Brian Eaton

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Brian Alexander Eaton
No. 239 Wing RAF (1944–45)
No. 81 Wing (1947–48)
No. 78 Wing (1951–54)
RAAF Base Williamtown (1957–59)
No. 224 Group RAF (1967–68)
Operational Command
(1973)
Battles/warsWorld War II
Awards
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order & Bar
Distinguished Flying Cross
Silver Star (US)
Other workRegional Executive, Rolls-Royce

No. 239 Wing RAF in Italy, with the temporary rank of group captain. He was also awarded the US Silver Star
in 1946 in recognition of his war service.

In the decade following World War II, Eaton led

Companion of the Order of the Bath for his work as chief of staff at Headquarters RAF Far East Air Force in 1969. He then served as Air Member for Personnel, before being selected as AOC Operational Command in 1973. Eaton retired from the RAAF in December that year, and became an executive for Rolls-Royce in Canberra
. He died in 1992 at the age of 75.

Early career

Brian Eaton was born in Launceston, Tasmania, on 15 December 1916, to Sydney and Hilda Eaton.[1][2] The family later moved to Canterbury, Victoria, and Brian was educated at Carey Baptist Grammar School. His early ambition to be a doctor was curtailed when his father died and he had to leave school early.[3] He enlisted as an air cadet in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 20 January 1936, undergoing flying training at RAAF Station Point Cook.[4] Eaton was commissioned as a pilot officer upon graduation from flying school in January 1937, and posted to No. 1 Squadron. Within six months he was promoted to flying officer and joined No. 21 Squadron at RAAF Station Laverton.[1] In 1938, he became an instructor at Point Cook's No. 1 Flying Training School, where he also took part in the RAAF's early long navigation exercises.[5][6] He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 September 1939.[1]

World War II

Early war service

Single-engined military monoplane on desert airfield
P-40 Kittyhawk of No. 3 Squadron RAAF during the North African campaign

In April 1940, Eaton was assigned to the newly re-formed

Battle of Tunisia.[1][3]

Eaton's combat career began inauspiciously, when he was shot down three times in the space of ten days. On the first occasion, his P-40 Kittyhawk was hit by 20 mm cannon shells from an enemy fighter that he never saw. He later recalled, "I was too busy getting the kite down to be frightened. But my God was I surprised." Eaton brought his crippled aircraft in for a forced landing at El Hamma—in the midst of a tank battle between German and New Zealand forces. After the fighting had died down he made his way over to the New Zealanders, who gave him a lift back to his air base. The second time he was shot down, his plane was struck by 88 mm anti-aircraft fire, necessitating another crash landing, this time behind enemy lines. Sympathetic Arab tribesmen smuggled him past the Germans and back to his airfield. Two days later, his P-40 was hit by fire from an Messerschmitt Bf 109 that dived at him from out of the sun. He was able to glide back to base, 80 miles (130 km) away, but on arriving found that it was under attack by German bombers. He decided he had no other option than to land the damaged plane among the exploding bombs, and managed to do so without mishap. His series of narrow escapes engendered a spirit of fatalism, and a habit of keeping his emotions severely in check while on duty: "I just couldn't see myself living when so many were dying. It was something which, at the time, didn't bear much dwelling on."[3][7]

Squadron and wing command

Head-and-shoulders informal portrait of dark-haired man wearing flying jacket
Squadron Leader Eaton as commanding officer of No. 3 Squadron, Tunisia, May 1943

Despite his early setbacks in combat, Eaton soon rose to command No. 3 Squadron, taking over from Squadron Leader

London Gazette:[13]

One evening in October, 1943, this officer led his squadron in an attack on a strong enemy force, equipped with tanks, which were attacking our troops near Termoli. In spite of intense antiaircraft fire, Squadron Leader Eaton led his formation in at a low level and pressed home an attack which completely disrupted the enemy's forces. In this spirited action, Squadron Leader Eaton displayed inspiring leadership, great courage and tenacity.

On 16 February 1944, the day after the contentious destruction of Monte Cassino, Eaton took No. 3 Squadron through a break in the bad weather to attack the ruined monastery, the only one of No. 239 Wing's units to successfully bomb its target that day.[14][15] He handed over command of No. 3 Squadron later that month, and was transferred to No. 1 Mobile Operations Room Unit as forward air controller for the final assault on Monte Cassino.[1][3] The run of luck that Eaton experienced in his first weeks of air combat in Tunisia continued on the ground in Italy. He survived three months of constant artillery fire, including an occasion when a shell exploded directly above his observation post, striking down a British officer standing next to him. He also came under machine-gun fire when he took a wrong turn one day and drove into the German lines, but again escaped unhurt.[3] He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 7 April, in recognition of his leadership of No. 3 Squadron in North Africa, Malta, Sicily and Italy.[16][17]

Large group of cheering men in military uniforms surround a man cutting a three-decker birthday cake on a long table
Acting Group Captain Eaton (centre, cutting cake) and personnel of No. 239 Wing, at the formation's third anniversary celebration in Fano, Italy, 28 April 1945

Raised to acting

P-51 Mustangs when Eaton took over; No. 5 converted in September and No. 3 in November. As well as supporting the Eighth Army in Italy, the Mustang units carried out missions in Yugoslavia in concert with the Balkan Air Force, prior to Axis forces surrendering on 2 May.[19][20]

Eaton was unofficially credited with shooting down as many as seven enemy aircraft during the Mediterranean campaigns, but was never listed among Australian

gazetted on 14 June 1946.[23][24]

Post-war career

Rise to senior command

Man in flying cap and goggles sitting in aircraft cockpit
Wing Commander Eaton in a No. 77 Squadron Meteor during a visit to Korea, October 1951

Eaton was posted to Britain following the end of World War II, and attended

artificial horizon in his plane, with the result that he and his comrades, who were following his lead, became badly disorientated and were fortunate to avoid collision; RAAF historian Alan Stephens considered this a not-atypical example of the casual attitude to flying safety exhibited at the time by the veteran pilots of World War II.[26]

Returning to Australia in November 1949, Eaton became Deputy Director of Training at the Department of Air,

Toorak Presbyterian Church in Melbourne on 10 May 1952; the couple later had a son and two daughters.[30][31] Following Britain's request to the Australian government for a Commonwealth garrison in the Mediterranean, in July 1952 Eaton led No. 78 Wing on deployment to RAF Hal Far near Valletta, Malta, where its combat squadrons, Nos. 75 and 76, were equipped with leased Vampire FB9s. As the overseas posting was for a minimum of two years, his new bride and the families of other staff were permitted to make the journey as well.[32][33] The Australian airmen participated in many NATO exercises while stationed at Malta, and one year took first and second place in the Middle Eastern Gunnery Contest for the "Imshi" Mason Cup.[34] Promoted to the substantive rank of group captain on 1 January 1953, Eaton was granted command of RAF Ta'Kali when the wing transferred there from Hal Far in June.[35][36]

Informal outdoor portrait of man and woman both wearing dark military uniforms with medals and peaked caps
Group Captain Eaton as Officer Commanding No. 78 Wing in Malta, with Countess Edwina Mountbatten, following the Anzac Day service on 25 April 1954

Completing his tour with No. 78 Wing in mid-1954, Eaton joined Air Vice-Marshal

Queen's Birthday Honours.[43]

Following his tour at Williamtown, Eaton spent two years as Director of Joint Services Plans before attending the

aide-de-Camp to Queen Elizabeth II, in which capacity he served until 1965.[5][30] As the Army reorganised to deal with Australia's increasing commitments to the Vietnam War in the mid-1960s, it sought to procure a dozen twin-engined aircraft of a size hitherto operated only by the RAAF, and also proposed a joint review of close air support. RAAF senior command chose to deal with the Army's proposals by ignoring them. As Director-General of Operational Requirements, Eaton argued that if the RAAF did not more fully satisfy the ground support requirements of the Army, then the Army itself would seek to take control of this sphere of operations, undermining the RAAF's position as the main provider of Australia's air power. Pointing out to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Murdoch, that it was "clearly the Army's intention to have complete command and control" of air-to-ground assets, he warned of a parallel situation in America, where the US Army was looking to take over all battlefield air support in response to the USAF failing to keep up to date in the provision of basic attack aircraft. The RAAF's refusal to adequately deal with its ground support responsibilities led to long-running inter-service enmity, and contributed to the Australian government's decision twenty years later to transfer control of battlefield helicopters to the Army.[44][45] At this time, Eaton also led the acquisition team that selected the Macchi MB-326 as the RAAF's new jet trainer, as it met all requirements, could be licence-built in Australia, and was relatively inexpensive. The first of ninety-seven was delivered by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in 1967.[46]

Senior command and retirement

Side view of two-seat, single-engined military jet in flight, wheels down
Macchi MB-326, selected as the RAAF's jet trainer in the mid-1960s by an acquisition team led by Air Commodore Eaton

Promoted to

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1969 Queen's Birthday Honours.[50]

Returning to Australia, Eaton became Air Member for Personnel (AMP) in October 1969. As AMP, he sat on the

airmen and airwoman ranked corporal or below.[54]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Air Vice-Marshal Brian Alexander Eaton". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Roger Leigh Eaton: Roll of Honour circular" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "'The Boss' packs it in". The Herald. 12 January 1974. p. 25.
  4. ^ a b "Eaton, Brian Alexander". World War 2 Nominal Roll. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Coulthard-Clark, Air Marshals of the RAAF, p. 34
  6. ^ Coulthard-Clark, The Third Brother, pp. 207–208
  7. ^ a b Mordike, The RAAF in Europe and North Africa 1939–1945, pp. 105–107
  8. ^ Herington, Air War Against Germany and Italy, p. 567 Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ a b Herington, Air Power Over Europe, p. 57 Archived 27 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ RAAF Historical Section, Units of the Royal Australian Air Force. Volume 2: Fighter Units, p. 7
  11. ^ Herington, Air Power Over Europe, pp. 68–69
  12. ^ "Recommendation: Distinguished Flying Cross" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  13. ^ "No. 36459". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 December 1943. p. 1616.
  14. ^ Herington, Air Power Over Europe, p. 104 Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ Wilson, The Brotherhood of Airmen, pp. 101–102
  16. ^ "Recommendation: Distinguished Service Order" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  17. ^ "No. 36459". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 April 1944. p. 1616.
  18. ^ Herington, Air Power Over Europe, p. 351 Archived 27 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ Herington, Air Power Over Europe, pp. 353–356
  20. ^ Scutts, Mustang Aces of the Ninth & Fifteenth Air Forces & the RAF, pp. 48–51
  21. ^ "Recommendation: Bar to Distinguished Service Order" (PDF). Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  22. ^ "No. 37125". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 1945. p. 3083.
  23. ^ "Recommendation: US Silver Star". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  24. ^ "No. 37610". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 1946. p. 3007.
  25. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 208–211, 214, 217, 222
  26. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 216–219
  27. ^ Wilson, The Brotherhood of Airmen, p. 144
  28. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 24–25
  29. Sunday Herald
    . 16 September 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  30. ^ a b c Draper, Who's Who in Australia 1983, p. 275
  31. ^ "Jet Fighter CO weds". The Age. 12 May 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  32. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 202–203
  33. ^ "They're off to the Middle East: brides going, too—on honeymoon". The Sunday Herald. 29 June 1952. p. 5. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  34. ^ Newton, Clash of Eagles, p. 111
  35. ^ "Promotions in RAAF". The Canberra Times. 1 January 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  36. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, p. 206
  37. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 38–39
  38. ^ Stephens, Power Plus Attitude, pp. 142, 160
  39. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, p. 354
  40. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 416–18
  41. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 160–161
  42. ^ RAAF Historical Section, Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: Bases, p. 171
  43. ^ "No. 41728". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1959. p. 3736.
  44. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 317–322
  45. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 298
  46. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 161–163
  47. ^ Stephens, Power Plus Attitude, pp. 124, 132
  48. ^ Coulthard-Clark, The RAAF in Vietnam, pp. 90–91
  49. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, p. 255
  50. ^ "No. 44864". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 1969. p. 5995.
  51. ^ a b Stephens, Going Solo, p. 500
  52. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 112
  53. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 290
  54. ^ "Air Vice-Marshal B.A. Eaton Award (Airman of the year)". Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved 16 April 2010.

References


Military offices
Preceded by
Air Vice-Marshal Bill Townsend
Air Officer Commanding Operational Command

1973 		Succeeded by
Air Vice-Marshal Frederick Robey
Preceded by
Air Vice-Marshal Christopher Foxley-Norris
 Air Officer Commanding No. 224 Group RAF
1967–1968 		Formation disbanded
Preceded by
Air Vice-Marshal Frank Headlam
 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
1966–1967 		Succeeded by
Air Vice-Marshal Bill Townsend
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brian_Eaton&oldid=1202169588"