Air Vice Marshal Allan Leslie Walters,
CB,
CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
,
AFC (2 November 1905 – 19 October 1968) was a senior commander in the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF). Born in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
and raised in
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
, he graduated from the
Royal Military College, Duntroon
lit: Learning promotes strength
, established =
, type = Military college
, chancellor =
, head_label = Commandant
, head = Brigadier Ana Duncan
, principal =
, city = Campbell
, state ...
, before transferring to the RAAF in 1928. He was one of the service's leading
flying instructors and
aerobatic pilots between the wars, and was appointed to his first
squadron
Squadron may refer to:
* Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies
* Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
command in 1937. Over the course of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, Walters led
No. 1 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
,
No. 1 (Fighter) Wing in
Darwin, Northern Territory,
No. 72 Wing in
Dutch New Guinea
Dutch New Guinea or Netherlands New Guinea ( nl, Nederlands-Nieuw-Guinea, id, Nugini Belanda) was the western half of the island of New Guinea that was a part of the Dutch East Indies until 1949, later an overseas territory of the Kingd ...
, and
Northern Command in
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
. He was decorated with the
Air Force Cross in 1941 for his work with No. 1 Squadron, and
mentioned in despatches in 1944 for his service with No. 72 Wing.
Walters was appointed a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
in 1946 for his service with Northern Command. Already marked out for senior roles in the post-war RAAF, his positions during the 1950s included
Air Officer Commanding (AOC)
Southern Area Command, AOC
RAAF Overseas Headquarters in London, Head of the Australian Joint Services Staff in Washington, D.C., AOC
Home Command,
Air Member for Personnel
The Air Member for Personnel (AMP) is the senior Royal Air Force officer who is responsible for personnel matters and is a member of the Air Force Board. The AMP is in charge of all aspects of recruiting, non-operational flying and ground tr ...
, and AOC
Support Command. He was promoted acting
air vice marshal in 1952 (
substantive in 1954), and appointed a
Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1956. Popularly known as "Wally",
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
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, where he died in 1968 at the age of sixty-two.
Early career
Allan Leslie Walters was born on 2 November 1905 in
Ascot Vale
Ascot Vale is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Ascot Vale recorded a population of 15,197 at the 2021 c ...
, Victoria, to schoolteacher Ferdinand Walters and his wife Edith. The family soon moved to
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...
, Western Australia, and Allan completed his education at Perth Modern School, where he joined the
cadets. After leaving school and spending eight months in the
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
, he entered the
Royal Military College, Duntroon
lit: Learning promotes strength
, established =
, type = Military college
, chancellor =
, head_label = Commandant
, head = Brigadier Ana Duncan
, principal =
, city = Campbell
, state ...
, in February 1924.
At Duntroon he specialised in
field artillery, and excelled at athletics.
Graduating as a
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
in December 1927, he transferred to the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF) on 1 February 1928.
Walters' preferred career path in the military was engineering, and it was only when he failed to gain selection for this field after his graduation that he applied to transfer to the Air Force, which, having no cadet college of its own, had arranged with Duntroon to take one of its artillery specialists each year for
secondment
Secondment is the assignment of a member of one organisation to another organisation for a temporary period.
Job rotation
The employee typically retains their salary and other employment rights from their primary organization but they work close ...
as a pilot.
[Coulthard-Clark, ''The Third Brother'', pp. 191–192, 196] He commenced his course at
RAAF Point Cook
RAAF Williams is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base set across two locations, at Point Cook and Laverton, located approximately south-west of the Melbourne central business district in Victoria, Australia. Both establishm ...
, Victoria, in mid-1928, and graduated as a
flying officer in March 1929.
Walters showed an aptitude for instruction, and after further training was graded an 'A1'
flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to operate aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate ...
, a rare distinction. Posted to
No. 3 Squadron at
RAAF Station Richmond, New South Wales, operating
Westland Wapiti
The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general-purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service.
First flying in 1927, the Wa ...
s, he also made a name for himself performing
aerobatics
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glide ...
at air shows throughout the country.
Walters put this particular talent to use in pursuit of his wife-to-be, Jean Manning, stunt flying above All Saints Church,
North Parramatta
North Parramatta is a suburb of the City of Parramatta, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 24 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Parramatta.
History
The Darug peo ...
, where her father was
rector
Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to:
Style or title
*Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations
*Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
. Reverend Manning married the couple there on 30 June 1930; their daughter Robin was born in Richmond.
![P00448](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/P00448.195RichmondWapitis.jpg)
Walters was granted a permanent commission in the Air Force in 1930.
On 5 January 1931, by now promoted
flight lieutenant, he won a trophy in an air obstacle race at the
Cootamundra Air Pageant. In May the following year, he took out the NSW Air Derby and Evening News Cup. He temporarily commanded No. 3 Squadron during October 1933, in the absence of Squadron Leader
Bill Bostock. At the time, the commanding officer of No. 3 Squadron also held command of RAAF Station Richmond.
[Roylance, ''Air Base Richmond'', pp. 46, 123] Walters was posted to Britain in 1936 to attend the
Royal Air Force Staff College, Andover, and was promoted to
squadron leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is als ...
in March 1937, while still overseas.
[Coulthard-Clark, ''Air Marshals of the RAAF'', p. 34] He also undertook a naval reconnaissance course at
RAF Manston
Royal Air Force Manston or more simply RAF Manston is a former Royal Air Force station located in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site was split between a commercial airport Kent International Airpo ...
. Returning to Australia in May, he took command of
No. 22 Squadron in June, flying
Hawker Demon
The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircra ...
s and
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCA ...
s out of Richmond until February 1938.
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
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
in a
Tugan Gannet. He returned to Richmond in May 1938 to lead No. 3 Squadron, operating Demons, and again took part in aerobatic displays.
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. Completing his Richmond appointment in May 1939, Walters transferred to
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
as Director of Staff Duties at RAAF Headquarters.
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.
World War II
![AWM012244JonesHancockHewitt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/AWM012244JonesHancockHewitt.jpg)
Walters' first operational appointment following the outbreak of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
was as commanding officer of
No. 1 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron, which he led to
Sembawang
Sembawang is a planning area and residential town located in the North Region of Singapore. Sembawang planning area is bordered by Simpang to the east, Mandai to the south, Yishun to the southeast, Woodlands to the west and the Straits of Jo ...
, Singapore, in July 1940.
[Gillison]
''Royal Australian Air Force'', pp. 141–142
His promotion to temporary
wing commander
Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...
was announced the same month. He had earlier travelled incognito to Singapore on a
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founde ...
Empire flying boat
The Short Empire was a medium-range four-engined monoplane flying boat, designed and developed by Short Brothers during the 1930s to meet the requirements of the growing commercial airline sector, with a particular emphasis upon its usefulness ...
, which had been specifically requested to deviate from its normal flight path so that he could reconnoiter airfields in the
Dutch East Indies. Deployed in response to fears of
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
expansion in
Malaya, No. 1 Squadron was the first Australian unit equipped with
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and p ...
light bombers, which were employed primarily for
maritime patrol {{Unreferenced, date=March 2008
Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities.
Maritime patrol refers to ac ...
work.
Walters was awarded the
Air Force Cross for his "very active part in all operations" and for training his unit to "a particularly high standard"; the honour was
gazetted
A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.
In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...
in the 1941
King's Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are prese ...
.
He succeeded
Frank Lukis
Air Commodore Francis William Fellowes (Frank) Lukis, CBE (27 July 1896 – 18 February 1966) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). A veteran of World War I, he first saw combat as a soldier in t ...
as commanding officer of
RAAF Station Laverton, Victoria, in May the same year, and was promoted acting
group captain.
In May 1942, he joined Allied Air Forces Headquarters,
South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area (SWPA) was the name given to the Allied supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific War. SWPA included the Philippines, Borneo, the ...
(SWPA), in Melbourne as Assistant Director of Operations. He was made a temporary group captain in September, and transferred to Headquarters
RAAF Command as senior air staff officer.
On 7 October 1942, Walters took command of a new formation,
No. 1 (Fighter) Wing, at RAAF Station Richmond. Established to boost the air defence capability of Australia's
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
Clive Robertson Caldwell, (28 July 1911 – 5 August 1994) was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties, including an ace in a day. In addit ...
, Australia's top-scoring
flying ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
of the war, as his
wing leader
Wing leader, or wing commander (flying), denotes the tactical commander of a Commonwealth military wing on flying operations. The terms refer to a position, not a rank, although the role was usually taken by an officer ranked wing commander. The p ...
, Walters began deploying aircraft and men to
Darwin, Northern Territory, in December, providing a fillip for morale in the region. Proudly declaring himself Australia's oldest fighter pilot, Walters was reported as taking every opportunity to join his men in the air.
He flew as Caldwell's
wingman
A wingman (or wingmate) is a pilot or UAV who supports another pilot in a potentially dangerous flying environment. ''Wingman'' was originally the plane flying beside and slightly behind the lead plane in an aircraft formation.
According to t ...
in No. 1 Wing's
first major action against the Japanese over Darwin on 2 May 1943.
[Alexander, ''Clive Caldwell'', pp. 109–111] Eight Spitfires crashed and several others made forced landings, for the destruction of one Japanese bomber and five fighters. 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!"
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. He posted out of Darwin a few days later, having earned the admiration of Caldwell and the rest of the wing's personnel.
![OG0540Walters72Wing1943](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/OG0540Walters72Wing1943.jpg)
Walters assumed command of
No. 5 Service Flying Training School in
Uranquinty
Uranquinty is a small town approximately south of Wagga Wagga, in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The population of the town, often referred to as "Quinty", is 909.
Uranquinty was used as the railway village when the railw ...
, New South Wales, on 30 June 1943, but the next month was posted to
Merauke
Merauke is a large town and the capital of the South Papua province, Indonesia. It is also the administrative centre of Merauke Regency in South Papua. It is considered the easternmost city in Indonesia. The town was originally called Ermasoe. It ...
in Dutch New Guinea to take over
No. 72 Wing following reassignment of its original commander, Group Captain
Charles Eaton.
Comprising
No. 84 Squadron (flying
CAC Boomerang
The CAC Boomerang is a fighter aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation between 1942 and 1945. Approved for production shortly following the Empire of Japan's entry into the Second World War, t ...
fighters),
No. 86 Squadron (
Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time an ...
fighters), and
No. 12 Squadron (
Vultee A-31 Vengeance
The Vultee A-31 Vengeance was an American dive bomber of World War II, built by Vultee Aircraft. A modified version was designated A-35. The Vengeance was not used operationally by the United States, but was operated as a front-line aircraft by ...
dive bombers), No. 72 Wing came under the control of RAAF
North-Eastern Area Command, and undertook air defence and patrol tasks in and around western New Guinea. Group Captain
Bill Hely assumed command of No. 72 Wing in May 1944, and Walters was appointed Director of Staff Policy and Plans at RAAF Headquarters.
He was
mentioned in despatches on 28 October 1944 for his "Gallant & distinguished service" in North-Eastern Area, the award being promulgated on 9 March 1945.
In February 1945, Walters was promoted to acting
air commodore and took over from Air Commodore Lukis as
Air Officer Commanding (AOC)
Northern Command, directing its operations in New Guinea,
New Britain and
Bougainville until the end of the war.
Headquartered at
Madang
Madang (old German name: ''Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen'') is the capital of Madang Province and is a town with a population of 27,420 (in 2005) on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. It was first settled by the Germans in the 19th century.
Histo ...
in Papua New Guinea, Northern Command had previously been a large mobile formation known as
No. 9 (Operational) Group but had evolved into a garrison force, its mobile function supplanted by No. 10 (Operational) Group (later
First Tactical Air Force). Northern Command's operational formations included
No. 71 Wing in northern New Guinea,
No. 74 Wing at
Port Moresby
(; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New ...
, and
No. 84 Wing on Bougainville. No. 71 Wing, commanded by Group Captain
Val Hancock, supported the
Australian 6th Division during the
Aitape–Wewak Campaign
The Aitape–Wewak campaign was one of the final campaigns of the Pacific Theatre of World War II. Between November 1944 and the end of the war in August 1945, the Australian 6th Division, with air and naval support, fought the Imperial Japane ...
, despite ordnance deficiencies that at one stage led to its squadrons arming their
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort (manufacturer designation Type 152) is a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber. At le ...
s with captured Japanese bombs. No. 84 Wing suffered shortages in pilots and equipment during the
Bougainville Campaign
The Bougainville campaign was a series of land and naval battles of the Pacific campaign of World War II between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan, named after the island of Bougainville. It was part of Operation Cartwheel, the Allie ...
, 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. In September, Walters represented the RAAF at the Japanese surrender ceremonies in
Wewak
Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city (seat) of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak. ...
.
Post-war career
Walters was appointed a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
(CBE) in the King's Birthday Honours on 25 June 1946, for his "conspicuous service in operations against the Japanese" while leading Northern Command during the war. After completing his term as AOC Northern Command that year, Walters again became Director of Staff Plans and Policy at RAAF Headquarters.
He attended the
Imperial Defence College, London, in 1947.
Walters was among a small coterie of highly regarded operational commanders, including Air Commodores
John McCauley
Air Marshal Sir John Patrick Joseph McCauley, KBE, CB (18 March 1899 – 3 February 1989) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1954 to 1957. A Duntroon g ...
,
Fred Scherger and Val Hancock, earmarked by the
Australian Air Board for senior leadership roles in the post-war RAAF.
[Stephens, ''Going Solo'', pp. 24–27, 73] 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.
He was selected as AOC
Southern Area Command, hub of the RAAF's training organisation, in March 1948. 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.
![AllanWalters1954a](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/AllanWalters1954a.jpg)
In January 1951, Walters was appointed AOC
RAAF Overseas Headquarters in London. That December, he was part of the Australian contingent at the Commonwealth Air Forces Conference, where an RAAF presence was sought in the Middle East; this eventually resulted in
No. 78 Wing being re-formed and deployed to Malta in July 1952. Although Walters was keen to use the opportunity to acquire the RAAF's first
North American F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing ...
s, political realities led him to negotiate a deal whereby the wing was equipped with leased British
de Havilland Vampire FB.9s.
In October 1952, Walters was promoted to acting
air vice marshal and posted to Washington, D.C., to head up the Australian Joint Services Staff as successor to Air Vice Marshal Scherger. Walters' rank was made permanent in January 1954, when he succeeded Air Vice Marshal McCauley to become AOC
Home Command.
Walters held this post, responsible for directing the RAAF's combat units, for three years. His tenure witnessed the introduction of the
CAC Sabre
The CAC Sabre, sometimes known as the Avon Sabre or CA-27, is an Australian variant of the North American Aviation F-86F Sabre fighter aircraft. The F-86F was redesigned and built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). Equipping five ...
to operational service with the Air Force, when No. 3 Squadron took delivery of its first machine in March 1956.
Walters was appointed a
Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1956
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, with New Year's Day, 1 January, being marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other Commonwealth realms also mark this ...
. 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. Scherger gained the appointment, and Walters became Air Member for Personnel (AMP) on 21 October.
[Stephens, ''Going Solo'', pp. 499–500] 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.
In this role Walters endorsed the recommendations of a review by the AOC Training Command, Air Vice Marshal
Ian McLachlan
Ian Murray McLachlan (born 2 October 1936) is a former Australian politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1990 to 1998, representing the Liberal Party. He was Minister for Defence in the Howard Government from ...
, that led to a policy of
RAAF College
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
cadets undertaking academic degrees, in line with similar institutions in the other armed services; the college was subsequently renamed RAAF Academy. Walters served as AMP until August 1959.
The following month he was appointed AOC
Support Command, a new organisation created by merging the RAAF's former Training and Maintenance Commands.
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.
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
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
* Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...
had been announced the previous November.
Walters followed horse racing in private life. Survived by his wife and daughter, he died from
cardiorenal failure in
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...
, Melbourne, on 19 October 1968. He was accorded an Air Force funeral at The Scots Church, Melbourne, and cremated.
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
Air Marshal Sir Colin Thomas Hannah, (22 December 1914 – 22 May 1978) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and a Governor of Queensland. Born in Western Australia, he was a member of the Militia before joining the ...
, and Douglas Candy.
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Walters, Allan
1905 births
1968 deaths
Military personnel from Western Australia
Australian aviators
Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Australian Companions of the Order of the Bath
People educated at Perth Modern School
Military personnel from Melbourne
Australian recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
Royal Australian Air Force air marshals
Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II
Royal Military College, Duntroon graduates
Alumni of the Royal College of Defence Studies