Group Captain Clive Alexander Brewster-Joske (October 1896 – 23 April 1947), later known as Clive Brewster, was a Fiji-born British subject of Australian heritage. He became a
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 ...
during World War I and was credited with eight aerial victories. Upon his return to civil life post-war, he became a leading citizen of Fiji being entrusted by several foreign governments as their consular agent. He returned to service at the beginning of World War II, rising first to the rank of lieutenant colonel, then to that of group captain.
Early life
Clive Alexander Brewster-Joske was born in Fiji in October 1896, the son of Alexander Joske and Emily Undine Joske. He was of Australian heritage, and was educated 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 ...
, Australia. He joined the British Army's 37th Division in September 1914, serving in the
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
Motor Machine Gun Service
The Motor Machine Gun Service (MMGS) was a unit of the British Army in the First World War, consisting of batteries of motorcycle/sidecar combinations carrying Vickers machine guns. It was formed in 1914 and incorporated into the Machine Gun Cor ...
. He learned an observer's duties by performing them; he corrected artillery fire via a wireless transmitter, photographed enemy positions, and manned the observer's machine gun when attacked. He was initially assigned to No. 1 Squadron for these observer's duties. After his first victory claim was not confirmed, he scored his first aerial success on 29 February 1916.
He then trained as a pilot, and on 24 September 1916 was appointed a flying officer from the
General List
The General Service Corps (GSC) is a corps of the British Army.
Role
The role of the corps is to provide specialists, who are usually on the Special List or General List. These lists were used in both World Wars for specialists and those not allo ...
, with the rank of temporary 2nd lieutenant and seniority from 27 February 1916. With effect 1 September 1916, Brewster-Joske was promoted to temporary
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 ...
"while serving with R.F.C." by the War Office. He was posted to No. 46 Squadron, with whom he would gain the remainder of his victories, scoring his second on 2 June 1917. In late September 1917, he earned 46 Squadron's first decoration, a Military Cross. The award citation said simply, "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in taking part in 29 air fights, in which he has destroyed seven hostile machines." The Gazette of 19 September 1917 listed his appointment as a flight commander with the rank of acting captain.
He was withdrawn from combat duty in November 1917, which would have scotched his position as acting captain as he was no longer a flight commander. On 23 June 1918, he was again promoted to acting captain to be employed as a
staff officer
A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military ...
, serving until the armistice on 11 November 1918.
List of aerial victories
Confirmed victories in the below list are numbered; unconfirmed victories are denoted "u/c".
Post World War I
Brewster-Joske returned to Australia on the ''Makura'' in late 1918; his return was reported in the '' Sydney Morning Herald'' on 23 December 1918. On 11 April 1919, he was transferred to the unemployed list of the Royal Air Force, officially ending his original stint of military service.
Brewster-Joske returned to Fiji. He became one of its leading citizens. On 24 June 1920, his monarch approved of his service as
Consul
Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throu ...
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
, and "other islands within the jurisdiction of His Majesty's High Commissioner for the Western Pacific."
In 1922, his father died in Suva, leaving his mother widowed.
On 17 February 1932, Brewster-Joske was awarded the
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
by the President of the French Republic for his service as France's consul at Suva.
He must have involved himself with local military affairs, as on 3 June 1935, Major Brewster-Joske of the Fiji Defence Force was awarded 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 o ...
for his services.
On 18 February 1936 Norway awarded him the
Order of Saint Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav I ...
for his consular service on its behalf. However, the honour was overshadowed by tragedy; on 14 March 1936 his mother died at her home at 6 Wentworth Road,
Vaucluse
Vaucluse (; oc, Vauclusa, label= Provençal or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.
Brewster-Joske subsequently changed his surname via deed poll to Brewster on 18 November 1938. In the process, he was noted as "a natural born British subject". As another war loomed in 1939, he took command of the local military, being granted the rank of lieutenant colonel. The next year, with World War II in full spate, he transferred to the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
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as a group captain in Administration and Training.
Brewster died on 23 April 1947 in
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...
, India, while returning to Fiji from Britain. He fell from a window at his room in the Taj Mahal Hotel. A coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.