In mid-1948, the Soviet Union placed the French-, British- and American sectors of the occupied city of Berlin under blockade following a dispute with the western powers, cutting off the city's land supply routes. As a humanitarian disaster loomed, a large-scale airlift was planned by the western powers to fly in aid to the city’s population. To support the effort, the Australian Government offered aircraft and aircrews to bolster the contribution of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force (RAF). Due to the inability of the RAF to fully crew its own Dakotas, the decision was made for the Australian contribution to be limited to aircrew who would utilise British aircraft. The Berlin Airlift Squadron was formed at RAAF Richmond in August 1948 from ten Douglas Dakota crews drawn from No. 36 and No. 38 Squadrons. In late August, the crews travelled to the United Kingdom as passengers in Qantas flying boats. The Australian contribution to the airlift, from September 1948, was designated Operation Pelican.