List of Royal Australian Air Force air marshals

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Sir Richard Williams, the first officer of the Royal Australian Air Force to obtain air marshal rank.

The following is a list of Australians who have attained air marshal rank within the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF); that is, service personnel who have held the rank of air chief marshal (four-star rank), air marshal (three-star rank) or air vice marshal (two-star rank). The Royal Australian Air Force was established in 1921 as a separate branch of the Australian military forces. The service was modelled after the Royal Air Force—formed three years earlier—and adopted the same ranking system.[1][2][3] Richard Williams, regarded as the "father" of the Royal Australian Air Force, was the service's first member to obtain air-officer rank on being promoted to air commodore (one-star rank) in 1927; he went on to become the first air vice marshal (1935) and air marshal (1940).[4][5] In 1965, Sir Frederick Scherger became the first officer to be advanced to air chief marshal, one of only four members of the Royal Australian Air Force to obtain this rank as of June 2014.[6] A further twenty-one individuals have reached air marshal in the RAAF and 127 air vice marshal; seven officers have retired with the honorary rank of air vice marshal.[7][8]

Air chief marshals

A black shoulder board with the word "AUSTRALIA" across the bottom. Above the word is a thick, blue horizontal stripe, with three thinner blue horizontal stripes above that.
An Australian air chief marshal's rank insignia

  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the air chief marshal is still a serving member of the RAAF.

A dash (—) in the "Died" column indicates that the person is still living.

The rank of air chief marshal is the most senior rank within the Royal Australian Air Force to which, excluding ceremonial appointments, any officer has ever been promoted. Only the five-star rank of Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force is higher, but it has only been held in a ceremonial capacity. As there are currently no appointments in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) at the five-star level, there is no prospect of a RAAF officer achieving the rank in a professional (i.e. non-ceremonial) capacity. Additionally, Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force is generally considered to be a marshal rank as opposed to an air marshal rank and so the only two individuals ever to hold the rank, King George VI and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, are not listed in a separate section. With the current structure of the ADF, the rank of air chief marshal is only held when an officer of the RAAF is appointed as Chief of the Defence Force. As of June 2018, only four officers have obtained the rank of air chief marshal in the RAAF, the first being Sir Frederick Scherger in 1965 who was also the first non-Army officer in the Australian military to reach four-star rank. Mark Binskin is the recently promoted of the four, having been advanced to air chief marshal in June 2014.[6][9]

Air chief marshals of the Royal Australian Air Force are as follows:[10]

Name Born Died Senior command(s) and notes
Mark Binskin 1960
Chief of the Defence Force (2014–18), Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2011–14), Chief of Air Force (2008–11), Air Commander Australia (2007–08)
Sir Angus Houston 1947
Chief of the Defence Force (2005–11), Chief of Air Force (2001–05)
Sir Neville McNamara 1923 2014 Chief of the Defence Force Staff (1982–84), Chief of the Air Staff (1979–82), Commander, RAAF Forces Vietnam (1971–72)
Sir Frederick Scherger 1904 1984 Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (1961–66), Chief of the Air Staff (1957–61)

Air marshals

A black shoulder board with the word "AUSTRALIA" across the bottom. Above the word is a thick, blue horizontal stripe, with two thinner blue horizontal stripes above that.
An Australian air marshal's rank insignia

  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the air marshal is still a serving member of the RAAF.

A dash (—) in the "Died" column indicates that the person is still living.

Air marshal is the highest permanent rank in the Royal Australian Air Force. The rank of air marshal is always held by the Chief of Air Force, though is also held when a RAAF officer is appointed as Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Chief of Joint Operations or Chief of Joint Capabilities. Richard Williams was the officer to attain the rank of air marshal in the RAAF on promotion in 1940.[11] Regarded as the 'father' of the Royal Australian Air Force, Williams was its first and longest serving Chief, being appointed to the post during three different periods and serving for a total of thirteen years.[4][5] The current Chief of Joint Capabilities, Warren McDonald, is the most recent officer to obtain the rank of air marshal on promotion in January 2019.

Air marshals of the Royal Australian Air Force are as follows:[12]

Name Born Died Senior command(s) and notes
Geoff Brown 1958
Chief of Air Force (2011–15), Deputy Chief of Air Force (2008–11)
Leo Davies 1960
Chief of Air Force (2015–19), Deputy Chief of the Air Force (2012–15)
David Evans 1925
Chief of the Air Staff (1982–85)
Les Fisher 1941
Chief of Air Force (1994–98)
Ray Funnell 1935
Chief of the Air Staff (1987–92), Vice Chief of the Defence Force (1986–87)
Barry Gration 1936
Chief of Air Force (1992–94), Air Commander Australia (1990–92). Brother of General Peter Gration
Sir Valston Hancock 1907 1998 Chief of the Air Staff (1961–65), Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1959–61)
Sir Colin Hannah 1914 1978 Governor of Queensland (1972–77), Chief of the Air Staff (1970–72), Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1965–67)
John Harvey 1954
Chief of Capability Development Group (2010–12), Program Manager, New Air Combat Capability (2006–10)
Mel Hupfeld* 1962
Chief of Air Force (2019–), Chief of Joint Operations (2018–19), Head Force Design (2016–18), Head Capability Systems (2014–15), Air Commander Australia (2012–14), Commander Air Combat Group (2008–11)
Sir George Jones 1896 1992 Director of Coordination, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (1952–57), Chief of the Air Staff (1942–52)
Sir John McCauley 1899 1989 Chief of the Air Staff (1954–57), Air Officer Commanding Home Command (1949–54)
Warren McDonald* 1963
Chief of Joint Capabilities (2017–), Deputy Chief of Air Force (2015–17)
Errol McCormack 1941
Chief of Air Force (1998–01)
Sir Alister Murdoch 1912 1984 Chief of the Air Staff (1965–69), Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1962–65)
John Newham 1930
Chief of the Air Staff (1985–87)
Sir Charles Read 1918 2014 Chief of the Air Staff (1972–75)
Douglas Riding 1943
Vice Chief of the Defence Force (1998–00)
Sir James Rowland 1922 1999 Governor of New South Wales (1981–89), Chief of the Air Staff (1975–79)
Geoff Shepherd 1952
Chief of Air Force (2005–08), Air Commander Australia (2003–05)
Sir Richard Williams 1890 1980 Director-General of Civil Aviation (1946–55), Air Officer Commanding Overseas Headquarters (1941–42), Chief of the Air Staff (1922; 1925–32; 1934–39)

Air vice marshals

A black shoulder board with the word "AUSTRALIA" across the bottom. Above the word is a thick, blue horizontal stripe, with a thinner blue horizontal stripe above that.
An Australian air vice marshal's rank insignia

  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the air vice marshal is still a serving member of the RAAF.
  This along with the + (plus) indicates that the officer retired with the hononary rank of air vice marshal.

A dash (—) in the "Died" column indicates that the person is still living.

The first Royal Australian Air Force air vice marshal was Richard Williams in 1935;[4] he was followed by Stanley Goble—Williams' successor all three times he held the position of Chief of the Air Staff—two years later.[13] Frank McNamara, the first Australian aviator to be decorated with the Victoria Cross, also resides among the ranks of RAAF air vice marshals. McNamara was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1917 during the First World War while serving with the Australian Flying Corps, the Australian Army's air branch and predecessor of the RAAF; he was made an air vice marshal in 1942.[3][14] As of February 2017, four women have reached air vice marshal rank: Julie Hammer, the first female to obtain one-star rank in the ADF on promotion to air commodore in 1999, was the first to achieve two-star rank when advanced to air vice marshal in 2003;[15][16] Margaret Staib was promoted on appointment as Commander Joint Logistics in 2010;[17] Tracy Smart made air vice marshal on appointment as Commander Joint Health in 2015; and Cath Roberts was promoted on being made Head Aerospace Systems Division in 2016.

Air vice marshals of the Royal Australian Air Force are as follows:[18][19]

Name Born Died Senior command(s) and notes
Henry Acton 1902 1971 Air Member for Supply and Equipment (1956–60)
John Adams 1922 1990 Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1978–80)
William Anderson+ 1891 1975 Air Officer Commanding Eastern Area (1942–43), Air Officer Commanding Central Area (1940–41), Chief of the Air Staff (1940)
Tony Austin 1953
Head Defence Health Services (2005–08), Director-General Defence Health Services (2002–05)
Frederick Barnes 1924 2018 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1979–81)
Hugh Bartholomeusz* 1953
Surgeon General Australian Defence Force Reserves (2011–)
Gary Beck 1942
Commandant, Australian Defence Force Academy (1996–97), Air Commander Australia (1992–96)
John Blackburn 1956
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (2005–08)
Frank Bladin 1898 1978 Air Officer Commanding Eastern Area (1947–48), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1944–46), Air Officer Commanding North-Western Area (1942–43)
Richard Bomball 1937
Commandant, Australian Defence Force Academy (1990–93)
William Bostock 1892 1968 Federal Member for Indi (1949–58), Air Officer Commanding RAAF Command (1942–45), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1939–42)
Richard Bradford 1936 2001 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1987–90)
Douglas Cameron 1930
Director-General Policy and Plans (1981–84)
Douglas Candy 1912 1985 Air Officer Commanding Home Command (1958–59), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1956–58)
Ernest Carroll 1925 2010 Chief of Supply (1980–82)
Alan Charlesworth+ 1903 1978 Air Officer Commanding Overseas Headquarters (1954–55), Air Officer Commanding North-Western Area (1944–46), Air Officer Commanding Eastern Area (1943–44)
Robert Chipman* 19??
Australian Military Representative to NATO and the European Union (2019–)
Kerry Clarke 1948
Head, Capability Systems Division (2002–05), Commander Five Power Defence Arrangements (2000–02)
Colin Cleary 1913 1995 Air Member for Supply and Equipment (1968–73)
Alan Clements* 19??
Head of Australian Defence Staff, Washington, D.C. (2017–20)
Adrian Cole+ 1895 1966 Air Member for Personnel (1944–45), Air Officer Commanding North-Western Area (1943–44), Air Officer Commanding Southern Area (1940–41)
Billie Collings 1932
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1985–87)
William Collins 1939
Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command (1990–93)
Lyndon Crompton 1922 2004 Chief of Air Force Technical Services (1975–1979)
Raymond Conroy 1947
Head Aerospace Systems Division (1990–91)
John Cornish 1922
Chief of Air Force Materiel (1975–79)
Franklin Cox 1941
Assistant Chief of the Defence Force (Personnel) (1994–97)
Denis Creal 1903 1993 Air Member for Supply and Equipment (1960–64)
Peter Criss 1949
Air Commander Australia (1999–00)
Edward Daley 1901 1985 Director-General RAAF Medical Services (1945–61), Director Medical Services (1943–45)
Chris Deeble 1957
Program Manager for the Joint Strike Fighter Division (2014–16), Program Manager, Airborne Early Warning and Control (2006–14)
Joseph Dietz 1929 1985 Chief of Air Force Technical Services (1981–85)
Desmond Douglas 1917 1980 Australian Defence Representative in Washington D.C. (1970–74)
Andrew Dowse 1963
Head of ICT Operations and Strategic J6 (2014–17)
David Dunlop 1949
Director-General Defence Force Cadets (2003–05), Director-General Reserves (2002–03)
Brian Eaton 1916 1982 Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1973), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1966–67)
Brenton Espeland 1948 2017 Advisor to Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games Coordination Task Force (1999–01), Deputy Chief of Air Force (1998–99), Air Officer Commanding Training Command (1995–98)
Greg Evans 1957
Deputy Chief of Joint Operations (2008–09), Commander Joint Task Force 633 (2004–05)
James Flemming 1926 2015 Director, Australian War Memorial (1982–87)
Roy Frost 1930 2001 Chief of Air Force Materiel (1982–83)
William Gibson+ 1915 1982 Senior Air Staff Officer Operational Command (1963–64, 1966–67), Senior Air Staff Officer Far East Air Force (1964–66)
Stanley Goble 1891 1948 Chief of the Air Staff (1922–25; 1932–34; 1939–40)
Leigh Gordon* 19??
Head Joint Strike Fighter (2016–), Head Aerospace Systems (2013–16)
Brian Graf 1937
Director-General Technical Plans (1987–88)
Norman Gray 1952
Chief Executive Officer, Defence Materiel Organisation (2004–05)
Julie Hammer 1955
National President, Engineers Australia (2007–08), Commandant, Australian Defence Force Academy (2001–03). First female to be promoted air commodore and air vice marshal in RAAF; first female promoted to two-star rank in ADF.
Neil Hart 1963
Head One Defence Implementation (2015–17), Head Force Structure Review (2014–16), Head Joint Capability Coordination (2012–13), Deputy Chief of Air Force (2011)
Geoffrey Hartnell 1916 1981 Director Joint Service Plans (1966–68)
Frank Headlam 1914 1976 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1965–66)
Alan Heggen 1932
Chief of Logistics Development (1988–89)
Michael Helsham 1921 2002 Judge Advocate-General RAAF (1969–84)
William Hely 1909 1970 Air Officer Commanding Training Command (1956–57), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1953–55), Air Officer Commanding Western Area (1951–53)
William Henman
Commander Integrated Area Defence System, Malaysia (2014–17)
Keith Hennock 1918 1999 Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1967–69)
Joe Hewitt 1901 1985 No. 9 Operational Group RAAF (1943)
Ernest Hey 1912 2006 Air Member for Technical Services (1960–72)
Colin Hingston 1949
Head Business Information Systems (2000–02)
Leslie Holten 1916 2006 Air Member for Supply and Equipment (1973–75)
Henry Hughes 1928 2005 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1981–83)
Douglas Hurditch 1921 2018 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1974–75)
Sir Victor Hurley 1888 1958 Director-General Medical Services RAAF (1942–45)
Tim Innes* 1960
Commander Integrated Area Defence System (2017–), Commander Joint Task Force 633 (2016–17)
Joe Iervasi*
Air Commander Australia (2019–), Commander Joint Task Force 633 (2019)
John Jordan 1923
Air Member for Personnel (1975–76)
John Kindler 1946
Air Commander Australia (2000–03)
Russell Law 1928
Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1981–84)
John Lessels 1930 1999 Director-General Natural Disasters Organisation (1984–87)
Warren Ludwig 1960
Commander Integrated Area Defence System, Malaysia (2010–14)
John Lush+ 1915 1977 Air Officer Commanding Support Command (1969–70), Commander, RAAF Forces Vietnam (1967–68)
George Mackinolty 1895 1951 Air Member for Supply and Equipment (1942–51)
Ian McLachlan 1911 1991 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1959–61), Air Officer Commanding Training Command (1957–59)
Roxley McLennan 1950
Deputy Chief of Air Force (2004–05), Commander Integrated Area Defence System, Malaysia (2002–04), Commander Air Lift Group (1998–00)
Frank McNamara+ 1894 1961 Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden (1942–45), Air Officer Commanding Overseas Headquarters (1942). First Australian aviator to receive the Victoria Cross.
Anthony Marsh 1915 1994 Director-General Medical Services RAAF (1967–71)
Stephen Meredith*
Deputy Chief of Air Force (2019–), Head Force Integration (2017–19), Commander Air Warfare Centre (2016–17)
Michael Miller 1935 2016 Surgeon-General Australian Defence Force (1990–92), Director General Air Force Health Services (1987–90)
Graeme Moller 1943
Surgeon-General Australian Defence Force (1996–98), Director General Air Force Health Services (1990–93)
John Monaghan 1954
Head, Aerospace Systems Division (2002–04)
David Morgan 1920 1995 Director-General RAAF Medical Services (1971–80)
Graham Neil 1937
Assistant Chief of the Defence Force (Personnel) (1990–92), Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Personnel) (1989–90)
Geoffrey Newstead 1920 2004 Air Officer Commanding Support Command (1973–77), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1972–73), Commander, RAAF Forces Vietnam (1968–69)
Alastair Nicholson 1938
Judge Advocate-General Australian Defence Force (1987–92), Judge Advocate General RAAF (1983–85)
Peter Nicholson 1946
Air Commander Australia (1996–98)
Rodney Noble 1921 1995 Chief of Air Force Technical Services (1979–81)
Thomas O'Brien 1939
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1990–93)
Brendan O'Loghlin 1944
Air Officer Commanding Training Command (1994–95)
Stephen Osborne
Commander Operation Sovereign Borders (2017–18)
Kym Osley 1959
Program Manager, New Air Combat Capability (2011–14), Head of Australian Defence Staff, Washington D.C. (2008–11), Commander Air Combat Group (2007–08)
Harold Parker 1924 2006 Director-General Air Force Operations and PLans (1976–77)
Ian Parker 1923 1985 Chief of Air Force Personnel (1976–79)
John Paule 1932
Director-General Air Force Manpower (1985–87)
Kevin Paule 1959
Head of Military Strategic Commitments (2010–13), Commander Air Force Training Group (2006–07)
Jack Plenty 1956
Head Capability Systems (2008–12), Commander Air Lift Group (2007–08)
John Quaife 1955
Head Capability Systems (2007–08), Air Commander Australia (2005–07), Commander Air Combat Group (2002–04)
Edward Radford 1935
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1990), Air Commander Australia (1985–1990)
Alan Reed 1933
Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command (1987–90)
Glen Reed 1937 2016 Director-General Air Force Health Services (1984–87)
Bernard Reynolds 1931 1986 Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1984–85)
Robert Richardson 1941
Deputy Chief of Air Force (1997), Air Officer Commanding Training Command (1992–93)
Trevor Richardson 1938
Commander Tactical Fighter Group (1988–90)
Michael Ridgway 1928 2011 Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1980–81)
Steven Roberton*
Head Force Design (2019–), Air Commander Australia (2017–19)
Catherine Roberts*
Head of Air Force Capability (2019–), Head Aerospace Systems Division (2016–19)
Frederick Robey 1921 1995 Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1974–78), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1973–74), Commander, RAAF Forces Vietnam (1969–70)
David Rogers 1943
Head of Capability Development (1997–98), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1994–97)
Hansjorg Roser 1937
Director-General RAAF Tactical Fighter Project (1992–96)
Clive Rossiter 1955
Head Aerospace Systems Division (2005–08)
Peter Scully 1934
Air Officer Commanding Support Command (1983–86)
Bruce Short 1942
Surgeon-General Australian Defence Force (2001–05)
William Simmonds 1930
Chief of Air Force Operations and Plans (1985–87)
Mark Skidmore 1959
Air Commander Australia (2008–12)
Tracy Smart
Commander Joint Health (2015–19)
Neil Smith 1945
Air Officer Commanding Support Command (1997–00)
Ian Smith 1953
Head Strategic Reform and Governance (2010–??)
Christopher Spence 1951
Commander Joint Logistics (2004–06), Deputy Chief of Air Force (2001–04)
Margaret Staib 1962
CEO of Airservices Australia (2012–2015), Commander Joint Logistics (2010–12), Commandant, Australian Defence Force Academy (2009)
Eric Stephenson 1922 2017 Director-General Air Force Health Services (1980–84)
Ronald Susans 1917 1992 Director-General Operational Requirements (1966–69)
Ian Sutherland 1931
Chief of Air Force Technical Services (1985–89)
Colin Thorne 1963
Head Aerospace Systems (2008–13)
Donald Tidd 1939
Assistant Chief of the Defence Force (Logistics) (1993–95)
Alan Titheridge 1946
Deputy Chief of Air Force (1999–01), Air Commander Australia (1998–99)
William Townsend 1916 1987 Air Officer Commanding Operational Command (1969–73), Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (1967–69)
Raymond Trebilco 1926 1998 Air Officer Commanding Support Command (1979–80)
Robert Treloar 1946
Commander Australian Theatre (1999–01)
Lawrence Trudinger 1915 1985 Director-General Medical Services RAAF (1963–67)
Kenneth Tuckwell 1935
Director-General Air Force Operations (1981–82; 1987–88)
Gavin Turnbull
Deputy Chief of the Air Force (2017–19), Air Commander Australia (2014–17)
Ellis Wackett 1901 1984 Air Member for Technical Services (1942–59)
Allan Walters 1905 1968 Air Officer Commanding Support Command (1959–62), Air Officer Commanding Home Command (1954–57)
Kenneth Watson
Commander Northern Command (2011–13)
Elliott Weller 1941
Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command (1995–97)
Brian Weston 1945
Assistant Chief of the Defence Force (Operations) (1995–97)
Robert White 1926 1998 Chief of Supply (1975–80)
Henry Wrigley+ 1892 1987 Air Officer Commanding Overseas Headquarters (1942–46)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Gillison 1962, p. 16
  2. ^ MacDougall 2007, p. 158
  3. ^ a b Newton 1996, p. 15
  4. ^ a b c "Air Marshal Richard Williams, KBE, CB, DSO". People profiles. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams". History. Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  6. ^ a b Clark, Chris (19 May 2005). "Air Force Defence chiefs of the past". Air Force News. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  7. ^ "Air Marshals of the RAAF". Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Hononary Air Vice Marshals". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  9. ^ Rayner 1992, pp. 298–299
  10. ^ "Air Chief Marshals". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  11. ^ Gillison 1962, p. 93
  12. ^ "Air Marshals". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  13. ^ McCarthy, John (1983). "Goble, Stanley James (1891–1948)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  14. ^ Staunton 2005, pp. 47–49
  15. ^ "Chief of the Defence Force Announces Two Air Force Promotions". Defence Media Release (4 July 2003). Department of Defence. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  16. ^ "Women in Air Force". History. Royal Australia Air Force. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  17. ^ "Commander Joint Logistics". Defence Leaders. Department of Defence. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  18. ^ "Air Vice Marshals A–K". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  19. ^ "Air Vice Marshals L–Z". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2010.

References