James Rowland (RAAF officer)
Lieutenant | Sir Laurence Street[1] | |
---|---|---|
Preceded by | Sir Roden Cutler | |
Succeeded by | Sir David Martin | |
Personal details | ||
Born | James Anthony Rowland 1 November 1922 | |
Born in rural
After
Early life and World War II
Rowland was born in
Rowland was assigned to the Pathfinder Force that marked targets for other aircraft on strategic bombing missions over Europe. Considered an exceptional pilot, he became a master bomber with No. 635 Squadron RAF in 1944.[9][11] As a master bomber, his role was to arrive ahead of the main Allied force, check that flares marking the target were in place, and warn his fellows if they were bombing inaccurately.[9][12] No. 635 Squadron operated Lancasters, a type that, Rowland recalled, "would forgive sprog pilots doing the most outrageous things to it, and would even bring them home with quite large bits shot off it".[13][14]
Having been promoted to acting
Post-war RAAF career
Rowland's commission was terminated in November 1945. Returning to Australia, he resumed his studies at the University of Sydney and completed his degree, before rejoining the RAAF as a member of its newly formed Technical Branch in 1947.[2][9] He was posted to Britain in 1949 to attend the Empire Test Pilots' School. In 1952, he was appointed chief test pilot with the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) at RAAF Base Laverton, Victoria.[4] Rowland led trial programs that involved many of the Air Force's early jets such as the Gloster Meteor, de Havilland Vampire, English Electric Canberra, and CAC Sabre.[2] Promoted to squadron leader, he earned the Air Force Cross for his test flying achievements; the award was gazetted on 1 January 1955.[9][18] He married Faye Doughton on 20 April 1955; the couple had a daughter, Anni.[4][16]
Rowland attended
In December 1966, Rowland became commanding officer of
In March 1975, Rowland was raised to air marshal and took over from Air Marshal Charles Read as CAS, becoming the first appointee to the position who had joined the RAAF after the commencement of World War II.[2][9] He was also the first engineering officer to lead the RAAF, and was selected over a more senior air vice marshal through the personal influence of the Defence Secretary, Sir Arthur Tange.[9][27] The CAS was required to be a member of the Air Force's aircrew stream so Rowland, still a qualified pilot, had to transfer from the Technical Branch to the General Duties Branch. Soon afterwards, the stipulation for the CAS to be a member of the General Duties Branch was removed.[28]
1. Whatever you do, it will cost more, and the later you do it the more it will cost
2. There are never enough wires, and if there are they are in the wrong places
3. Whatever you choose there's now a better one available
4. Aircraft always get heavier
—The four "immutable laws" of aircraft acquisition related by Wing Commander Rowland in an address to the Royal Aeronautical Society, Canberra, 1965.[22]
In 1976, Rowland became the first CAS to personally command the RAAF in a legal sense, following dissolution of the Air Board, a consequence of defence reorganisation in the wake of the 1973 "Tange report" that recommended departmental rationalisation. A new Chief of the Air Staff Advisory Committee (CASAC) was set up, but there was no requirement for the CAS to accept its advice.[28][29] According to historian Alan Stephens, Rowland considered that the "collective wisdom" engendered by the Air Board had been generally beneficial to the RAAF, and believed the new arrangements led to "'paralysis and arrogation of decision making', and empire building in the Public Service component".[30][31] Though known as a strong committee member who enjoyed a good argument, he "found that the sheer time involved in attending meetings made it very difficult for him to run the Air Force 'the way [he] wanted to'".[2][31] To facilitate the cross-fertilisation of ideas on air power between senior officers, he inaugurated an annual CAS Symposium.[32] During his term as CAS, Rowland reoriented the RAAF's priorities in line with the Defence of Australia policy, which had been adopted by the government in the early 1970s. As a result, he placed the strongest emphasis on protecting Australia from air attack, followed by conducting air strikes on targets in other countries, and supporting the Army and Navy.[33]
On 11 June 1977, Rowland was appointed a
Governorship and later life
Viceregal styles of Sir James Rowland | ||
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Reference style | His Excellency | |
Spoken style | Your Excellency |
After leaving the Air Force, Rowland continued to live in
As Governor of New South Wales and therefore the senior state governor, Rowland held a dormant commission to serve as Administrator of the Commonwealth and Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force during absences by the Governor General, and did so six times while in office.[41][42] On one such occasion he was required to dismiss an old colleague, Air Vice Marshal James Flemming, from his position as director of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, after the Government lost faith in Flemming's ability to properly manage the Memorial. Rowland had served as one of Flemming's referees when he applied to head the Memorial in 1982.[38][43] Journalist and public servant Evan Williams also credited Rowland with being "the first Viceregal whistleblower" for alerting the Wran government to an unusual number of early release requests for prisoners that he was being asked to sign by Corrective Services Minister Rex Jackson. The inquiries set in motion by Rowland's queries revealed that Jackson was receiving money from criminals for misusing the early release scheme. Forced to resign, Jackson was later charged with corruption and imprisoned.[44]
Rowland was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Engineering by the University of Sydney in 1983, and also appointed a
After retiring from the Governorship, Rowland served as president of the Royal Humane Society,[57] Chancellor of the University of Sydney from 1990 to 1991,[45] and as a member of the Police Board from 1989 to 1992.[6][8] He was also a member of the boards of several private companies, including Angus & Coote and Thomson-CSF Pacific Holdings, and Chairman of the Aerospace Foundation of Australia from 1992 until his death in Sydney on 27 May 1999.[11] Sir James Rowland was survived by his wife and daughter, and accorded a state funeral.[16]
In 2016, the RAAF Air Power Development Centre and the Australian Centre for the Study of Armed Conflict and Society at the University of New South Wales jointly established the Sir James Rowland Air Power Seminar to further "a broadened understanding of the origins, evolution, application and depiction of air power in the national interest".[58]
Notes
- ^ "NEW SOUTH WALES". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 91. New South Wales, Australia. 2 August 1974. p. 2955. Retrieved 3 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Stephens; Isaacs, High Fliers, pp. 158–161
- ^ "Rowland, James Anthony". World War 2 Nominal Roll. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f Draper, Who's Who in Australia 1985, p. 741
- ^ "Rowland, Louis Claude". World War 2 Nominal Roll. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ a b "Eulogy for Sir James Rowland" (PDF). Register of War Memorials in NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ Williams, "Sir James Anthony Rowland", p. 571
- ^ a b c "Death of Air Marshal Sir James Anthony Rowland". Parliament of New South Wales. 27 March 1999. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Dennis et al., The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History, pp. 455–456
- ^ Rees, Lancaster Men, p. 17
- ^ a b c d "Air Marshals". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ Nelson, "From Wagga to Waddington"
- ^ "635 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ Brown, Skylarks, p. vii
- ^ "No. 36942". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 February 1945. p. 931.
- ^ a b c d e f "Air Marshal Sir James Anthony Rowland". Register of War Memorials in NSW. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ Rees, Lancaster Men, p. 381
- ^ "No. 40367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1955. p. 42.
- ^ RAAF Historical Section, Ancillary Units, pp. 158–161
- ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 354–357
- ^ Susans, The RAAF Mirage Story, p. 12
- ^ a b "Buying a new aircraft poses many problems". RAAF News. Department of Defence. January–February 1965. p. 6.
- ^ "Officer postings Dec–Jan". RAAF News. Department of Defence. January–February 1967. p. 10.
- ^ "Officer promotions – 1968". RAAF News. Department of Defence. November 1967. p. 7.
- ^ RAAF Historical Section, Maintenance Units, pp. 10–12
- ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp. 75–76, 174–179
- ^ McNamara, The Quiet Man, p. 169
- ^ a b Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 296–297
- ^ Odgers, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 188
- ^ Stephens, Going Solo, p. 80
- ^ a b Stephens, Australia's Air Chiefs, p. 11
- ^ Pickard, Air Power Doctrine Education, p. 4
- ^ Lax, From Controversy to Cutting Edge, pp. 118–119
- ^ "No. 47236". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1977. p. 7125.
- ^ "National Medal". It's an Honour. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ McNamara, The Quiet Man, pp. 106, 182–183
- ^ a b "New Governor sees job as a challenge". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 9 December 1980. p. 3. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
- ^ a b Robinson, Peter (25 January 1987). "Peace is paramount, lest we forget". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 34. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
- ^ Williams, "Sir James Anthony Rowland", p. 569
- ^ "No. 48508". The London Gazette. 29 January 1981. p. 1309.
- ^ Stephens, Australia's Air Chiefs, p. 32
- ^ Coulthard-Clark, Soldiers in Politics, p. 60
- ^ McKernan, Here Is Their Spirit, pp. 341–342.
- ^ Williams, "Sir James Anthony Rowland", pp. xviii, 570–571
- ^ a b "Sir James Rowland elected Chancellor" (PDF). University of Sydney. April 1990. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
- ^ "Commonwealth of Australia Australian Military Regulations Appointment of Honorary Colonel". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. G42. 22 October 1985. p. 3925. Retrieved 8 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. G39. 29 September 1981. p. 109. Retrieved 8 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Companion of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ Korbl, Ex-Luftwaffe MBE, p. 130
- ^ Williams, "Sir James Anthony Rowland", p. 575
- ^ Williams, "Sir James Anthony Rowland", pp. 576–577
- ^ "Pomp and tears as Sir James says goodbye". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 January 1989. p. 1.
- ^ "First session of the Forty-Ninth Parliament" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Council. 28 April 1988. pp. 1, 3, 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2016.
- ^ "Parliament of New South Wales, Assembly election". Australian Politics and Elections Database. University of Western Australia. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ Williams, "Sir James Anthony Rowland", p. 573
- ^ "A list of Governors of New South Wales". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ "Annual Report Year Ended 30 June 2010" (PDF). Royal Humane Society. August 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
- ^ "Inaugural Sir James Rowland Air Power Seminar" (PDF). Air Power Development Centre. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
References
- Brown, Eric (1998). Skylarks: The Lighter Side of Life in the RAAF in World War II. Canberra: Air Power Studies Centre. ISBN 0-642-26515-1.
- Coulthard-Clark, Chris (1996). Soldiers in Politics: The Impact of the Military on Australian Political Life and Institutions. St. Leonards, New South Wales: ISBN 1-86448-185-4.
- Dennis, Peter; ISBN 978-0-19-551784-2.
- Draper, W.J., ed. (1985). Who's Who in Australia 1985. Melbourne: The Herald and Weekly Times.
- Korbl, Frank (2002). Ex-Luftwaffe MBE. Canberra: Aerospace Centre, ISBN 0-642-26573-9.
- Lax, Mark (2010). From Controversy to Cutting Edge: A History of the F-111 in Australian Service. Canberra: Air Power Development Centre. ISBN 978-1-920800-54-3. Archived from the originalon 30 May 2012.
- McKernan, Michael (1991). Here Is Their Spirit. A History of the Australian War Memorial 1917–1990. Brisbane: ISBN 0-7022-2413-8.
- ISBN 1-920800-07-7. Archived from the originalon 12 May 2014.
- ISBN 9781925021653. Archived from the originalon 26 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ISBN 0-86777-368-5.
- Pickard, Stephen (2004). Air Power Doctrine Education: A Social Critical Perspective. Canberra: Air Power Development Centre. OCLC 224072824.
- RAAF Historical Section (1995). Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 7: Maintenance Units. Canberra: ISBN 0-644-42798-1.
- RAAF Historical Section (1995). Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 9: Ancillary Units. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42802-3.
- Rees, Peter (2013). Lancaster Men: The Aussie Heroes of Bomber Command. Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-74175-207-6.
- Stephens, Alan (1995). Going Solo: The Royal Australian Air Force 1946–1971. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42803-1.
- Stephens, Alan (2006) [2001]. The Royal Australian Air Force: A History. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-555541-4.
- Stephens, Alan, ed. (1992). Australia's Air Chiefs: The Proceedings of the 1992 RAAF History Conference. Canberra: Air Power Studies Centre. ISBN 0-642-18866-1.
- Stephens, Alan; Isaacs, Jeff (1996). High Fliers: Leaders of the Royal Australian Air Force. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-45682-5.
- Susans, Wing Commander M.R., ed. (1990). The RAAF Mirage Story. RAAF Base Point Cook, Victoria: ISBN 0-642-14835-X.
- Williams, Evan (2009). "Sir James Anthony Rowland". In Clune, David; Turner Ken (eds.). The Governors of New South Wales 1788–2010. Annandale, New South Wales: The Federation Press. ISBN 978-1-86287-743-6.