The Double Sunrise pioneers

How skill, endurance and courage beat the war blockade

As Qantas investigates new aircraft for its Project Sunrise long-distance flights, the name pays homage to the challenging World War II Double Sunrise flights. Qantas is a world leader in long-range flights, reinforced by those audacious and demanding operations seven decades ago.

Hostilities to Australia’s north created difficulties in maintaining a service carrying government communications, mail and vital passengers between Australia and Britain. With the Empire Air Mail Service suspended, urgent action was required. In March 1943 approval was given for a service to be operated across the Indian Ocean. Following the selection on April 22 1943 of Qantas Empire Airways Ltd (QEA) as agent of BOAC to provide the service, the first of seven RAF survey flights from Koggala Lake in southern Ceylon arrived in Perth on May 4 1943. Captain W H Crowther was appointed the following month to lead QEA’s Western Operations Division based at Crawley Bay on the Swan River.