RAAF 453 Squadron was formed at Bankstown, New South Wales, on 29th July, 1941, and was raised under the Empire Air Training Scheme. It was destined for service in Singapore, where it arrived on 15th August.  It was equipped with Brewster Buffalo fighters which had been considered in inadequate for operations in Europe, but were considered to be suitable in  the Far East.
The squadron became operational less than three weeks before the Japanese attack on Malaya, and strove to support the ground troops by providing air cover and attacking Japanese troops and transport. They suffered high losses in doing so against superior forces, both in terms of numbers and equipment. It was left with only three working aircraft.
Having moved further north to protect the fleet, it was forced to retire to Kuala Lumper after only six days and by 22nd December the squadron was down to three aircraft.  On the 25th it moved back to Singapore and joined forces with No 21 Squadron RAAF before moving to Batavia in February.  However, the end was in sight and the squadron returned to Adelaide, where it disbanded on 15th March, 1942.

The squadron reformed at Drem on 18th June, 1942, as a result of No's 452 and 457 Squadrons being withdrawn for operations in Australia.  Beginning operations in July, these mainly consisted of convoy patrols and lasted until August when the squadron moved to Hornchurch, but still in a defensive role acting as escort cover.  In March 1943 it re-equipped with Spitfires IXs, having operated Mk Vs until then and it now began to to build up a number of victories. In June 1943 it moved to Ibsley and now added anti-shipping strikes to it duties, but in October it moved to Scotland for defensive duties.

From November 1944, to March 1945, 453 Squadron was heavily engaged in striking at assembly and launch sites used by the Germans in their V2 rocket attacks against Britain. On 2nd May, 1945, the squadron escorted the aircraft that returned Queen Wilhelmina to The Netherlands after three years in exile. This was 453 Squadron's last mission of the war. After the war it was planned that the squadron would form a long-term Australian presence among the occupation forces but sufficient volunteers could not be found to make this a viable proposition. Thus, on 21st January, 1946, the squadron disbanded at Hawkinge.