Introduction to "The Golden Years of RAAF"

Since Lieutenant James Cook explored the East Coast of Australia 201 years have passed and it is interesting to reflect that within those 201 years interest in flying in this country goes back at least 120 years.

As early as 185 1, sixty-eight years after man had his first ascent in a balloon, D. W. Bland of Sydney designed his 'Atmotic Ship' and offered plans of this airship to British and foreign governments for military use. During this balloon era, Australian military authorities took a keen interest in the lighter-than-air ascents and flights made by civilians between 1858 and 1879 in Melbourne and Sydney. In 1885 Australian troops first saw military balloons used in the Sudan campaign, and later, during the South African War of 1889-1902. In 1901 a military balloon was demonstrated for the first time in Australia during the Federation celebrations.

At the turn of the century many experiments were being made with heavier-than-air flying models and gliders. One of the leading exponents of the theory of flight at the time was the Australian, Lawrence Hargrave. Hargrave's box-kite and rotary engine designs, together with the ideas of other pioneers, played an important part in planning the transition from lighter-than air to heavier-than-air flight. The work of these dedicated men culminated in Orville Wright's flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on 17 December 1903.

This great achievement was to have a profound effect on the history of the world. In Australia it led six years later to the offer by the Australian authorities of a £5,000 prize for 'a flying machine ... for military purposes.' Although this competition was unsuccessful it brought about two historic events in the history of Australian aviation. First, George Augustine Taylor designed a glider under the aegis of the Army. Using this heavier-than-air craft Taylor became the first man to fly in Australia when he carried out a number of controlled flights at Narrabeen, New South Wales, On 5 December 1909.

Lieutenant Taylor later fitted an engine to his glider to compete in the competition, but the resultant aircraft was not a success. The second event occurred on 16 July 1910, at Mia Mia, Victoria, when John R. Duigan flew the first powered aircraft designed and built in Australia. Duigan's entry for the military competition was, unfortunately, received too late.

A civilian Bristol Boxkite - note the equal span wings which gave it it's name - was demonstrated to Army officials at Altona, Victoria, and Liverpool, New South Wales in 1911. It is pictured in flight at Geelong, Victoria. Photo courtesy H. V. Leckie

Nevertheless this important machine was the forerunner of military aircraft in Australia, and the Duigan biplane has been retained for exhibition by the Institute of Applied Science of Victoria.

This same period saw the importation of the first powered aircraft to Australia. Several 'hops' and flights were carried out by Defries in a Wright biplane at Sydney on 9 and 18 December igog, Custance in a Bleriot monoplane at Bolivar, South Australia, on 17 March 191, and Houdini in a Voisin box-kite at Diggers Rest, Victoria, on 18 March 1910.

These early endeavours attracted the attention of the Government because of the imminent development of military aviation.

In December 1910 the Defence Department first reviewed a proposed plan for an Australian aviation corps.

Then, in the early months of 1911, a civilian Bristol Boxkite was demonstrated to army officials at Altona, Victoria, and Liverpool, New South Wales. Favourable assessments were submitted, and later in the year the Minister for Defence, Senator G. F. Pearce, returned from attending the Imperial Conference in the United Kingdom convinced that an air corps should be established.

Lieutenant R Williams, the first Central Flying School trainee to qualify for wings in 1914. Image courtesy Sir Richard Williams.

First step in his plan was an advertisement in the Commonwealth Gazette, 3o December 191 1, for the 'appointment of two competent mechanists and aviators'.

The following year proved to be an important military aviation period. In the United Kingdom, the Royal Flying Corps was formed with military and naval wings on 13 May 1912; the Royal Naval Air Service became an autonomous element two years later, on 1 July 1914. In Australia, the second half of 1912 witnessed a quick succession of events. On 3 July two B.E.2a biplanes and two Deperdussin monoplanes were ordered, and on 6 August Lieutenant H. A. Petre was appointed Australia's first military aviator.

The Military Board considered a proposal by the Chief of General Staff on 11 September for a 'flying school and corps', and on the 20th the Minister for Defence approved the formation of the Australian Flying Corps and Central Flying School. Meantime, Lieutenant E. Harrison was engaged as the second aviator on 16 September. Finally, on 6 December the fifth aircraft, a Bristol Boxkite, was ordered.

Recruiting for the new air corps began on 1 January 1913. On 7 March Point Cook, Victoria, was ratified as the site for the Central Flying School after other areas at Duntroon in the Australian Capital Territory, and Langwarren, Cribb Point, Western Port, and Altona in Victoria had been considered. Throughout 1913 aircraft were assembled, and hangars, tents, and buildings were erected at Point Cook.

The first military aircraft to fly in Australia took to the air on i March 1914, when the Bristol Boxkite and a Deperdussin were tested at Point Cook. These aircraft were the forerunners of a mixed collection of over twenty different trainers used by the Central Flying School between 1914 and 1918. In addition, a State Aviation School operated at Richmond, New South Wales, between 19 16 and 19 19, using Curtiss jenny trainers.

The remains of an aircraft flown by Lieutenant G. P. Merz and Lieutenant W. Burn, who were killed in action after their Half Flight aircraft was forced down by engine failure in Mesopotamia on 30 July 1915. The Caudron was collected by motor transport after it had been hacked by Arabs.

The first Central Flying School course commenced at Point Cook thirteen days after the declaration of of the 1914/18 war. The four candidates on the first course were Captain T W White and Lieutenants R Williams, G P Merz and D. T. Manwell; Williams was the first to qualify for his wings on 12 November. During the war years eight courses were completed, the graduating pilots, observers, and mechanics going to the Australian Flying Corps.

The Australian Flying Corps became operational when the famous Half Flight was despatched to Mesopotamia (Iraq) in response to a request for assistance from the Indian Government on 8 February 1915. The Half Flight, commanded by Captain Petre, went into action on 31 May from Basra. It was later incorporated into NO. 30 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, and a variety of aircraft types were used - Longhorn, Shorthorn, Martinsyde, Caudron, and B.E.2C.

Some of these machines were used in the first ever air-supply operations to the beleaguered garrison at Kut-el-Amara in 1916. When Kut surrendered on 29 April 1916, the Half Flight officer strength had been depleted by 75 per cent - Merz, the first Australian aviator lost in action, was killed by the Arabs, and White and Lieutenant W. H. Treloar were captured by the Turks. Many of the ground staff were also killed or captured. Recalling the achievements of this small but gallant force, General Sir John Monash wrote later that it laid the foundations upon which 'Australian airmen achieved a repute of high efficiency . . . [and] a tradition of sublime valour'.

The airmen Sir John mentioned so highly were members of the Australian Flying Corps operational squadrons - No. 1 in Egypt and Palestine 1916-18, and Nos 2, 3, and 4 on the Western Front in France 1917- 18. The squadrons included men of the calibre of Lieutenant F. H. McNamara, No. 1 Squadron, Australia's only air V.C. of the 1914-18 War; Captain R. Williams, flight commander of No. 1, who later, as a Major, commanded the squadron and, later still, as a Lieutenant Colonel commanded the 40th Wing, Royal Air Force; Captain Ross Smith, most highly-decorated member of No. 1, and pilot of the Australian Flying Corps' only twin-engined aircraft, the Handley Page 0/400; Captain A. H. Cobby, No. 4 Squadron, leading Australian Flying Corps ace with twenty-nine victories; and Major Oswald Watt, Commanding Officer of No. 2, who had previously flown with the French Flying Corps. There were many others.

Supporting the operational elements in the field was an Australian Training Wing in the United Kingdom comprising Nos 5, 6, 7 and 8 Squadrons, Australian Flying Corps. Many different types of aircraft were used by the eight squadrons including B.E.2 variants, Martinsyde and Bristol fighters, R.E.8s, Bristol fighters, D.H.5 and S.E.5a scouts, Sopwith Camels and Snipes.

In addition to the Australians who flew with the Australian Flying Corps many joined the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service, and Royal Air Force. This distinguished group included Captains R. A. Little and R. S. Dallas, who occupied eighth and sixteenth positions on the list of British air aces of the 1914-18 War, with respective totals of forty-seven and thirty-nine enemy aircraft destroyed. Other youthful Australians, later to ach 'eve fame in the field of civil aviation, were Kingsford Smith, Bert Hinkler, and P. G. Taylor. Altogether 460 officers and 2,234 other ranks served with the Australian Flying Corps, and about 200 other pilots and observers flew with other flying services during the 1914-18 War.

After the Armistice the flying personnel returned to Australia and, in 1919, the Australian Flying Corps was disbanded. Although the Central Flying School continued to operate at Point Cook, military flying practically ceased until 1920 when the Australian Air Corps was temporarily formed. This Corps was still controlled by the Army, but plans were under way for the establishment of a permanent air force. Then, after several Air Board and Air Council meetings, £500,000 was granted in the 1920-21 Estimates for an autonomous military aviation service.

Lieutenant F. H. McNamara, V.C., of No. 67 (Australian) Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, later No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, who landed his aircraft in hostile territory after bombing the enemy, to pick up a stranded B.E.2C pilot on 20 March 1917.

His own damaged Martinsyde crashed on take-off. He then managed to start the stranded B.E.2C aircraft and flew his colleague back to safety. He was awarded the Victoria Cross on 8 June 1917.

Lieutenant McNamara became an Air Vice-Marshal in the RAAF during the 1939-45 War. He died in England on 2 November 1961