 On 25 November 1941 , following the loss of HMAS Sydney , one of No. 20 Squadron 's Catalinas was despatched to Western Australia to join a No. 11 Squadron Catalina in search @-@ and @-@ rescue missions , but they found only oil slicks . By the outbreak of war in the Pacific , No. 20 Squadron had a strength of six Catalinas and two Empire flying boats . Its personnel at the beginning of December numbered 14 officers and 118 men . The squadron undertook its first sortie of the Pacific War on 8 December ; a Catalina located three Japanese luggers in the vicinity of Thursday Island , Queensland . Later in the month it commenced anti @-@ submarine patrols and , in January 1942 , bombing raids against Japanese bases . As the Japanese advanced into the South West Pacific , No. 20 Squadron was also responsible for evacuating white civilians from areas threatened by invasion . On 21 January , one of its Catalinas located the Japanese fleet steaming for Rabaul and signalled a warning to the town 's Australian defenders before being shot down by anti @-@ aircraft fire ; it was the squadron 's first combat loss . 
 On 25 November 1941 , following the loss of HMAS Sydney , one of No. 20 Squadron <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>Catalinas was despatched to Western Australia to join a No. 11 Squadron Catalina in search @-@ and @-@ rescue missions , but they found only oil slicks . By the outbreak of war in the Pacific , No. 20 Squadron had a strength of six Catalinas and two Empire flying boats . Its personnel at the beginning of December numbered 14 officers and 118 men . The squadron undertook its first sortie of the Pacific War on 8 December ; a Catalina located three Japanese luggers in the vicinity of Thursday Island , Queensland . Later in the month it commenced anti @-@ submarine patrols and , in January 1942 , bombing raids against Japanese bases . As the Japanese<a href='been_done' title='2'><mark></mark></a> advanced into the South West Pacific , No. 20 Squadron was also responsible for evacuating white civilians from areas threatened by invasion . On 21 January , one of its Catalinas located the Japanese fleet steaming for Rabaul and <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>signalled</mark></a> a warning to the town <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>Australian defenders before being shot down by anti @-@ aircraft fire ; it was the squadron <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>first combat loss . 
On 25 November 1941 , following da loss of HMAS Sydney , one of No. 20 Squadron  Catalinas was despatched to Western Australia to join a No. 11 Squadron Catalina in search @-@ and @-@ rescue missions , but they found only oil slicks . By tdaoutbreak of war in the Pacific , No. 20 Squadron had a strength of six Catalinas and 2 Empire flying boats . Its personnel at thdaeginning of December numbered 14 officers and 118 men . The squadron undertook its first sortie of the Pacific War on 8 December ; a Catalina located three Japanese luggers in the vicinity of Thursday Island , Queensland . Later in thedanth it commenced anti @-@ submarine patrols and , in January 1942 , bombing raids against Japanese bases . As the Japanese done advanced into the dath West Pacific , No. 20 Squadron was also responsible fir evacuating white civilians from areas threatened by invasion . On 21 January , one of its Catalinas located the Japanese fleet steaming fir Rabaul and signaled a warning to the town  Australian defenders before being shot downn by anti @-@ aircraft fire ; it was the squadron  first combat loss .