NEW R.A.A.F. CHIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24205, 25 January 1940, Page 14

NEW R.A.A.F. CHIEF

ENGLISHMAN'S APPOINTMENT CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT MR MENZIES' STRONG DEFENCE (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, Jan. 10.. The Federal Government, by appointing Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Burnett, of the Royal Air Force, to be Chief of the Australian Air Staff, has drawn to itself widespread criticism and a charge that it has " dumped Australians." Much of the criticism is political, some of it personally against the Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) -(-notably that of Sir Earle Page, formerly leader of the Country Party—but the Government cannot refuse to recognise that it has offended Australian national sentiment by.passing over at least two very efficient Royal Australian;' Air Force officers. Air Vice-marshal R. Williams had performed the onerous duties of Chief of the Air Staff satisfactorily until a high R.A.F. officer, Sir Edward Elrington, came out to Australia towards the end of 1937, and reported adversely on certain features of the Australian organisation. The then Prime Minister (Mr Lyons) warmly replied to Sir Edward Elrington's criticism, but not long afterwards Air Vice-marshal Williams was shunted off to England. Air Vice Marshal- S. J. Goble, an experienced pilot of the last war and afterwards, and a proved administrator, succeeded him. A few weeks ago it was announced that he had resigned. Rumour concerning the reasons was rife. Mr Menzies has now announced that it was "not due to any difference between him and the Government on air force policy or to his relations with Ministers, but to difficulties of a personal nature." The Minister for Air (Mr Fairbairn) rather let the cat out of the bag when he said that Goble's desire to resign had arisen when he learned that an R.A.F. officer was to be appointed Chief of the Air Staff. .1

Calling the decision to appoint Sir Charles Burnett " staggering," Sir Earle Page criticised the departure of the policy that Australians should lead Australian forces, and demanded that Parliament should be called to discuss this and other matters. Mr Menzies adroitly turned the point against Sir Earle Page by recalling that the latter was deputy Prime Minister in the Governments which appointed Englishmen to be heads of the Australian Navy and Army. The Labour Party leader. Mr Curtin., described the appointment as confirming the opinion that Australian airmen would, at least for the duration of the war, lose their identity as an Australian Air Force. "The Government wants the Empire air scheme to be a success. Therefore, we must seize every possible means of making it a success, whether these means are available locally or have to be obtained from abroad," said Mr Menzies. "The criticism of Sir Charles Burnett's appointment is based on failure to recognise that the Empire air scheme will involve an Australian Air Force with 20 times the personnel and five times the organisation of the existing force. These facts had made it clear to everyone in the Government that the most senior and experienced men obtainable should be borrowed from the Royal Air Force. Australia might thus have the benefit of his experience, and would not have to ask its very limited number of relatively senior officers to undertake a tssk far beyond their experience." A careful check of opinion in the Royal Australian Air Force by the aviation correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald showed that the majority of officers support the Government's decision. Most of those whowere inclined to be critical at the outset now feel that the advantages to be gained by the Royal Australian Air Force end Australia's defence in general outweigh their natural desire for an Australian to hold the position of Chief of the Air Staff. They point out that a Royal Air Force officer, who can always return to his post in England is he has a " row" with the Government, is likely to stand up to political influence better than an Australian officer, no matter, how high his rank, dependent on the Government for his living. Sir Charles Burnett recently completed four years as air officer commanding the Training Command. In this position he was largely responsible for laying the foundation of the present high standard of efficiency ot the Royal Air Force. He had a distin-" guished record in the Great War, held the post of director of operations and intelligence, and deputy. chief of staff at the Air Ministry, and was also air officer commanding in Iraq. He was born in Aberdeenshire 57 years ago. He is described by a Sydney friend as " short and cheerful, a shrewd Scot certain to be popular in Australia."