Flying Officer Patrick Higgins was a member of 34 SQN which was formed at RAAF Station Darwin 4 days after the city was bombed. The squadron was tasked with transport duties - carrying freight and collecting the first Japanese POW to be captured in Australia. The squadron were initially flying de Havilland DH. 84 Dragons then re-equipped with Douglas C-47 Dakotas which operated in New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies.