Allan Walters

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Allan Leslie Walters
Air Vice Marshal
Commands heldNo. 22 Squadron (1937–38)
No. 3 Squadron (1938–39)
No. 1 Squadron (1940–41)
RAAF Station Laverton (1941–42)
No. 1 Wing (1942–43)
No. 72 Wing (1943–44)
Northern Command (1945–46)
Southern Area Command (1948–50)
RAAF Overseas HQ (1951–52)
Home Command (1954–57)
Support Command (1959–62)
Battles/warsWorld War II
Awards
Mentioned in Despatches

mentioned in despatches
in 1944 for his service with No. 72 Wing.

Walters was appointed a

Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1956. Popularly known as "Wally",[1] he was twice a candidate for Chief of the Air Staff, and twice passed over. He retired from the RAAF in 1962 and made his home in Melbourne
, where he died in 1968 at the age of sixty-two.

Early career

Allan Leslie Walters was born on 2 November 1905 in

North Parramatta, where her father was rector. Reverend Manning married the couple there on 30 June 1930; their daughter Robin was born in Richmond.[1][6]

Overhead view of three single-engined biplanes in flight
Westland Wapitis of No. 3 Squadron in the Richmond area, October 1932

Walters was granted a permanent commission in the Air Force in 1930.

Hawker Demons and Avro Ansons out of Richmond until February 1938.[2][10]

Between 6 and 23 February 1938, Walters piloted the first overseas flight in an aeroplane designed and built in Australia when he flew the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Richard Williams, to Singapore in a Tugan Gannet.[11] He returned to Richmond in May 1938 to lead No. 3 Squadron, operating Demons, and again took part in aerobatic displays.[8][12] On 25 October 1938, his Demon crashed in scrub at Tumbi Umbi, New South Wales, when the engine failed shortly after taking off for Richmond, but he was not injured.[13] Completing his Richmond appointment in May 1939, Walters transferred to Melbourne as Director of Staff Duties at RAAF Headquarters.[8][9] Later that month, he joined Group Captain Henry Wrigley as an expert assessor on the panel of an inquiry into a recent series of three Anson accidents; the full report handed down in October found human error the likely explanation for at least one crash and that training on the type followed the syllabus laid down, but that pilots needed more practical experience in dealing with potential in-flight incidents.[14]

World War II

Five men, four standing and one seated, wearing dark-coloured military uniforms
Group Captain Walters (second from left) in May 1942 with members of HQ Allied Air Forces SWPA, including Group Captain Val Hancock (centre), Air Commodore Joe Hewitt (second from right), and newly appointed Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal George Jones (right, seated)

Walters' first operational appointment following the outbreak of

South West Pacific Area (SWPA), in Melbourne as Assistant Director of Operations.[21] He was made a temporary group captain in September, and transferred to Headquarters RAAF Command as senior air staff officer.[22][23]

On 7 October 1942, Walters took command of a new formation,

North-Western Area, the wing comprised three Supermarine Spitfire squadrons that had been transferred from Europe: No. 54 Squadron RAF, No. 452 Squadron RAAF and No. 457 Squadron RAAF. With Wing Commander Clive Caldwell, Australia's top-scoring flying ace of the war, as his wing leader, Walters began deploying aircraft and men to Darwin, Northern Territory, in December, providing a fillip for morale in the region.[24][25] Proudly declaring himself Australia's oldest fighter pilot, Walters was reported as taking every opportunity to join his men in the air.[1][26] He flew as Caldwell's wingman in No. 1 Wing's first major action against the Japanese over Darwin on 2 May 1943.[27] Eight Spitfires crashed and several others made forced landings, for the destruction of one Japanese bomber and five fighters.[28] Walters narrowly avoiding being shot down when he warned Caldwell of an attacking enemy fighter, to the detriment of his own safety. After they landed, Caldwell chided his commander, "You silly old so-and-so. You want to look after your own skin instead of worrying about someone else's!"[27] On 20 June, Walters participated in the wing's most successful combat against the Japanese to that time, personally accounting for one of fourteen raiders claimed by the Spitfires, for the loss of two of their own number.[29] He posted out of Darwin a few days later, having earned the admiration of Caldwell and the rest of the wing's personnel.[30]

Three men in light-coloured uniforms with peaked caps seated on a jeep bonnet
Walters (right) as Officer Commanding No. 72 Wing in New Guinea, December 1943

Walters assumed command of

mentioned in despatches on 28 October 1944 for his "Gallant & distinguished service" in North-Eastern Area, the award being promulgated on 9 March 1945.[35][36]

In February 1945, Walters was promoted to acting

Bougainville Campaign, and morale problems following the end of the war owing to inactivity and the uncertainties of demobilisation; as a result, the wing's commanding officer sent Northern Command headquarters a frank report, the tone of which earned a rebuke from Walters.[42][43] In September, Walters represented the RAAF at the Japanese surrender ceremonies in Wewak.[1]

Post-war career

Walters was appointed a

John McCauley, Fred Scherger and Val Hancock, earmarked by the Australian Air Board for senior leadership roles in the post-war RAAF.[46][47] In the short term, he remained a temporary air commodore—with the substantive rank of group captain from May 1947—as the officer corps shrank drastically with demobilisation.[47][48] He was selected as AOC Southern Area Command, hub of the RAAF's training organisation, in March 1948.[49][50] The following month, he flew to Morotai to preside over a court-martial for an RAAF airman accused of killing an officer of the Dutch merchant marine; the airman was acquitted.[51][52]

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a caucasian man in light-coloured uniform with peaked cap and pilot's wings on left-breast pocket
Air Vice Marshal Walters as Air Officer Commanding Home Command, 1954

In January 1951, Walters was appointed AOC

air vice marshal and posted to Washington, D.C., to head up the Australian Joint Services Staff as successor to Air Vice Marshal Scherger.[55] Walters' rank was made permanent in January 1954, when he succeeded Air Vice Marshal McCauley to become AOC Home Command.[1][56] Walters held this post, responsible for directing the RAAF's combat units, for three years. His tenure witnessed the introduction of the CAC Sabre to operational service with the Air Force, when No. 3 Squadron took delivery of its first machine in March 1956.[9][57]

Walters was appointed a

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1956 New Year Honours.[58][59] In March 1957, he was one of three candidates, along with Air Vice Marshals Scherger and Hancock, touted as possible successors to Air Marshal McCauley as Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), the RAAF's senior position. Though Walters was considered to be very able, Scherger had long been regarded as outstanding and was "easily the best material on offer" according to a former CAS, Air Marshal Sir Donald Hardman.[60] Scherger gained the appointment, and Walters became Air Member for Personnel (AMP) on 21 October.[61] As AMP he occupied a seat on the Air Board, the service's controlling body that comprised its senior officers and was chaired by the CAS.[1][62] In this role Walters endorsed the recommendations of a review by the AOC Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Ian McLachlan, that led to a policy of RAAF College cadets undertaking academic degrees, in line with similar institutions in the other armed services; the college was subsequently renamed RAAF Academy.[63][64] Walters served as AMP until August 1959.[61] The following month he was appointed AOC Support Command, a new organisation created by merging the RAAF's former Training and Maintenance Commands.[2][65] When Scherger's term as CAS was due to complete in May 1961, Walters and Hancock were once more put forward to the Minister for Air as potential replacements. "Walters was again unlucky", in the words of Air Force historians Alan Stephens and Jeff Isaacs, Hancock's "professional ability, operational experience and personal qualities" being deemed more appropriate for the role.[66]

Retirement

Walters left the RAAF on 16 May 1962, after completing his posting at Headquarters Support Command. His pending retirement and succession by Air Vice Marshal Douglas Candy had been announced the previous November.[3][67] Walters followed horse racing in private life. Survived by his wife and daughter, he died from cardiorenal failure in Heidelberg, Melbourne, on 19 October 1968. He was accorded an Air Force funeral at The Scots Church, Melbourne, and cremated.[1][68] His pall bearers included two former CASs, Air Marshals Sir Richard Williams and Sir George Jones, along with Air Vice Marshals Henry Wrigley, Joe Hewitt, Colin Hannah, and Douglas Candy.[68]

Notes

  1. ^
    ISSN 1833-7538
    . Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "34 years service ends". RAAF News. May 1962. p. 6.
  3. ^ a b "Walters, Allan Leslie". World War 2 Nominal Roll. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  4. ^ a b Coulthard-Clark, The Third Brother, pp. 191–192, 196
  5. ^ Roylance, Air Base Richmond, pp. 31–33
  6. ^ "Two service wives and a daughter". The Sun-Herald. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 31 January 1954. p. 36. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  7. ^ Roylance, Air Base Richmond, pp. 38–39
  8. ^ a b c Roylance, Air Base Richmond, pp. 46, 123
  9. ^ a b c d e Coulthard-Clark, Air Marshals of the RAAF, p. 34
  10. ^ Roylance, Air Base Richmond, p. 115
  11. ^ Coulthard-Clark, The Third Brother, p. 394
  12. ^ "Thousands flock to Narromine air pageant". Narromine News and Trangie Advocate. Narromine, New South Wales: National Library of Australia. 27 September 1938. p. 4. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  13. ^ "Hawker Demon crashed into scrub". The Northern Star. Lismore, New South Wales: National Library of Australia. 26 October 1938. p. 7. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  14. ^ Coulthard-Clark, The Third Brother, pp. 349–350
  15. ^ a b c Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 141–142 Archived 1 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "Promotion received". The Mercury. Hobart: National Library of Australia. 17 July 1940. p. 2. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  17. ^ Helson, The Forgotten Air Force, pp. 54–55
  18. ^ "No. 1 Squadron". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  19. ^ "No. 35204". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 July 1941. p. 3752.
  20. ^ RAAF Historical Section, Introduction, Bases, Supporting Organisations, pp. 144–145
  21. ^ Ashworth, How Not to Run an Air Force!, p. 112
  22. ^ "RAAF promotions". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 25 September 1942. p. 2. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  23. ^ Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, p. 588 Archived 5 June 2009 at WebCite
  24. ^ Roylance, Air Base Richmond, pp. 83–84
  25. ^ Gillison, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 651–652 Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  26. ^ "Fighter pilot at 37". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 22 July 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  27. ^ a b Alexander, Clive Caldwell, pp. 109–111
  28. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 46–49 Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  29. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 59–60 Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  30. ^ Alexander, Clive Caldwell, p. 141
  31. ISSN 1833-7538
    . Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  32. ^ RAAF Historical Section, Training Units, p. 108
  33. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 114–116 Archived 27 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  34. ISSN 1833-7538
    . Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  35. ^ "Recommendation: Mention in Dispatches" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  36. ^ "No. 36975". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 March 1945. p. 1326.
  37. ^ Ashworth, How Not to Run an Air Force!, pp. 295
  38. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p. 335 Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  39. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 144, 168
  40. ^ "Governor will lead march". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 22 April 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  41. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 335, 343–347 Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  42. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p. 326 Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  43. ^ No. 84 (Army Co-operation) Wing. "Operations record book". pp. 21–23. Retrieved 26 May 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  44. ^ "Recommendation: Commander of the Order of the British Empire" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  45. ^ "No. 37625". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 June 1946. p. 3217.
  46. ^ Helson, Ten Years at the Top, p. 238
  47. ^ a b Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 24–27, 73
  48. ^ "Promotions in RAAF". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 30 May 1947. p. 7. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  49. The Argus
    . Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 25 March 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  50. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 73–75
  51. ^ "Court to try airman". The Daily News. Perth: National Library of Australia. 7 April 1948. p. 7. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  52. ^ "RAAF court martial". Centralian Advocate. Alice Springs, Northern Territory: National Library of Australia. 16 April 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  53. ^ "RAAF command appointments". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 31 January 1951. p. 8. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  54. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 202–203
  55. ^ "WA officer gets big defence job". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 10 October 1952. p. 13. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  56. ^ "New RAAF commander arrives to-day". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 6 January 1954. p. 13. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  57. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 75, 348–349
  58. ^ "Awarded: Companion of the Bath". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  59. ^ "No. 40670". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 January 1956. p. 39.
  60. ^ Stephens; Isaacs, High Fliers, p. 123
  61. ^ a b Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 499–500
  62. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 52
  63. ^ Frost, RAAF College & Academy, pp. 36–38
  64. ^ Stephens, Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 188–189
  65. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, p. 76
  66. ^ Stephens; Isaacs, High Fliers, p. 137
  67. ^ "RAAF changes". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 28 November 1961. p. 2. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  68. ^ a b "Service funeral for AVM". RAAF News. December 1968. p. 3.

References

Military offices
Preceded by
Air Vice Marshal
John McCauley
Air Officer Commanding Home Command
1954–1957
Succeeded by
Air Vice Marshal Douglas Candy
Preceded by
Air Commodore Frank Headlam
Air Member for Personnel
1957–1959
Succeeded by
Air Commodore Frank Headlam