LEARMONTH AIRFIELD, WA
(In the Exmouth Gulf area which was also known as Potshot)

Location of some WA airfields

Learmonth airfield, located near Exmouth in Western Australia, was named after Charles Learmonth who was killed in the crash of a Beaufort bomber on 6 January 1944. His aircraft plunged into the sea during a training flight between Pearce and Rottnest. Potshot was the code name given to the Exmouth Gulf area during World War 2.

	No 76 Operational Base Unit, Potshot, March 1944. Kittyhawk.  Charles Eaton Photographic Collection via Mitch Williamson
	No 76 Operational Base Unit, Potshot, March 1944. Base.  Charles Eaton Photographic Collection via Mitch Williamson
	No 31 Squadron, Coomalie, March 1944. Beaufighter at Potshot.  Charles Eaton Photographic Collection via Mitch Williamson

Military Units based at Learmonth during WW2

Subject:    Potshot
Date:             Sun, 12 Nov 2000 08:34:07 +1100
From:           "gshardy" <gshardy@netconnect.com.au>

Peter,

Having spent a fair bit of time at RAAF Learmonth, first with 5ACS in 1973. Then with the ARMY. last time there would have been about 1996. In 73 we stayed in old buildings near the weather station about a mile from the main gate of the base. They were the WW2 buildings.

The Pot shot INN at Exmouth is so named because the Japs took shots at it during the war. Learmonth is about 20 miles south of Exmouth. So got a bit confused when you stated that Learmonth was formerly Potshot. I hope this info is of some help to you. Did you get my Email about the Avro Anson W2020.

cya Steve

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 18 August 2000

This page last updated 22 February 2020