raaf officer air vice marshal bill anderson december december senior commander royal_australian_air_force raaf flew world war earning belgian leading nos squadrons anderson commanded brief existence joining fledgling raaf following year service senior officer primarily held posts australian inter war years appointed commander order british empire promoted air commodore world war broke anderson air member supply acted chief air staff resignation air vice marshal stanley january arrival air chief marshal sir raf month led newly formed december july briefly returning anderson founding commandant raaf staff school july november held post october retirement april known colleagues andy died birthday early life world war born december victoria son surveyor england wife florence native victorian youth educated joined cadet corps began professional military career royal australian garrison artillery officer december transferring australian naval military expeditionary force based march following january anderson joined captain serving squadron palestine posted squadron designated british august operating seat reconnaissance aircraft western october squadron heavily involved artillery ranging activity left slow vulnerable attack german fighters twice month anderson plane multiple enemy aircraft words scared think occasion times held nerve plane observer hold opponents fire came aid anderson spotting artillery near ridge december engaged german seat observer able shoot squadron confirmed aerial victory january anderson given temporary rank major posted england charge training squadron recommended march achievements squadron france citation noting fight cool capable flying attacks enemy aircraft successfully carrying reconnaissance missions event awarded london gazette june australian receive newly created decoration awarded belgian july anderson went france october commanding officer squadron service earned mention despatches july inter war years anderson relinquished command squadron january returned australia months later december year disbanded replaced january short lived like branch army senior officer lieutenant colonel england major anderson appointed commander position charge victoria march joined newly formed royal prefix added august squadron leader senior officer williams pilot wing commanders anderson headed raaf base major units successor newly established years acted director personnel training chief administrative staff controlling body away overseas april took new service army operation exercise flight lieutenant spotted artillery firing victoria year later anderson proposed special raaf workshop research development duly formed later year young air_force staged numerous public displays early years occasion melbourne suburb september anderson pilot took mock ace gave demonstration balloon anderson took command occupying position air member personnel posted england attending serving air liaison officer march promoted wing commander provided information concerning shortcomings light day bomber strongly considered raaf led ordered instead returning australia anderson short time charge based appointment air member supply october spent 1930s position aside acting role attendance london following year anderson formal training supply field regarded affection variously considered wave length immersed administration important policy matters chronic women unmarried sister object fun quarters raised group captain december air commodore january appointed officer order british empire promoted commander order new year honours world war anderson serving air member supply australia declared war september january appointed acting chief air staff following resignation incumbent air vice marshal anderson remained position february air chief marshal sir royal_air_force arrived australian government stage little faith leadership air_force briefly considered offering temporary command service officer member commodore deciding monumental slight senior ranks raaf settling anderson temporary position anderson briefly reverted previous role air member supply taking march succeeded november air vice marshal month anderson took responsibility air defence protection adjacent sea lanes aerial reconnaissance new_south_wales remained post disbanded august following year promoted acting air vice marshal september anderson resumed position replacing assumed command newly established headquartered sydney controlled seven squadrons southern queensland southern new_south_wales area main roles anti submarine warfare squadrons included fighters army operation aircraft july anderson inaugural commandant victoria school instituted training officers squadron leader wing commander level basic education standards anderson found sadly lacking december appointed air member personnel taking returning command september continued role forcibly retired number senior air force commanders april ostensibly way younger equally qualified officers confidential report september found hard working loyal lacking capacity organising ability years statutory retirement age seven substantive rank air commodore retirement following discharge raaf honorary air vice marshal anderson lived lifelong bachelor shared house sister married served honorary chairman victorian branch march select group surviving founder members raaf attended celebratory dinner hotel canberra mark service fellow guests included air marshal williams air vice marshal air commodore frank wing commander sir died birthday buried
William Anderson (RAAF officer)