134-607: Alan Charles Rawlinson , OBE , DFC & Bar , AFC (31 July 1918 – 27 August 2007) was an Australian airman who became a fighter ace in World War ;II. He was credited with at least eight aerial victories, as well as two aircraft probably destroyed, and another eight damaged. Born in Fremantle , Western Australia, Rawlinson joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1938. He
268-732: A United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) pilot conducted comparative trials pitting the new CAC Boomerang against a Kittyhawk and a Bell Airacobra , reporting favourably on the Boomerang's handling characteristics. On 21 September 1942, Rawlinson was posted to RAAF Headquarters, Melbourne, as an assistant at the office of the Chief of the Air Staff . There he was asked to lead the only RAAF Supermarine Spitfire squadron to be formed in Australia, No. 79 Squadron . Rawlinson married Thora Doreen Buckland,
402-430: A Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force officer, on 3 April 1943. No. 79 Squadron was formed on 26 April 1943 at Laverton , Victoria. It received its first Spitfire VCs on 3 May, and a fortnight later began moving to Goodenough Island , off New Guinea's east coast. Along with two Kittyhawk units, Nos. 76 and 77 Squadrons , No. 79 Squadron came under control of No. 73 Wing , which
536-526: A pilot officer on probation from 22 June 1939. On 7 July he was posted to No. 3 (Army Cooperation) Squadron , which operated Hawker Demon biplane fighters out of RAAF Station Richmond , New South Wales. He spent much of the remainder of the year learning instrument flying on the Link Trainer , and undertaking a parachute training course. In April 1940, the RAAF confirmed Rawlinson's appointment as
670-547: A CR.42 in a head-on attack but did not see it crash, so his claim was downgraded to "damaged". He flew Gauntlets on dive-bombing missions in December; the type was withdrawn from service mid-month. On 22 December 1940, as the Allies advanced along the Libyan coast to Bardia , Rawlinson's rank of flying officer was made substantive ; it was the highest permanent rank he received during
804-527: A GBE (in recognition of his role as chairman of the Scottish War Savings Committee) and the award of medal of the order to Lizzie Robinson, a munitions worker. The order had been established primarily as a civilian award; in August 1918, however, not long after its foundation, a number of awards were made to serving naval and military personnel. Four months later, a 'Military Division' was added to
938-404: A broad riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; female recipients other than Dames Grand Cross (unless in military uniform) normally wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. An oval eight-pointed star is worn, pinned to
1072-538: A burning building containing explosives. In December 1922 the statutes of the order were amended; there having been a large number of awards for war work prior to this date, these amended statutes placed the order on more of a peacetime footing. For the first time numbers of appointments were limited, with the stipulation that senior awards in the Civil Division were to outnumber those in the Military Division by
1206-602: A character resembling the other armed services' cadet colleges, the Royal Australian Naval College and the Royal Military College, Duntroon . The roughly 1,200 applications for each flying course competed for around twelve places. Wing Commander Hippolyte De La Rue became commanding officer in early 1933. The following year, No. 1 FTS commenced regular courses in signals, photography, air observation, and aircraft maintenance. In April 1936,
1340-449: A circlet bearing the motto of the Order; the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. (Prior to 1937 Britannia was shown within the circlet.) The size of the badges varies according to rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander, and Commanders are enamelled, with pale blue crosses, crimson circlets and
1474-466: A citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, and they then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. (An example of the latter is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan , who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship,
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#17331054164691608-751: A flypast over Hyde Park , London, to mark the presentation of the King's Colour to the RAF. He was awarded the Air Force Cross on 5 June 1952, and promoted to substantive wing commander on 1 July. Rawlinson's next command posting was RAF Filton in Bristol , where he controlled a Vampire wing consisting of two Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadrons, No. 501 (City of Gloucester) at Filton and No. 614 (County of Glamorgan) at RAF Llandow in Wales. In late 1953 he became
1742-443: A gold central medallion. Officers' badges are plain silver-gilt, while those of Members are plain silver. From 1917 until 1937, the badge of the order was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe being added for the military division in 1918. Since 1937, the ribbon has been rose-pink with pearl-grey edges (with the addition of a pearl-grey central stripe for the military division). Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on
1876-563: A major re-equipment program, and Australia's increasing involvement in the Vietnam War . The RAAF also had an ongoing commitment to providing flying training to students from the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy . By adding instructors and increasing the ratio of pupils to instructors, the number of Air Force graduates was progressively raised from 38 in 1963, to 100 in 1968. Also in 1968, Macchi MB-326H jet trainers began replacing
2010-841: A pilot officer and his promotion to temporary flying officer backdated to 22 November 1939. He was posted in July 1940 to the Middle East with No. 3 Squadron, which was to support the 6th Division in the Western Desert campaign against Italian forces. Sailing via Bombay , the squadron arrived in Suez , Egypt, on 23 August 1940. The next month it was equipped with a flight of Westland Lysander high-wing monoplane reconnaissance aircraft and two flights of Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters, augmented by four Gloster Gauntlet biplanes to be used for dive bombing; Rawlinson initially trained on
2144-685: A private ceremony. His portrait, painted in 1944 by Flight Lieutenant Vernon Jones, is held by the State Library of Victoria . Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry , rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service . It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions,
2278-488: A proportion of six to one. Furthermore appointments in the civil division were to be divided equally between UK and overseas awards. With regard to the Medal of the Order (but not the order itself), a distinction was made in 1922 between awards 'for gallantry' and awards 'for meritorious service' (each being appropriately inscribed, and the former having laurel leaves decorating the clasp, the latter oak leaves). In 1933 holders of
2412-489: Is a school of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). It is one of the Air Force's original units, dating back to the service's formation in 1921, when it was established at RAAF Point Cook , Victoria. By the early 1930s, the school comprised training, fighter , and seaplane components. It was re-formed several times in the ensuing years, initially as No. 1 Service Flying Training School (No. 1 SFTS) in 1940, under
2546-512: Is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong", and comes in both full-sized and miniature versions – the latter for formal white-tie and semi-formal black-tie occasions. A lapel pin for everyday wear
2680-931: Is not a member of the College of Arms , as are many other heraldic officers; and the Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals. A number, though, continue to make recommendations for appointments to
2814-447: The 1st Parachute Battalion and Z Special Forces . Rawlinson's assessing officer at Richmond considered him "particularly keen and adaptable", having performed well despite the challenges of his "unique appointment". After a brief posting as Director of Air Staff Policy at RAAF Headquarters, Rawlinson succeeded Wilf Arthur as commander of No. 78 (Fighter) Wing at Tarakan , Borneo, on 25 May 1945. The wing came under
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#17331054164692948-541: The Korean War and Malayan Emergency , flying training underwent major changes in 1951–52, the syllabus at No. 1 FTS being split among three separately located units. No. 1 Initial Flying Training School (No. 1 IFTS) was raised at RAAF Station Archerfield , Queensland, to impart students with general aeronautical and military knowledge, after which they received their flight grading during twelve hours on Tiger Moths. Graduate pilots of No. 1 IFTS went on to
3082-484: The Order of Canada . On the other hand, the Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992, which was when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours; the last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours . New Zealand continued to use
3216-513: The Pilatus PC-21 and conducting ab initio flight training. No. 1 Flying Training School (No. 1 FTS) was the first unit to be formally established as part of the new Australian Air Force on 31 March 1921 (the term "Royal" was added in August that year). No. 1 FTS was formed from the remnants of Australia's original military flying unit, Central Flying School , at RAAF Point Cook , Victoria. Squadron Leader William Anderson , who
3350-588: The Pilatus PC-9 took place at No. 2 FTS, Pearce. In 1998, British Aerospace was granted a contract to supply tri-service basic flying instruction at the newly formed Australian Defence Force Basic Flying Training School (ADFBFTS) in Tamworth, the first course commencing in January 1999 on CT-4B Airtrainers, and No. 2 FTS again became responsible for advanced flying training only. ADFBFTS thus became, according to
3484-716: The Vichy French in June–July 1941. On 28 June, he was leading a patrol of nine Tomahawks near Palmyra that came upon six French Martin 167 bombers, and shot down all six; Rawlinson was credited with three victories, raising his total to six. The squadron remained in Syria following the armistice with the French on 14 July. Rawlinson was allocated a new Tomahawk, nicknamed Sweet FA , which he shared with another No. 3 Squadron ace, Peter Turnbull . On 22 August, Rawlinson
3618-912: The Victoria Cross for bombing raids in New Guinea . The RAAF had ordered the school's closure in August 1944 as part of a general reduction in aircrew training, after being informed by the British Air Ministry that it no longer required EATS graduates for the war in Europe. Significant reserves of trained Commonwealth aircrew had been built up in the UK early in 1944 before the invasion of Normandy , but lower-than-anticipated casualties had resulted in an over-supply that by 30 June numbered 3,000 Australians. On 1 March 1946, No. 5 Service Flying Training School at RAAF Station Uranquinty , New South Wales,
3752-449: The 109 and wounded its pilot, Ernst Düllberg , who made a forced landing back at base. Rawlinson was credited with his final victory on 30 November, when he downed an Italian Macchi C.200 in an engagement that saw No. 3 Squadron's tally of claims rise to 106 aircraft destroyed. Rawlinson handed over command of No. 3 Squadron on 12 December 1941. After a brief posting to RAF Headquarters Middle East , he took command of
3886-464: The 21st century quotas were introduced to ensure consistent representation among recipients across nine categories of eligibility: with the largest proportion of awards being reserved for community, voluntary and local service. Non-military awards of the British Empire Medal resumed in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee . In 2017 the centenary of
4020-466: The Avro 504Ks, and more advanced or specialised training on the school's other aircraft. Fourteen students commenced the year-long course, and twelve graduated. As well as flying, they studied aeronautics, communications, navigation, armament and general military subjects. Squadron Leader Anderson resumed command of No. 1 FTS in 1925; the following year he handed over to Wing Commander Adrian Cole , who led
4154-788: The British Empire . Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George . Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir , and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame , to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when
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4288-490: The British Empire for Gallantry. Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. It could not be awarded posthumously , and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of
4422-536: The East Melbourne Harriers' Club , becoming its 1935–36 season champion. Rawlinson was living in the Melbourne suburb of Ivanhoe and had been working as a clerk for two-and-a-half years when he joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 19 July 1938. He underwent flying instruction as an air cadet at No. 1 Flying Training School , Point Cook , and was granted a short-service commission as
4556-666: The Gauntlet. Rawlinson took part in No. 3 Squadron's first aerial combat on 19 November 1940. Flying a Gladiator, he was one of three pilots escorting Flight Lieutenant Blake Pelly on a reconnaissance mission when they were engaged by eighteen Italian Fiat CR.42 biplanes near Rabia in western Egypt. The Australians claimed six CR.42s destroyed for the loss of one Gladiator. Rawlinson has been variously credited with one CR.42 destroyed, one probably destroyed, or one damaged. According to his biographer Lex McAulay, Rawlinson believed he destroyed
4690-589: The Japanese meant that No. 79 Squadron's Spitfires saw relatively little action; the wing's Kittyhawks, with their ground-attack capability, were heavily engaged. On 15 December, the day of the Allied landings at Arawe , No. 76 Squadron Kittyhawks patrolled above the beaches while the Spitfires remained at Kiriwina in case of strikes by Japanese raiders, though none came. Rawlinson returned to Australia to undertake
4824-491: The Maachi course at Pearce was reduced to 150 hours. On 31 December 1968, No. 1 AFTS was disbanded at Pearce, re-forming on 1 January 1969 as No. 2 Flying Training School . At the same time, No. 1 BFTS was disbanded at Point Cook and re-formed as No. 1 FTS. The Winjeels of No. 1 FTS were replaced by CT-4A Airtrainers in late 1975. The first CT-4 pilots' course of 34 students included six from
4958-607: The Middle East, plus two probables and eight damaged (not counting Düllberg), though the RAAF Historical Section gives him a score of ten victories. Arriving in Melbourne on 28 March 1942, Rawlinson was re-raised to temporary squadron leader on 1 April and took charge of the newly formed No. 2 Operational Training Unit (No. 2 OTU) on 13 April. Peter Jeffrey assumed command two weeks later, Rawlinson becoming chief flying instructor. Other instructors at
5092-740: The Military Division of the order from the UK and across the Empire. Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the King's United Kingdom ministers (recommendations for overseas awards were made by the Foreign Office , the Colonial Office , the India Office and the Dominions Office ); but in the early 1940s the system was changed to enable
5226-436: The Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves; however, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade. When the order was founded in 1917, badges, ribands and stars were appointed for wear by recipients. In 1929 mantles, hats and collars were added for recipients of
5360-513: The Order of the British Empire. In 2024 appointments to the order were made by the governments of: Most members of the order are citizens of the United Kingdom or Commonwealth realms that use the UK system of honours and awards. In addition, honorary awards may be made to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state ; these permit use of post-nominal letters, but not the title of Sir or Dame . Honorary appointees who later become
5494-404: The Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of
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5628-700: The Pacific to command No. 78 (Fighter) Wing , which operated P-40 Kittyhawks in Borneo . Promoted to acting group captain in July 1945, he held command of No. 78 Wing until his discharge from the RAAF in December 1946. Rawlinson was commissioned into the Royal Air Force (RAF) in March 1947. He flew de Havilland Vampire jet fighters as commanding officer of No. 54 Squadron in 1949, and then as commander of flying operations at RAF Odiham from 1949 to 1952. He
5762-670: The Queen's Colour and a flypast by six CT-4s in front of the new CAS, Air Marshal Barry Gration . This was followed by a service at the RAAF Chapel of the Holy Trinity overflown by four Winjeels and a Tiger Moth, and later an all-ranks dining-in night. Concurrent with the phase-out of training at No. 1 FTS, British Aerospace was contracted to conduct flight grading at its base in Tamworth , New South Wales. Subsequent all-through flight training on
5896-532: The RAAF had decided to commission all pilots and navigators, who would be selected for these roles upon induction into the service; navigators therefore went straight to the School of Air Navigation at East Sale, without attending flying training school. On 31 December 1958, the Flying Training Squadron of RAAF College was disbanded, and the flight instruction component of the four-year cadet course became
6030-415: The RAAF's philosophy was to give all pilots essentially the same training from induction to graduation, so they would be able to convert more easily from one aircraft type to another as operational requirements evolved. In September 1949, Read handed over to Squadron Leader Glen Cooper , who commanded the school until August 1951. In response to demands for more aircrew to fulfil Australia's commitments to
6164-477: The RAF Air Firing and Fighting School on 26 December. The same day, he was awarded a bar to his DFC, for having "fostered great keenness and a fine fighting spirit amongst pilots of his squadron". He reverted to the rank of flight lieutenant on 12 February 1942, as he no longer held a squadron leader's position, and returned to Australia. Rawlinson is generally credited with a total of eight victories in
6298-477: The RAF on short-service commissions. Link Trainer simulators were introduced in March 1939. RAAF flying training was heavily reorganised soon after the outbreak of World War II, in response to Australia's participation in the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS). Several elementary flying training schools were formed, to provide basic flight instruction to cadets; more advanced pilot instruction
6432-546: The Royal Australian Navy and three from Malaysia. By 1977, the school was organised into Air Training, Ground Training and Maintenance Squadrons. As well as maintaining its own aircraft, it was responsible for technical support of other units at Point Cook. The Queen's Colour was presented to No. 1 FTS by the Governor-General, Sir Zelman Cowen , in 1981. In November 1989, one of the school's CT-4s re-created
6566-423: The Spitfires shot down a Kawasaki Ki-61 "Tony" fighter north of the airfield. Having been promoted to temporary wing commander on 1 August 1943, Rawlinson handed over command of No. 79 Squadron on 7 November and was appointed wing leader of No. 73 Wing, headquartered at Kiriwina. The wing leader was responsible for tactical command of the formation in the air. Minimal offensive air activity by
6700-460: The United Kingdom; those who would formerly have met the criteria for the medal were instead made eligible for the MBE. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons select committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of
6834-598: The Vampires of No. 1 AFTS. The introduction of the Macchi led to a brief flirtation with "all-through" jet training in the Air Force, consisting of 210 hours on this one type of aircraft. The experiment was dropped after two courses as being, in the words of the official historian of the post-war RAAF, "an expensive way of finding out that some pupils lacked the aptitude to become military pilots"; by 1971 students were receiving 60 hours of basic training on Winjeels at Point Cook, and
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#17331054164696968-633: The War Staff Course at the RAAF Staff School in Mount Martha , Victoria, from 4 January to 24 March 1944. His health had suffered as a result of his service in the Pacific and he was judged unfit for operational flying. His next posting was as commanding officer of the RAAF's Paratroop Training Unit , based at Richmond, from 1 April 1944 to 23 April 1945; the school was responsible for training Australian Army personnel, including
7102-450: The addition of a vertical pearl grey stripe in the centre for awards in the military division). From time to time the order was expanded: there was an increase in the maximum permitted number of recipients in 1933, and a further increase in 1937. During the Second World War, as had been the case during and after World War I, the number of military awards was greatly increased; between 1939 and 1946 there were more than 33,000 appointments to
7236-413: The cathedral. That year, Commonwealth awards made up 40% of all OBEs and MBEs awarded (and 35% of all living recipients of the higher awards). Gradually that proportion reduced as independent states within the Commonwealth established their own systems of honours . The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of
7370-418: The circlet. In 1929, to bring the order into line with the other orders of chivalry, members of the first class of the order (GBE) were provided with mantles, hats and collars. Only Knights/Dames Grand Cross wear these elaborate vestments; the hat is now rarely, if ever, worn. Use of the mantle is limited to important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations ). The mantle is always worn with
7504-444: The collar. Although the mantle was introduced in 1929, very few mantles would have been produced prior to the 1937 design changes, as there were few occasions for wearing them in the intervening years. On certain days designated by the sovereign, known as " collar days ", members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, evening wear or robes of office. Collars are returned upon
7638-408: The control of the First Tactical Air Force , which had taken over No. 9 Group's mobile role and was supporting Australian forces during the Borneo campaign . No. 78 Wing's complement included Nos. 75 , 78 and 80 Squadrons , operating Kittyhawks, and several ancillary units. In June and July, the wing took part in the assaults on Labuan and Balikpapan , undertaking convoy escort in
7772-538: The control of the flying school and were "really little more than flights", according to the official history of the pre-war RAAF. As well as participating in training exercises, Fighter Squadron was often employed for aerobatic displays and flag-waving duties. One of No. 1 FTS's leading instructors during the early 1930s, Flight Lieutenant Frederick Scherger , was also a flight commander in Fighter Squadron. Seaplane Squadron undertook naval co-operation and survey tasks, as well as seaplane training. Fighter Squadron
7906-479: The country's population". The committee further suggested changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion (as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring"), as well as advocating for the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods; the government, however, was not of the opinion that a case for change had been made, and the aforementioned suggestions and recommendations were not, therefore, pursued. In
8040-403: The death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The six office-holders of the order wear pearl-grey mantles lined with rose-pink, having on the right side a purple shield charged with the roundel from the badge. Each of these office-holders wears a unique badge of office, suspended from a gold chain worn around the neck. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse
8174-467: The demands of the Korean War and Malayan Emergency , No. 1 FTS was re-formed in 1952 as No. 1 Applied Flying Training School (No. 1 AFTS); it moved to RAAF Base Pearce , Western Australia, in 1958. For much of this period the school was also responsible for training the RAAF's air traffic controllers . Its pilot trainees included Army , Navy , and foreign students as well as RAAF personnel. The RAAF's reorganisation of aircrew training in
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#17331054164698308-445: The distinction between ranks in military operational gallantry awards will cease'. The reforms affected the order at various levels: for example the automatic award each year of a GBE to the Lord Mayor of London ceased; the OBE replaced the Imperial Service Order as an award for civil servants and the number of MBEs awarded each year was significantly increased. As part of these reforms the British Empire Medal stopped being awarded by
8442-450: The early 1950s had led to the formation at Uranquinty of No. 1 Basic Flying Training School (No. 1 BFTS), which transferred to Point Cook in 1958. In 1969, No. 1 AFTS was re-formed as No. 2 Flying Training School and No. 1 BFTS was re-formed as No. 1 FTS. Rationalisation of RAAF flying training resulted in the disbandment of No. 1 FTS in 1993. The school re-formed at RAAF Base East Sale in 2019, flying
8576-482: The first trans-Australia flight that had taken place 70 years before, when Captain Henry Wrigley and Sergeant Arthur "Spud" Murphy flew a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 biplane from Point Cook to Darwin , Northern Territory, between 16 November and 12 December 1919. A review of undergraduate flying training, commissioned by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Ray Funnell , and aimed at reducing failure rates and improving cost-effectiveness, saw
8710-562: The former and, joined by Spitfires of No. 452 Squadron , ground-attack missions in support of the 7th Division in the latter. Rawlinson was raised to acting group captain on 24 July. At the end of the war, No. 78 Wing departed Tarakan for Australia, arriving at RAAF Station Deniliquin , New South Wales, in December 1945. It relocated in May–June to RAAF Station Schofields , and then in August to RAAF Station Williamtown , where it re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs . Rawlinson retained command of No. 78 Wing until his commission
8844-403: The former was to be responsible for recording all proceedings connected with the order, issuing warrants under the seal of the order and making arrangements for investitures, while the latter (at that time the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury ) was responsible for collecting and tabulating the names of those who were to receive an award. The office of Dean was added in 1957. The King of Arms
8978-401: The governments of overseas dominions to make their own nominations; Canada and South Africa began doing so in 1942, followed by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms. In May 1957, forty years after the foundation of the order, it was announced that St Paul's Cathedral was to serve as the church of the order, and in 1960 a chapel was dedicated for its use within the crypt of
9112-450: The highest class of the order (GBE). The designs of all these items underwent major changes in 1937. The badge is worn by all members of the order; the size, colour and design depends on the class of award. The badge for all classes is in the form of a cross patonce (having the arms growing broader and floriated toward the end) with a medallion in the centre, the obverse of which bears a crowned image of George V and Queen Mary within
9246-582: The honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire . Benjamin Zephaniah , a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF No. 1 Flying Training School ( No. 1 FTS )
9380-403: The inaugural commanding officer of the RAF Guided Weapons Trials Unit, responsible for testing beam-riding missiles for the Meteor NF.11 ; his duties took him from Wales to Woomera in South Australia , where he flew test aircraft in attacks against target drones including unmanned Fairey Fireflies and the GAF Jindivik . Rawlinson's next posting, to command RAF Patrington in Yorkshire ,
9514-446: The insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie , John Cleese , Nigella Lawson , Elgar Howarth , L. S. Lowry , George Melly , and J. G. Ballard . In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to
9648-624: The junior post-nominal letters. The British sovereign is the sovereign of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms ). The second-most senior officer is the Grand Master (a 'Prince of the Blood Royal, or other exalted personage' appointed by the sovereign, who, by virtue of their appointment, becomes 'the First or Principal Knight Grand Cross of
9782-519: The latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of the British Empire Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning
9916-463: The left breast, by Knights and Dames Grand Cross; Knights and Dames Commander wear a smaller star composed of 'four equal points and four lesser'. The star is not worn by the more junior classes. Prior to 1937 each star had in the centre a gold medallion with a figure of Britannia, surrounded by a crimson circlet inscribed with the motto of the order ('For God and the Empire'); since 1937 the effigies of King George V and Queen Mary have been shown within
10050-448: The loss of two of their own in the first action, Rawlinson claiming a 109 damaged. In the second action, a drawn-out battle for air superiority , the squadron lost six Tomahawks against three 109s destroyed, one of which was claimed by Rawlinson along with one probable and two damaged. He had also taken a shot at a distant 109 and, believing he had missed it, did not claim. After the war it was established that Rawlinson's bullets had damaged
10184-569: The medal 'for gallantry', which had come to be known as the Empire Gallantry Medal , were given permission to use the postnominal letters EGM (and at the same time to add a laurel branch emblem to the ribbon of the medal); however, in 1940, awards of the EGM ceased and all holders of the medal were instructed to exchange it for a new and more prestigious gallantry award: the George Cross . In 1941,
10318-547: The medal of the order 'for meritorious service' was renamed the British Empire Medal , and the following year its recipients were granted the right to use the postnominal letters BEM. During the war, the BEM came to be used to recognise acts of bravery which did not merit the award of a George Cross or George Medal , a use which continued until the introduction of the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1974. The designs of insignia of
10452-449: The medal. The colour of the riband was also changed: twenty years earlier, prior to the order's establishment, Queen Mary had made it known that pink would be her preferred colour for the riband of the proposed new order, but, in the event, purple was chosen. Following her appointment as Grand Master of the order in 1936 a change was duly made and since 9 March 1937 the riband of the order has been 'rose pink edged with pearl grey’ (with
10586-446: The most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal , whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. The order was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V , who created the order to recognise 'such persons, male or female, as may have rendered or shall hereafter render important services to Our Empire'. Equal recognition
10720-469: The names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir (unless they were knighted before being ordained) as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters ; dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use
10854-582: The newly formed No. 1 Basic Flying Training School (No. 1 BFTS) at Uranquinty, where they underwent a further 90 hours of aerial instruction that included instrument, formation and night flying, first on Tiger Moths and then on Wirraways. Successful students finally transferred to No. 1 FTS, which was renamed No. 1 Applied Flying Training School (No. 1 AFTS) in March 1952. There they undertook 100 flying hours of advanced weapons and combat training on Wirraways, before graduating as sergeant pilots . RAAF College , formed at Point Cook in 1947,
10988-509: The next month. He received a bar to his DFC in December 1941, and returned to Australia in March 1942. In May the following year, Rawlinson was posted to the South West Pacific as the inaugural commanding officer of No. 79 Squadron , flying Supermarine Spitfires in New Guinea . After serving as commanding officer of the RAAF's Paratroop Training Unit at Richmond , New South Wales, between April 1944 and May 1945, he returned to
11122-517: The nucleus of a re-formed Central Flying School, which relocated to Camden , New South Wales, in June. Courses at the service flying training schools consisted of two streams, intermediate and advanced; the total duration varied during the war as demand for aircrew fluctuated. Initially running for sixteen weeks, the course was cut to ten weeks (which included 75 hours flying time) in October 1940. A year later it
11256-449: The numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with more than 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. From time to time, individuals may be promoted to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of
11390-605: The order alongside its own honours until the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. Other Commonwealth realms have continued to use the Order of the British Empire alongside their own honours. In 1993 the Prime Minister, John Major , instituted a reform of the honours system with the aim 'that exceptional service or achievement will be more widely recognised; that greater importance will be given to voluntary service; that automatic honours will end; that
11524-408: The order and medal were altered in 1937, prior to the coronation of King George VI , 'in commemoration of the reign of King George V and Queen Mary, during which the Order was founded'. The figure of Britannia at the centre of the badge of the order was replaced with an image of the crowned heads of the late King and Queen Mary, and the words 'Instituted by King George V' were added to the reverse of
11658-409: The order was celebrated with a service at St Paul's Cathedral. The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to
11792-426: The order, to which serving personnel would in future be appointed. The classes were the same as for the Civil Division (as it was now termed), but military awards were distinguished by the addition of a central vertical red stripe to the purple riband of the civil awards. In 1920 appointment as an MBE 'for an act of gallantry' was granted for the first time, to Sydney Frank Blanck Esq, who had rescued an injured man from
11926-446: The responsibility of No. 1 BFTS (for basic training) and No. 1 AFTS (for advanced training). Previously, the cadets had used FTS aircraft under RAAF College instructors, but from 1959 their flight training was fully integrated with the FTS system. The demand for trained aircrew, which had lessened in the mid-1950s, rose again the following decade as a result of the RAAF embarking on
12060-454: The retirement of the CT-4s in December 1992, followed by the closure of No. 1 FTS. The last RAAF flying course completed on 12 June 1992, and the last Army pilots' course in December. The school was disbanded on 31 January 1993, bringing to an end almost 80 years of military flying training at Point Cook, Australia's oldest military air base. The occasion was marked by a parading of
12194-586: The same Order'). The position of Grand Master has been held by the following people: In addition to the sovereign and the grand master , the order has six further officers: At its foundation the order was served by three officers: the King of Arms, the Registrar & Secretary and the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod. In 1922 the Prelate was added, and the office of Registrar was separated from that of Secretary:
12328-548: The school consisted of 42 students and commenced in February 1948, finishing in August the following year. Flight grading took place after six months of general military training, at which point students were selected to be trainee pilots or navigators; the former remained at No. 1 FTS, and the latter transferred to the School of Air Navigation at RAAF Base East Sale , Victoria. Unlike some other air forces, which placed students into specialised aircraft roles after basic training,
12462-484: The school included desert aces Clive Caldwell and Wilf Arthur. Rawlinson and Jeffrey had been dissatisfied with the flying standards of replacement pilots in the Middle East, and all the veterans were eager to get trainees "operational" before they posted to frontline units. Initially based at Port Pirie , South Australia, No. 2 OTU relocated to Mildura , Victoria, on 14 May and shortly afterwards began receiving P-40 Kittyhawks. In June 1942, Rawlinson, Arthur and
12596-517: The school took delivery of its first Avro Cadets , procured as an intermediate trainer to bridge the gap between the Gipsy Moth employed for elementary flying instruction and the Wapiti used for advanced training. De La Rue was succeeded by Wing Commander Frank Lukis in January 1938. By this time the school was training up to 96 new pilots per year, a small percentage of whom were slated for secondment to
12730-413: The school's auspices: " Fighter Squadron ", operating Bristol Bulldogs ; and " Seaplane Squadron ", operating Supermarine Southamptons , among other types. As of February 1934, No. 1 FTS was organised into Training Squadron, operating Moths and Westland Wapitis , Fighter Squadron and Seaplane Squadron. Fighter and Seaplane Squadrons were formally established as units that month, but remained under
12864-500: The school's head of training, "the No. 1 Flying Training School you have when you don't have a No. 1 Flying Training School". Following the disbandment of the ADFBFTS, No. 1 FTS was re-formed in January 2019 at RAAF Base East Sale to conduct basic flying training on the Pilatus PC-21 . The school commenced its first course since reactivation on 14 January, and ten students graduated on 12 July. The re-formed No. 1 FTS came under
12998-496: The squadron moved to Kiriwina , the closest Allied airfield to the major Japanese base at Rabaul . This promised enemy raids but none occurred during the first weeks of the squadron's deployment, and the pilots saw no combat while patrolling in support of USAAF attacks on Rabaul; Rawlinson commented that it was "a disappointment to us. What a letdown." The Japanese began attacking Kiriwina in early October, and No. 79 Squadron claimed its first victory on 31 October, when one of
13132-685: The squadron moved to RAF Station Benina to take over the air defence of Benghazi , which had been occupied by the 6th Division. German aircraft began appearing at this time, as the Afrika Korps and a Luftwaffe contingent under General Erwin Rommel arrived in North Africa to reinforce the Italians; the Germans launched their offensive in March, and Benina was evacuated on 3 April. The same day, Rawlinson
13266-457: The squadrons a total of eight Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5s , eight Airco DH.9s , and three Fairey IIIs . Funding problems forced the Air Force to disband the newly raised squadrons on 1 July 1922 and re-form them as flights in a composite squadron under No. 1 FTS. The same month, Flight Lieutenant Frank McNamara, VC , took command of the school. The inaugural flying course commenced in January 1923. Basic instruction took place on
13400-455: The standard of the George Medal (even though, as appointments to an order of chivalry, they were listed before it on the Order of Wear . In contrast to awards for meritorious service, which usually appear without a citation, there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of
13534-506: The title Dame . Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM. Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence . Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of
13668-577: The titles Sir for men and Dame for women before their forenames, except with honorary awards. King George V founded the order to fill gaps in the British honours system : In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of individuals from across the Empire who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War . From its foundation the order consisted of five classes (GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE) and
13802-423: The unit until 1929. The first Citizen Air Force (active reserve) pilots' course ran from December 1925 to March 1926, 26 of 30 students completing the training. Although 24 accidents occurred, there were no fatalities, leading Cole to remark at the graduation ceremony that the students were either made of India rubber or had learned how to crash "moderately safely". The 1926 Permanent Air Force (PAF) cadet course
13936-519: The vessel, setting it on fire. Three days later, Rawlinson claimed two Fiat G.50 fighters damaged after five of the Italian monoplanes attacked five Gladiators patrolling near Mechili . He was notified of his promotion to temporary flight lieutenant , effective from New Year's Day, on 27 January. No. 3 Squadron began re-arming with Hawker Hurricane fighters on 29 January 1941, and Rawlinson started his conversion on 3 February. A week later,
14070-562: The war. Four days later, he was in a formation of eight Gladiators that attacked ten Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bombers and their escort of twenty-four CR.42s; the Australians claimed two CR.42s destroyed, and five damaged including one probably destroyed, which was credited to Rawlinson. On 22 January 1941, Rawlinson and Flying Officer Wilfred Arthur were despatched in Gladiators to attack an Italian schooner off Tobruk ; they machine-gunned
14204-472: The wartime Empire Air Training Scheme . After graduating nearly 3,000 pilots, No. 1 SFTS was disbanded in late 1944, when there was no further requirement to train Australian aircrew for service in Europe. The school was re-established in 1946 as No. 1 FTS at RAAF Station Uranquinty , New South Wales, and transferred to Point Cook the following year. Under a restructure of flying training to cope with
14338-538: Was also in charge of the Point Cook base, was No. 1 FTS's first commanding officer. The school's initial complement of staff was twelve officers and 67 airmen. In December 1921, the Australian Air Board prepared to form its first five squadrons and allocate aircraft to each, as well as to the nascent flying school. The plan was for No. 1 FTS to receive twelve Avro 504 Ks and four Sopwith Pups , and
14472-514: Was announced on 3 February 1958. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours promulgated on 12 June. On 22 February 1960, he was raised to acting group captain and placed in charge of RAF Buchan , a Fighter Command sector station in Scotland. At his own request, Rawlinson was discharged from the RAF as a group captain on 13 November 1961, and retired to South Australia. By 2003, he
14606-474: Was awarded the Air Force Cross in June 1952. Between 1953 and 1958 he was in charge of the RAF's Guided Weapons Trials Unit in the UK and Australia. Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in June 1958, he commanded RAF Buchan in 1960–61 before retiring from the military to live in South Australia . Alan Charles Rawlinson was born on 31 July 1918 in Fremantle , Western Australia. He
14740-622: Was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for leading his flight with "determination and daring, pressing home attacks at close range"; the citation noted his six confirmed aerial victories in 121 sorties. He was posted as an instructor to No. 71 Operational Training Unit in the Sudan on 19 October, ostensibly for a rest from operations, but was soon recalled to take over leadership of No. 3 Squadron from Peter Jeffrey , who had been promoted to wing commander . Rawlinson
14874-621: Was commanding officer of No. 54 Squadron , which operated de Havilland Vampire jet fighters at RAF Odiham in Hampshire . He then served as wing commander (flying) for the Odiham Wing, comprising three Vampire units including Nos. 54, 72 (replaced by No. 421 Squadron RCAF in January 1951) and 247 Squadrons , until May 1952. Recalling training for Cold War operations, he said: "The introduction of jet fighters meant, roughly, that speeds were doubled and endurances halved. Precision
15008-576: Was credited with shooting down three German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers, and damaging another, during a single sortie in his Hurricane. As the Allies retreated, No. 3 Squadron transferred to Lydda in Palestine , and began re-equipping with P-40 Tomahawks on 14 May. Rawlinson was appointed a flight commander the same month. He became an ace during the Syria–Lebanon campaign against
15142-441: Was dissolved in December 1935 when its Bulldogs were transferred to No. 1 Squadron at RAAF Laverton ; Seaplane Squadron continued to function until June 1939, when it was separated to form the nucleus of No. 10 Squadron . In 1932, No. 1 FTS started running two courses each year, the first commencing in January and the second in July; it also ceased graduating non-commissioned officers as pilots, and thus took on
15276-402: Was first announced at the end of December 2006, and is available to recipients of all levels of the order, as well as to holders of the British Empire Medal . The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the order. The creation of such a pin
15410-581: Was living in Naracoorte , where in October he was visited by No. 79 Squadron's commanding officer, Wing Commander Peter Campbell, as part of the unit's sixtieth anniversary celebrations. Two of the squadron's Hawk 127 fighter trainers later overflew the town in Rawlinson's honour. Rawlinson died in Naracoorte on 27 August 2007, aged eighty-nine. He was survived by his wife and two sons, and cremated in
15544-469: Was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan). Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach
15678-467: Was marred by three fatal accidents. The following year, 29 students graduated—thirteen PAF, nine reserve, and seven destined for exchange with the Royal Air Force (RAF). In June 1928, the school's Avro 504Ks were replaced by de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moths ; these were augmented by Gipsy Moths commencing in 1930. Squadron Leader McNamara resumed command of No. 1 FTS in October 1930. By then, two sub-units had been raised at Point Cook under
15812-508: Was open to both women and men; provision was also made for conferring honorary awards on foreign recipients. At the same time, alongside the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. The first investiture took place at Ibrox Stadium , as part of a royal visit to the Glasgow shipyards, with the appointment of Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde as
15946-505: Was operating more than 100 aircraft, including Gipsy Moths, de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapides , Douglas C-47 Dakotas , CAC Wirraways and Airspeed Oxfords , the last two being the mainstays. In August 1941, control of all training units in Victoria passed from Southern Area Command to the newly formed No. 1 Training Group . By September, the school had an establishment of 100 officers and over 2,000 airmen, including 300 cadets. It
16080-496: Was organised into Intermediate Training Squadron, Advanced Training Squadron, Maintenance Wing, Armament School, and Signal School. Wing Commander Charles Read held command of No. 1 SFTS from October 1943 until its disbandment on 15 September 1944, by which time almost 3,000 pilots had graduated. Among these were Nicky Barr , who became one of Australia's leading fighter aces in North Africa , and Bill Newton , awarded
16214-453: Was part of No. 9 Operational Group , the RAAF's main mobile formation in the South West Pacific . The Spitfires were to provide top cover for the Kittyhawks in the New Guinea campaign against Japanese forces. Rawlinson picked the squadron code letters UP, and his own aircraft's identifier U, to spell UP-U ("up you") on his Spitfire's fuselage. After a quiet spell at Goodenough, in August
16348-407: Was posted to the Middle East in July 1940 and saw action with No. 3 (Army Cooperation) Squadron , flying Gloster Gladiator and Gauntlet biplanes initially, and later Hawker Hurricanes and P-40 Tomahawks . Twice credited with shooting down three enemy aircraft in a single sortie , he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in October 1941 and took command of No. 3 Squadron
16482-600: Was practising aerobatics in Sweet FA when the right tailplane detached, damaging the tailfin in the process; he could only control the aircraft by flying at 150 miles per hour (240 km/h) but was able to bring it in for a landing, without flaps , at the higher-than-normal speed. No. 3 Squadron transferred to Sidi Haneish in Egypt on 3 September 1941, to resume operations in the Western Desert. On 10 October, Rawlinson
16616-455: Was promoted acting squadron leader on 9 November, and assumed command the next day. On 22 November 1941, during Operation Crusader , Rawlinson led No. 3 Squadron on a bomber escort mission near Bir el Gubi in Italian Libya in the morning, and a fighter sweep south-east of El Adem in the afternoon. German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters shot down three Tomahawks for
16750-767: Was raised to twelve weeks (including 100 hours flying time), and again to sixteen weeks two months later. It continued to increase after this, peaking at 28 weeks in June 1944. No. 1 SFTS came under the control of Southern Area Command , headquartered in Melbourne . The school's complement of 52 aircraft included Wapitis, Cadets, Avro Ansons , Hawker Demons , and a de Havilland Tiger Moth . Group Captain John McCauley served as commanding officer from October 1940 until July 1941, when he handed over to Wing Commander Roy King , who went on to take charge of Station Headquarters Point Cook in October. As of July, No. 1 SFTS
16884-466: Was re-formed as Training Command in September 1953. On 28 May 1958, No. 1 AFTS relocated to RAAF Base Pearce , Western Australia, where its Wirraways were replaced by de Havilland Vampire jet trainers, which required a runway longer than that at Point Cook. The school's place at Point Cook was taken by No. 1 BFTS, which transferred from Uranquinty on 19 December. By this time
17018-676: Was re-formed as No. 1 FTS, under Southern Area Command. Its complement of aircraft included one Anson, two Tiger Moths, and 55 Wirraways, though the unit was mainly responsible for the maintenance of equipment and little flying was undertaken apart from refresher courses for pilots posting to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. By 1 September 1947, No. 1 FTS had transferred to Point Cook, initially as "Flying Training School", under Wing Commander Read. The RAAF's first post-war flying training course at
17152-566: Was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips ' review of the honours system in 2004. The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is in St Paul's Cathedral . It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of
17286-516: Was terminated on 19 December 1946. "The peace-time RAAF was not to his liking", according to McAulay, and on 21 March 1947, Rawlinson took a commission in Britain with the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a substantive squadron leader (seniority from 1 June 1944) and temporary wing commander (seniority from 1 August 1943 until 1 November 1947). His initial posting was at Headquarters Fighter Command (HQFC). Between June and October 1949 he
17420-454: Was the name of the game. [...] The aim was to achieve, as close as possible, the maximum effort with day operations in all-weather conditions against the nuclear threat". Reduced flying hours owing to "budgetary limitations" meant that "as much as possible of the HQFC syllabus was crammed into each sortie". On 26 May 1951, Rawlinson led the Odiham Wing and three formations of Gloster Meteors in
17554-637: Was the son of Arthur Rawlinson, who played for East Fremantle in the West Australian Football League . The Rawlinson family was among the earliest residents of Beaconsfield , and gave its name to a street in O'Connor . Moving to Melbourne when he was eight years old, Alan was educated at Geelong Road State School in Footscray and at Williamstown High School , representing both schools in football , swimming and athletics. Before leaving high school with his Intermediate Certificate , he joined
17688-526: Was to be given for services rendered in the UK and overseas. Today the majority of recipients are UK citizens, though a number of Commonwealth realms outside the UK continue to make appointments to the order. Honorary awards may be made to citizens of other nations of which the order's sovereign is not the head of state. The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander entitle their members to use
17822-513: Was to be the Air Force's primary source of commissioned officers. The Tiger Moths and Wirraways of No. 1 BFTS were subsequently replaced by the CAC Winjeel , first delivered in 1955. By the time it was re-formed as No. 1 AFTS, the flying school at Point Cook had also been made responsible for training the RAAF's air traffic controllers; this role was transferred to Central Flying School at East Sale in December 1956. Southern Area Command
17956-469: Was to take place at service flying training schools. On 1 May 1940, No. 1 FTS was re-formed at Point Cook as No. 1 Service Flying Training School (No. 1 SFTS). Its inaugural commanding officer was Group Captain John Summers, who led Fighter Squadron in the early 1930s and had taken over No. 1 FTS in December 1939. The school's Instructors' Training Squadron was detached to become
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