John Lloyd Waddy

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

New South Wales Parliament
for Kirribilli
In office
3 March 1962 – 2 April 1976
Preceded byNew district
Succeeded byBruce McDonald
Personal details
Born10 December 1916
Group Captain
UnitNo. 250 Squadron RAF (1941–42)
No. 260 Squadron RAF (1942)
No. 4 Squadron SAAF (1942)
No. 92 Squadron RAF (1942)
No. 2 OTU (1943–44)
CommandsNo. 80 Squadron (1944–45)
RAAF Reserve (1950–54)
Battles/warsWorld War II
Awards
Mentioned in Despatches
Air Medal
(US)

John Lloyd Waddy,

OBE, DFC (10 December 1916 – 11 September 1987) was a senior officer and aviator in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and later served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and Minister of the Crown. As a fighter pilot during World War II, he shot down 15 enemy aircraft during the North African campaign, becoming one of Australia's top-scoring aces and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. Waddy went on to command No. 80 Squadron in the South West Pacific, where he was awarded the US Air Medal. He was one of eight senior pilots who took part in the "Morotai Mutiny
" of April 1945.

Discharged from the Permanent Air Force at the end of the war, Waddy took a commission in the RAAF Reserve and led the organisation as a

Services
. Waddy retired from politics in 1976, and died in 1987 at the age of 70.

Family and early life

Born in Sydney on 10 December 1916, Waddy was the son of

King's School, Parramatta.[3][4] He married Vera Nellie May (Ve) Dengate on 21 July 1938. The couple had a son, Lloyd, and two daughters, Denise and Rosalind.[2][5]

Waddy enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in late 1940, learning to fly under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Southern Rhodesia. His two older brothers, Edgar and Richard, were also pilots. Edgar had taken a short-service commission with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the 1930s, and Richard trained in Canada with EATS during the war before active duty in Britain, where he was killed flying a single-engined fighter in 1941.[1][4] Waddy's elder sister, Lett, was commissioned into the Women's Volunteer Naval Reserve, and his younger brother Rowen served as an officer with Z Special Unit in the South West Pacific.[1]

World War II

North Africa

Underside of single-engined monoplane in flight, with twin machine guns on each wing
P-40 Tomahawk similar to that flown by John Waddy in No. 250 Squadron RAF, 1941

Completing his training in June 1941,

El Adem.[8][9]

By the end of April 1942, Waddy had scored four-and-a-half victories over enemy aircraft. Promoted flying officer, he achieved four "kills" in a single sortie on 12 May 1942, destroying two Junkers Ju 52 cargo planes and two escorting Bf 110s from a German air transport convoy operating between Crete and North Africa.[4][10] He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for this action, gazetted on 2 October. The citation praised his "masterly airmanship as a fighter pilot" and his "great courage and devotion to duty".[11] Shortly after claiming a victory over a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 22 May, Waddy was posted to another RAF unit, No. 260 Squadron, flying Kittyhawks.[4][12] He accounted for two enemy aircraft in June, before being assigned to No. 4 Squadron, South African Air Force, with which he destroyed a Bf 109 in September.[13] In October, Waddy began flying Spitfire Vs in No. 92 Squadron RAF. He claimed a further three victories with his latest unit before being posted back to Australia on 19 November 1942. His final tally of fifteen and a half victories made him one of the most successful Allied fighter pilots in the Desert War, and second only to Caldwell among the RAAF contingent.[14][15]

South West Pacific

Pilot with goggles emerging from cockpit of single-engined monoplane which has the letters "VE" prominently displayed on its fuselage, in company with three other men
Waddy as CO of No. 80 Squadron at Morotai in 1945, emerging from his P-40 Kittyhawk. The aircraft is emblazoned with his tally of victories in the Desert War and "VE", the name of his wife.[5]

In February 1943, Waddy took charge of the Spitfire Squadron of

Noemfoor in the Dutch East Indies in September 1944 to command No. 80 Squadron; his unit was part of No. 78 (Fighter) Wing of the Australian First Tactical Air Force (No. 1 TAF), led by Air Commodore Harry Cobby.[4][18] Operating Kittyhawks, No. 80 Squadron undertook dive bombing and strafing missions against Japanese targets, but saw little air combat.[19][20]

In April 1945, Waddy joined Caldwell, Arthur, Gibbes and four other senior pilots of No. 1 TAF in an action that became known as the "

mentioned in despatches and awarded the US Air Medal,[5][24] the former promulgated on 25 June 1946 and the latter on 1 July 1948.[25][26]

Post-war career

RAAF reservist and businessman

Four men in civilian clothes, two of whom are shaking hands
Waddy (far left) greeting members of the World Veterans Federation in 1956

With the end of the Pacific War, Waddy was discharged from the Permanent Air Force (PAF) as an acting

Liberal Party, and accepted a commission in the RAAF Reserve, also known as the Citizen Air Force (CAF).[27] He also worked as a sales executive in the import-export firm of Falkiner, Caldwell Pty Ltd, run by Clive Caldwell and businessman George Falkiner.[27][28] Promoted group captain, Waddy led the CAF from 1950 through 1954, becoming its first member to take a seat on the Air Board, the RAAF's controlling body that consisted of its most senior officers and which was chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff.[27][29] During his tenure, CAF squadrons continued to operate aircraft and were expected to act as home defence in the absence of PAF units serving overseas, roles they would lose by the end of the 1950s.[30]

Retiring from the CAF in 1954, Waddy established his own real estate and travel agency, John L. Waddy Pty Ltd, and served as

Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1955 New Year Honours.[31] The Australian delegate to the World Veterans Federation from 1956 to 1963, he was President of the New South Wales Division of the Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association throughout the 1950s, becoming an honorary life member in 1958.[2][27] In October 1956, he joined former Chiefs of the Air Staff Air Marshals Sir Richard Williams and Sir George Jones in calling for greater investment in the local aircraft industry, warning that unless prompt action was taken the situation would deteriorate to the same level as before World War II.[32]

State parliamentarian

Half-length portrait of mustachioed man in suit and tie, seated at a desk
Waddy's official New South Wales Parliament portrait, 1971

After an unsuccessful bid to become

land rights.[35][36]

Waddy's position was changed to Minister for Youth and Community Services in January 1973. In September he piloted a bill to reorganise the Ministries of Child Welfare and Social Welfare as the Department of Youth and Community Services; the move was designed to "revitalise" and re-focus welfare services, and to remove "overtones of charity and paternalism" inherent in the earlier titles.

Minister for Services under new Premier Tom Lewis, serving until 23 January the following year.[27] In this portfolio he sponsored an amendment to the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Bill, including provisions to close polling booths at 6 pm rather than 8 pm to expedite the reporting of results, and to change the term "Christian name" to "Given name" on candidate nominations to reflect changing community attitudes.[38] He also put through a bill to hold a referendum on whether to make daylight saving a permanent fixture in New South Wales, following trials that had commenced in 1971.[39]

Described by one of his parliamentary colleagues as a "mixture of bon vivant and conservatism", Waddy was also known for an occasionally quick temper; his staff were said to "start making motions as though they were bombing and strafing the enemy" when their boss got "wound up".

Freeman of the City of London in 1972, and Australian Father of the Year in 1973.[2][41] Having held his state seat in Kirribilli for fourteen years and four re-election campaigns—in 1965, 1968, 1971 and 1973—he was denied preselection by the Liberal Party for the 1976 contest. He resigned from the party and stood as an Independent, but was defeated by future Liberal leader Bruce McDonald.[27][42] His parliamentary career was over but, in the words of a later Deputy Premier, Ian Armstrong, Waddy had "refused to retreat to political obscurity", and "went out fighting".[1] He was permitted to continue to use the title "Honourable" on his retirement.[43] After eleven years in power in New South Wales, the sitting Liberal government itself lost office in the 1976 poll, to Neville Wran's Labor Party.[44]

Later life

Full-length portrait of pilot smiling at the camera as he emerges from cockpit of single-engined monoplane with several black crosses and the letters "VE" prominently displayed on the fuselage
Waddy at Noemfoor, 1944

Waddy maintained his interest in aviation during and after his political career. He flew a

Goulburn, New South Wales.[1][2]

Following several bouts of serious illness in his later years, John Waddy died on 11 September 1987,

Queen's Counsel in 1988 and later a Justice of the Family Court of Australia.[50] He was also a co-founder and National Convenor of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.[51] Waddy's widow Ve died in 2006, at the age of ninety-six.[5]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Death of the Honourable John Lloyd Waddy at Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 September 2009. Archived at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Draper, Who's Who in Australia 1980, p. 840
  3. ^ a b Alexander, Who's Who in Australia 1950, p. 724
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Newton, Australian Air Aces, pp. 114–115
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Her name on a war plane says it all" at The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d Alexander, "Cleaning the Augean stables"
  7. ^ Alexander, Clive Caldwell: Air Ace, p. 56
  8. ^ Newton, Clash of Eagles, p. 60
  9. ^ Thomas, Tomahawk and Kittyhawk Aces of the RAF and Commonwealth, p. 107
  10. ^ Herington, Air War Against Germany and Italy, p. 231
  11. ^ "No. 35727". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 October 1942. p. 4273.
  12. ^ Newton, Clash of Eagles, p. 65
  13. ^ Newton, Clash of Eagles, pp. 65–66, 70
  14. ^ Newton, Clash of Eagles, pp. 71, 73, 79
  15. ^ Odgers, Air Force Australia, p. 125
  16. ^ "R.A.A.F. Pilot's Greetings". The Canberra Times: 2. 2 April 1943. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  17. ^ Alexander, Clive Caldwell: Air Ace, p. 156
  18. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 298–299
  19. ^ a b RAAF Historical Section, Units of the RAAF, pp. 76–77
  20. ^ Eather, Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force, p. 94
  21. ^ a b Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 123–124
  22. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 444–450
  23. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp. 388–390
  24. ^ Mention in Despatches at Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 25 September 2009. Archived at the Wayback Machine.
  25. ^ "No. 37625". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 June 1946. p. 3218.
  26. ^ US Air Medal at Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 25 September 2009. Archived at the Wayback Machine.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i "The Hon. John Lloyd Waddy (1916–1987)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  28. ^ Alexander, Clive Caldwell: Air Ace, pp. 215–217
  29. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 112
  30. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp. 226–227
  31. ^ "No. 40367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1955. p. 40.
  32. ^ "Australian Industry SOS". Flight. 19 October 1956. p. 635. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  33. ^ Hogan; Clune, The People's Choice 1930–1965, p. 399
  34. ^ a b "Part 6: Ministries" (PDF). New South Wales Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. pp. 37–42. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  35. ^ Land Rights for New South Wales Archived 24 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine at Dawn. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  36. ^ Griffiths, Parliamentary Debates: Session 1972–1973, pp. 4192–4193
  37. ^ Griffiths, Parliamentary Debates: Session 1973, pp. 964–966, 2199–2206
  38. ^ Griffiths, Parliamentary Debates: Session 1975–1976, pp. 3171–3189
  39. ^ Griffiths, Parliamentary Debates: Session 1975–1976, pp. 3125, 3564
  40. ^ Davey, The Nationals, p. 166
  41. ^ History Archived 8 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine at Australian Father of the Year. Retrieved 25 September 2009. Archived at the Wayback Machine.
  42. ^ Hogan; Clune, The People's Choice 1968–1999, p. 140
  43. ^ "No. 46852". The London Gazette. 16 March 1976. p. 3962.
  44. ^ Clune; Turner, The Premiers of New South Wales, p. 406
  45. ^ "Flag drops for Sydney". Flight International. 18 December 1969. p. 948. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
  46. ^ "Prize winners". Flight International. 15 January 1970. p. 82. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
  47. ^ Minister's Tour of NSW Archived 23 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine at Dawn. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  48. ^ John Waddy, Fighter Pilot and Minister at GoogleNews. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  49. ^ Alexander, Clive Caldwell: Air Ace, p. 220
  50. ^ Sullivan, Who's Who in Australia 2009, p. 2136
  51. ^ Submission on the Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill at Australians for Constitutional Monarchy. Retrieved 29 September 2009.

References

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New district Member for Kirribilli
1962–1976
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by
Minister for Child Welfare

1971–1973
Succeeded by
Himself
as Minister for Youth and Community Services
Minister for Social Welfare

1971–1973
Preceded by
Himself
as Minister for Child Welfare and Social Welfare
Minister for Youth and Community Services

1973
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Health
1973–1975
New title
Minister for Police

1975–1976
Succeeded by
Minister for Services

1975–1976
Succeeded by