varied and as appropriate to its task as was the flying record of its commander ... " . Its inventory included such types as the de Havilland Tiger Moth , DH.84 Dragon , Fox Moth , Dragon Rapide , and Avro Anson . Perhaps the RAAF 's oldest pilot in any theatre of operations , Pentland was responsible for the rescue of downed US airmen , as well as the evacuation of civilians and soldiers . He also organised aerial surveys around Daru and Milne Bay , developing new bases and emergency airfields at locales such as Bena Bena , Abau , <unk> , and Port Moresby . 
