Military history has a habit of celebrating the men who fought while overlooking those who made it possible for them to fight in the first place. Ian Croft’s We Prepared the Way: Airfield Construction Squadrons RAAF – A Brief History with Memoirs attempts to correct that imbalance by telling the story of one of the Royal Australian Air Force’s least celebrated wartime organisations. Published in 2007, the book combines a concise operational history with the recollections of the men who built, repaired and maintained the airfields that underpinned Allied air operations across the Pacific.
The subject itself is an excellent one. Airfield Construction Squadrons rarely receive more than a passing mention in broader histories of the Pacific War, despite the fact that modern air warfare simply could not function without them. Fighters and bombers attract the glamour, but someone had to carve runways out of jungle, coral and swamp, often under appalling climatic conditions and occasionally within range of enemy attack. Croft ensures these men finally receive some well-deserved recognition.
The greatest strength of the book lies in its memoirs. Personal recollections transform what might otherwise have become a straightforward engineering history into a far more human story. The reader quickly gains an appreciation of the physical labour involved, the improvisation demanded by shortages of equipment, and the endless battle against mud, dust, tropical rain and disease. These accounts remind us that logistics is rarely glamorous, but it is often the deciding factor in military success.
Croft also deserves credit for assembling material that might otherwise have disappeared forever. Many veterans recorded their memories late in life, and preserving those voices is itself a valuable historical contribution. As with many unit histories, the book functions as both history and memorial, ensuring that the achievements of these squadrons are not forgotten.
Where the book is less successful is in its historical analysis. Readers seeking a detailed operational study will occasionally be disappointed. The narrative tends to describe events rather than examine them critically. Questions about how construction priorities influenced Allied strategy, how engineering resources were allocated, or how Australian units compared with their American counterparts receive relatively limited discussion. There is ample opportunity to explore these broader themes, but the book generally prefers commemoration over interpretation.
The structure reflects its origins as a veterans’ history rather than an academic monograph. Operational summaries are often brief before giving way to memoirs, photographs and personal anecdotes. For former members, their families and researchers interested specifically in Airfield Construction Squadrons, this is entirely appropriate. For the general military historian, however, the balance can sometimes feel uneven.
Documentation is another area where the book shows its limitations. Croft clearly draws upon official records and veterans’ memories, but the referencing is relatively light by modern academic standards. Readers wanting to pursue particular claims or verify operational details will occasionally find themselves wishing for fuller citations and a more extensive engagement with archival sources. That criticism should not diminish the value of the work, but it does define its intended audience.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the reminder that engineering was every bit as much a weapon as aircraft or artillery. Throughout the New Guinea and island campaigns, the speed with which an airstrip could be constructed often determined how rapidly Allied forces could project air power into newly captured territory. Every completed runway extended the reach of Allied fighters, shortened bomber missions, improved casualty evacuation and accelerated the movement of supplies. Croft illustrates this reality effectively, even if he does not always draw out its wider strategic implications.
From a writing perspective, the prose is clear, direct and accessible. Croft avoids unnecessary technical jargon, making the book suitable for readers with little engineering background. At times the narrative becomes somewhat descriptive, and the lack of deeper analysis occasionally leaves the reader wanting more, but readability is never sacrificed.
Ultimately, We Prepared the Way succeeds because it documents a neglected part of Australia’s wartime experience. It gives overdue recognition to men whose contribution has often been overshadowed by more dramatic combat narratives. While it falls short of being a comprehensive scholarly study of military engineering in the South West Pacific, it was never really intended to be one. Instead, it stands as an important unit history and a valuable collection of veteran testimony.
For readers interested in Australian military engineering, RAAF history or the logistical foundations of the Pacific War, it is well worth seeking out. Those looking for a deeply analytical campaign history may find themselves supplementing it with broader studies of Allied logistics and operations. Even so, Croft has performed an important service. He reminds us that before the fighters could take off, before the bombers could strike, and before victory could be secured, someone first had to prepare the way.
I would recommend it to readers interested in Australian military history, researchers studying the Pacific War, those with an interest in military engineering and logistics, and Veterans and descendants of the RAAF Airfield Construction Squadrons. However, readers seeking a heavily analytical academic history, those wanting detailed operational studies of individual Pacific campaigns, and 5eaders expecting extensive strategic analysis rather than personal memoir are likely to be disappointed.