The Malayan Emergency was declared on 18 June 1948 , after three estate managers were murdered by members of the Malayan Communist Party ( MCP ) . Australian involvement began in June 1950 , when in response to a British request , six Lincolns from No. 1 Squadron and a flight of Dakotas from No. 38 Squadron arrived in Singapore to form part of the British Commonwealth Far East Air Force ( FEAF ) . The Dakotas were subsequently used on cargo runs , troop movement , as well as paratroop and leaflet drops , while the Lincoln bombers carried out bombing raids against the Communist Terrorist ( CT ) jungle bases . The RAAF were particularly successful , and in one such mission known as Operation Termite , five Lincoln bombers destroyed 181 communist camps , killed 13 communists and forced one into surrender , in a joint operation with the RAF and ground troops . The Lincolns were withdrawn in 1958 , and were replaced by Canberra bombers from No. 2 Squadron and CAC Sabres from No. 78 Wing . Based at RAAF Base Butterworth they also carried out a number ground attack missions against the guerrillas .