raaf officer august september australian aviator country military flight helped lay royal_australian_air_force raaf born victoria flying instructor britain answered pilots form aviation school established australia air base point cook victoria inaugural training unit making historic flight march following outbreak world war went active service half flight harrison took charge instructing student pilots harrison transferred raaf founding members spent inter war period technical services air accident investigation promoted group captain retired air_force years later post director inspection transferred public service continued serve capacity civilian sudden death heart disease age end world war harrison technical abilities association military flying earliest days australia earned title father raaf years mantle assumed sir early career born august hill near victoria harrison son printer english born wife ann attended starting work motor mechanic keen fly time saw travelled britain march trained pilot months later having accumulated thirty minutes flight time qualified certificate australian gaining employment instructor bristol taught flying behalf company spain italy germany aware hand country students trained examined later served pilots world war december advertised united_kingdom competent establish flying corps training school solicitor employed bristol chief test pilot successfully applied commissioned lieutenant august withdrew application october harrison took place gaining commission december new salary little improvement earning britain harrison happy excuse return home selected victoria site army proposed march harrison remained britain temporarily ordering facility complement aircraft including initial training january pair established school instructors augmented mechanics staff harrison australia military flight sunday march followed second aircraft passenger june harrison married daughter future premier mary catholic_church world war personnel referred commenced course august weeks outbreak world war students included captain lieutenant harrison providing initial training solo standard advanced instruction september harrison given command flying unit accompanied australian naval military expeditionary force german new_guinea little way enemy resistance aircraft assembled country return leading australian airmen combat distinction instead went commander half flight following year active duty harrison took main responsibility providing basic flying training pilots squadrons formed australia overseas service students play prominent role future royal_australian_air_force raaf including having graduated new pilots end harrison able establish squadron designated australian squadron commonly known squadron inception officially january unit departed egypt march command lieutenant colonel nos squadrons formed point cook late operate france following advanced training england addition administrative duties harrison mechanical abilities use initiating building engines australia maintaining complement according harrison skill machines air appointed officer charge june temporary rank major permanent september disbanded december world war harrison began long association engineering air safety posted britain following end world war transferred flight lieutenant honorary squadron leader newly formed march founding officers prefix royal added service august year dissatisfied raaf rank considering leading position pre war central flying school harrison appealed greater result appointed air liaison officer london promotion substantive rank squadron leader returning australia appointed assistant director technical services soon helped form raaf following year receiving promotion wing commander july harrison position took country equipment investigating causes air crashes promoted group captain january took charge federal government resources committee aircraft engines motor transport number set investigate report readiness australian industry provide munitions defence event international conflict harrison returned britain study accident investigation methods aircraft production position director march saw retired raaf continuing role member court inquiry crash october airport low cloud killing fourteen passengers crew members inquiry report singled major finance member criticism cost cutting measures held trials safety designed according air_force historian appointed secretary november following year went way life difficult harrison causing bitterness friction department necessitating chief air staff air vice marshal stanley steps shield safety inspector new secretary harrison held position director inspection world war staff numbering reorganisation permitted qualified civilian engineers recruited work required increasing technical expertise having join air_force july year harrison proposed construction series test houses help chemical mechanical testing materials manufacture munitions previously result major improvement speed testing according official history australia war fuller use country scientific technical manpower harrison daughter joined women auxiliary australian air force end war ranked flight officer legacy september war ended harrison died suddenly disease home melbourne suburb brighton survived wife daughter cremated minister air commented members service australians interested aviation feel loss snapping links pioneer days flying original harrison ordered helped assemble later went display australian war memorial canberra despite accomplishments overseeing training student pilot served world war received decorations official recognition prompting group captain raaf history conference describe entire hero generally considered father raaf title eventually settled sir harrison early technical expertise long association australian military aviation founder member raaf personality tended contributions historian considered equally entitled reviewing contributions harrison volume concluded judgement achievement men properly belong raaf
Eric Harrison (RAAF officer)