. ▁ 1 2 ▁Squadron ▁continued ▁its ▁routine ▁program ▁of ▁pat rol s ▁after ▁all ▁the ▁Ven ge ances ▁had ▁arrived . ▁The ▁only ▁exception ▁to ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁bomb ing ▁ra id ▁conducted ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁by ▁twelve ▁of ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁Ven ge ances ▁against ▁villages ▁on ▁Sel aru ▁in ▁the ▁T anim bar ▁Islands ▁which ▁were ▁believed ▁to ▁house ▁workers ▁employed ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁new ▁a irst rip . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁attack ▁to ▁be ▁conducted ▁by ▁Ven ge ances ▁in ▁the ▁SW PA . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁No . ▁ 1 2 ▁Squadron ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁Mer au ke ▁in ▁western ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁where ▁it ▁would ▁come ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁No . ▁ 7 2 ▁Wing . ▁The ▁squad ron ' s ▁ 2 7 0 - man ▁strong ▁advance ▁party ▁arrived ▁in ▁Mer au ke ▁on ▁ 8 ▁July ▁but ▁found ▁that ▁no ▁facilities ▁had ▁been ▁constructed ▁for ▁the ▁unit . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁its ▁aircraft ▁were ▁station ed ▁at ▁Cook town , ▁Queensland , ▁where ▁they ▁were ▁used ▁for ▁anti - sub marine ▁pat rol s ▁and ▁the ▁esc ort ▁of ▁sh ipping . ▁No . ▁ 1 2 ▁Squadron ▁gradually ▁moved ▁to ▁Mer au ke ▁between ▁September ▁and ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁employed ▁mainly ▁in ▁mar itime ▁pat rol s . ▁The ▁squad ron '