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AN INTERESTING POINT © Commonwealth of Australia 2014 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission. Inquiries should be made to the publisher. Disclaimer The views expressed in this work are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defence, the Royal Australian Air Force or the Government of Australia. The Commonwealth of Australia will not be legally responsible in contract, tort or otherwise, for any statements made in this document. Cover Image: ‘Flying Start’ by Norm Clifford - QinetiQ Pty Ltd National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Author: Campbell-Wright, Steve, author. Title: An interesting point : a history of military aviation at Point Cook 1914-2014 / Steve Campbell-Wright. ISBN: 9781925062007 (paperback) Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Subjects: Aeronautics, Military--Victoria--Point Cook--History. Air pilots, Military--Victoria--Point Cook. Point Cook (Vic.)--History. Other. Authors/Contributors: Australia. Royal Australian Air Force. Air Power Development Centre. Dewey Number: 358.400994 Published and distributed by: Air Power Development Centre F3-G, Department of Defence Telephone: + 61 2 6128 7041 PO Box 7932 Facsimile: + 61 2 6128 7053 CANBERRA BC 2610 Email: [email protected] AUSTRALIA Website: www.airforce.gov.au/airpower AN INTERESTING A History of Military Aviation at Point Cook 1914 – 2014 Steve Campbell-Wright ABOUT THE AUTHOR Steve Campbell-Wright has served in the Air Force for over 30 years. He holds a Masters degree in arts from the University of Melbourne and postgraduate qualifications in cultural heritage from Deakin University. He has deployed to most major areas of operations over the last decade and has taken part in representational visits to the United Kingdom, South Korea, Malaysia, Tonga, Brunei, Canada, Ireland and Turkey. He has written on subjects as diverse as heritage homes of the Australian Defence Force and Australia’s motoring heritage. His recreational interests include agricultural heritage and education, vintage car restoration and rebuilding historic aircraft. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This book began as a desire on my part to gather for a long time have been one of the most agreeable into one place the research that my wife Susan and I parts of writing the book. He is supported by a had carried out over many years about Point Cook. dedicated staff, all of whom welcome me on my Our research was always strongly supported by visits, especially research librarian Monica Walsh, Wing Commander David Francis (retired), who for who can place her hands on any photo or document nearly half a century has championed Point Cook in the museum’s collection at a moment’s notice. and has been instrumental in laying the groundwork Inveterate aviation image collector John Hopton for its rightful recognition as a place of great is also thanked for the use of images from ‘The significance in the heritage of Australia. Collection’. The writing was given impetus by Mark I am indebted to my good friend Group Pilkington, who suggested that the centenary of Captain Ron Gretton (retired), who—aside from military aviation would be a good time to publish overseeing the restoration or replication of many such a book. Mark’s encouragement kicked off historic aircraft—has shared my aviation heritage the planning and writing that has consumed all of interests and helped to ‘workshop’ the many my spare time for the two years of actual writing. research conundrums I have faced. He has also His passion and energy to retain Point Cook are introduced me to many people who have assisted in remarkable, and my thanks go to him for believing my research. Along the way, I have been fortunate to that I was the person to write this book. see the remarkable workmanship of Geoff Matthews The offer to publish the book by the Air Power along with Ron on the Bristol Boxkite replica and Development Centre is a generous one indeed. Andrew Willox on the B.E.2a replica. My thanks go to RAAF Historian Dr Chris Clark I am also grateful to those I have met through for making the decision to take on the publication my research and have shared my interest in Point shortly before his retirement and to Martin Cook, including Mrs Jan Fischer, Mrs Barbara James—his successor as RAAF Historian—for Gilbert, Air Vice-Marshal Ian Sutherland (retired), suggesting and facilitating the offer. My thanks go Norman Clifford, Group Captain Nader Abou- to Dr Gregory Gilbert, who took initial carriage of Seif and Squadron Leaders Mike Dance and Peter the project and kept it moving through the early Meehan and Barry Turner (retired). I am especially steps in the publication process at the Air Power indebted to the descendents of many of our early Development Centre. He has reviewed each chapter airmen, notably those of the Lord, Lukis, Cole and helped me to retain a balanced perspective. My and Wrigley families, for their information and further thanks go to Martin James for his detailed reminiscences. Chris Hawker, grand-nephew of review of the manuscript and for seeing the project famous aviator Harry Hawker, has also been of great through the final steps to publication. assistance by providing early documents and photos. The process of writing and seeking out those I am indebted to Suzanne Birrell for providing a additional stories to attempt to enliven the narrative unique photo of her grandmother. has been made most enjoyable by my friend for over Above all, I am indebted to my family for their a quarter of a century David Gardner of the RAAF patience and understanding. My wife Susan has Museum. Our regular chats to review chapters and acted as sounding-board, critic and proof-reader hunt for photos that have not seen the light of day over the two years of writing, and I am grateful vi for her unstinting support. If writing history is about drawing the most likely conclusions from the available evidence and constructing a narrative for a contemporary audience, then any errors in interpretation in this book rest entirely with me. Steve Campbell-Wright Point Cook March 2014 vii FOREWORD I have vivid and fond memories of Point Cook. Point Cook is the oldest continously operating Indeed, I started my Air Force career at Point Cook military airfield in the world and, for us today, is an in January 1970 as a member of No 76 Pilots Course. important link to military aviation’s illustrious past While I enjoyed flying the Winjeel at Point Cook, I with both the Australian Flying Corps and the Royal was relieved when I successfully passed the first phase Australian Air Force. While the buildings can’t talk, of my pilots course. Interestingly, my last flight as a An Interesting Point focuses on the people at Point pilot in the Air Force terminated at Point Cook in Cook bringing the place to life. Steve’s eye for the 2007. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to fly quirks of life show that people have not changed the Iroquois helicopter A2-377 on its last flight from over the years. The book also debunks some myths Canberra to Point Cook. I remember the flight very and shines a light into some of Point Cook’s darker well as the arrival was in mid-winter just before dusk corners, but it all helps to complete a fascinating in perfect weather with Point Cook looking beautiful picture of an historic place. as we approached to land to deliver the helicopter to The history of Point Cook is an important story. the RAAF Museum. One which should be better known to all Australians. Point Cook is the birthplace of military aviation Accordingly, I thank Steve for writing this book which and the Royal Australian Air Force’s ancestral home. tells the Point Cook story. The centenary of Lieutenant Eric Harrison’s historic flight, at Point Cook on 1 March 1914, is an ideal time to pause and reflect on the Royal Australian Air Force traditions of service and sacrifice that were forged at Point Cook from its earliest days to the present. Much has occurred at Point Cook in its 100 year association with the military and I commend Steve Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC (Ret’d) Campbell-Wright for writing An Interesting Point: Chief of the Defence Force 2005–2011 A Centenary of Military Aviation at Point Cook Chief of Air Force 2001–2005 1914 – 2014. Point Cook was central to the birth of military aviation in a country remote and distant from the centres of technical innovation in Europe and the United States. However, this remoteness provided the incentive for Australian aviators to mount some impressive feats of skill and endurance. Indeed, Point Cook played a large part in many national and international ‘firsts’. Sadly though, over the years, too many aircrew lost their lives at Point Cook in the challenge of providing air power for Australia, particularly in the early years when aircraft were unreliable and pilots were not as well trained and supervised as they are today. viii PREFACE Point Cook is an interesting place. Its physical reduces the information available to historians from presence demonstrates this, and the stories that newspapers of the period. However, operational are associated with it attest to its unique place in history records of World War II provide an excellent Australia’s cultural heritage. Through this book, I have source of information of a type that was not captured attempted to bring together the tangible past (the site for Point Cook in World War I.