▁was ▁initially ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁six ▁Short ▁S under land ▁flying ▁boats ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁fer ried ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁to ▁Australia ▁between ▁January ▁and ▁March ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁These ▁fer ry ▁fl ights ▁were ▁made ▁by ▁experienced ▁cre ws ▁drawn ▁from ▁the ▁RA AF ' s ▁two ▁S under land ▁squad rons ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁No . ▁ 1 0 ▁and ▁No . ▁ 4 6 1 ▁squad rons . ▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ' s ▁main ▁role ▁was ▁to ▁fly ▁regular ▁transport ▁services ▁between ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Guinea . ▁The ▁S under lands ▁were ▁modified ▁to ▁operate ▁as ▁transport ▁aircraft , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁aircraft ▁to ▁be ▁fully ▁converted ▁was ▁delivered ▁to ▁No . ▁ 4 0 ▁Squadron ▁on ▁ 1 ▁July . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁pil ots ▁were ▁veter ans ▁of ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁with ▁No . ▁ 1 0 ▁and ▁No . ▁ 4 6 1 ▁squad rons . ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁July ▁the ▁unit ▁moved ▁to ▁Port ▁M ores by ▁in ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁with ▁det ach ments ▁at ▁Dar win ▁and ▁Town sv ille . ▁No . ▁ 4 0 ▁Squadron ' s ▁main ▁destin ations ▁were ▁C air ns , ▁Mil ne ▁Bay , ▁Mad ang ▁and ▁Town sv ille . ▁ ▁A ▁No . ▁ 4 0 ▁Squadron ▁S under land ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁attempted ▁hij ack ing ▁of ▁an ▁RA AF ▁aircraft ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁September ▁ 1