RO YAL RO U YAL U N I N T E S D E S I L E A R T W V I C H E T E S U O I N S S S D T W I E T N U F T E O E L S E A R W V I H C T E U S O I S N S W T E I T N U F T O E RO YAL U N IT E S D E S L E A R W V I H C T E U S O I N S S W T E I T N U F T O E United Service Journal of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, New South Wales, Incorporated Informing the defence and national security debate since 1947 Volume 70, Number 4, December 2019 – ISSN 1038-1554 CONTENTS NEWS The dawn of carrier strike: and the world of President’s Column – Paul Irving ......................................2 Lieutenant W P Lacy DSO RN by David Hobbs – reviewed by Michael Flynn................................................18 This book traces the birth of the Royal Navy’s air arm between OPINION the two world wars, with a focus on ‘turf’ battles with the Royal Air Editorial: Australia’s amphibious capability – Force. David Leece ........................................................................3 Angels of mercy: far west, far east by Lynette Ramsay Silver – reviewed by Debbie Case ...................................19 This is a biography of two nursing sisters – Marjorie Silver, INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS who served in remote Australian communities; and Pat Darling, th Does Australia need a ‘Plan B’ for its Defence policy? who served with the 8 Australian Division in World War II. – Peter Jennings ..................................................................5 Greece 1941: the death throes of Blitzkrieg by Jeffrey The pace of recent strategic change in our region has forced Plowman – reviewed by Brad Manera and a review of Australian defence policy and force structure. The David Leece .......................................................................20 region’s big strategic challenges are likely to be tested much Greece 1941 is a significant contribution to the historiography earlier than envisaged by the 2016 Defence white paper and of a campaign that cost the Australian Imperial Force its first should be the focus of a new ‘Plan B’. Herein, Mr Jennings combat division of the Second World War. identifies nine short-term measures that the government should now consider. The Reich intruders: RAF light bomber raids in World War II by Martin M. Bowman – reviewed by Australia’s capacity to generate naval task groups for Bob Treloar ........................................................................21 amphibious operations and sea control – This is the story of No. 2 Group, Royal Air Force (RAF), which David Tietzel ...........................................................................9 flew Blenheim, Boston, Mitchell and Mosquito bombers on raids Captain Tietzel describes how Australia’s Amphibious Task over Nazi-occupied Europe during Wold War II. Group has evolved since 2014; and how a Maritime Task Group has co-evolved to enable bluewater maritime manoeuvre/sea The missing man: from the outback to Tarakan, the control and to protect the Amphibious Task Group. powerful story of Len Waters, Australia’s first Aboriginal fighter pilot by Peter Rees – reviewed by Force from the sea: Australia’s amphibious capability: Bob Treloar .........................................................................22 an update – Kim Gilfillan....................................................12 Len Waters was the only Aboriginal to qualify in the RAAF as The Australian Amphibious Force now is able to employ a a fighter pilot during World War II. He flew 104 sorties on landing force of up to battalion-group strength over the spectrum operations with No. 78 Squadron in World War II. of operations from the provision of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to high-end warfighting, the latter capability having Stern justice: the forgotten story of Australia, Japan been tested, in conjunction with allies, during Exercise Talisman and the Pacific war crimes trials by Adam Wakeling – Sabre 2019. Colonel Gilfillan describes the current capability. reviewed by Bob Treloar ....................................................23 Stern Justice is a most interesting account Australia’s role in BOOK REVIEWS the conduct of the Japanese war crimes trials and provides a balanced perspective of these events. Duty nobly done: an extraordinary account of 11 family members in the Great War by Adam Holloway – Hunters over Arabia: Hawker Hunter operations in the Middle East by Ray Deacon – reviewed by reviewed by Roland Millbank ............................................17 This book follows 11 members of the one extended family – Bob Treloar .........................................................................24 the Holloways, from Roma, Queensland – who served in the Hunters over Arabia provides an in-depth account of the Australian Imperial Force in the Great War (1914-1919). operations performed by Royal Air Force Hawker Hunter squadrons policing Arabia from 1960 to 1971. FRONT COVER: United States Marines disembark from an Australian landing craft on King's Beach near Bowen, Queensland, on 22 July 2019, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019. This issue examines Australia’s current amphibious capability. [Photo: Sergeant 1st Class Whitney C. Houston]. United Service 70 (4) December 2019 Page 1 United Service Royal United Services Institute for Journal of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies Defence and Security Studies New South Wales, Incorporated Informing the defence and national security debate since 1947 New South Wales Editor: Dr David Leece, PSM, RFD, ED Promoting understanding of defence and national security Business Manager: Mr Graham Brown, BEc (Sydney), MBus since 1888 (UTS), FFin Patron: Her Excellency, The Honourable Margaret Beasley, Editorial Advisory Committee: AO, QC, Governor of New South Wales Dr David Leece, PSM, RFD, ED – chair President: Mr Paul Irving, AM, PSM, RFD Mr Ken Broadhead, RFD Air Vice-Marshal Bob Treloar, AO, RAAFAR Secretary: Mr Steve Bell Dr Ian Pfennigwerth Treasurer: Mr Graham Brown, BEc (Sydney), MBus (UTS), FFin United Service is published quarterly. It seeks to inform the President’s Column defence and national security debate in Australia and to bring an Australian perspective to that debate internationally. To this end, Welcome to the December 2019 issue of United Service, the journal publishes papers presented at meetings and seminars a highly professional journal now in its 72nd year of continuous organised by the Institute. Contributed papers dealing with publication. This issue contains an in - defence and national security issues or military history also will be forma tive update on the development of published, together with relevant opinion pieces, letters to the the Australian Defence Force’s amphi - editor, biographies, obituaries and book reviews. Before bious capability that was tested during acceptance, contributions are refereed and edited. Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019. A detailed Contributions, which conform to the journal’s style, should be opinion piece on the amphibious capability addressed to the Editor at [email protected]. Papers normally sets out important implications for the should not exceed 3500 words and may be accompanied by one Australian Defence Force in the future use or two illustrations, a brief biography and a photo of the author. of this capability in a war-fighting role. I am Opinion pieces, biographies, obituaries and book reviews should sure you will enjoy reading this issue. not exceed 850 words, guest editorials 400 words and letters 200 The Australian Prime Minister stated recently: “We have words. Submission of an article implies that the article has not been published elsewhere and also implies transfer of the entered a new era of strategic competition – a not unnatural copyright from the author to the publisher. Notes for contributors result of shifting power dynamics, in our modern more multi- are at www.rusinsw.org.au. polar world and globalised economy.” Australia is an Indo-Pacific nation and our region is the Copyright: This work is copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 permits epicentre of that change. Our region is going through the most fair dealing for study, research, news, reporting, criticism and significant geopolitical change probably since the end of the review. Selected passages may be reproduced for such purposes, provided acknowledgement of the source is included. Otherwise, Second World War. Driven by the pace of this change, a articles published in this journal may not be reproduced, stored in review is underway of Australia’s defence readiness and a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by electronic or supporting strategic framework, including an update of force mechanical means, photocopying or recording, either in whole or structures to meet new and rapidly emerging threats. in part, without the written permission of the Editor. In 2020 and beyond, the Royal United Service Institutes (RUSIs) across Australia will have an important role in promo - Publisher: United Service is published by the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, New South ting informed debate on, and enhancing public awareness Wales, Incorporated, ABN 80 724 654 162, PO Box A778, Sydney and understanding of, these important changes in Australia’s South NSW 1235. defence readiness, supporting strategic framework and force structures. This work will be strengthened by the work Typesetter: Mrs Marilou Carceller; Email: [email protected]. currently underway to ensure the future of the