Ian Dougald McLachlan
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Ian Dougald McLachlan CB, CBE, DFC
(23 July 1911 – 14 July 1991) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF). Born in Melbourne, he was a cadet at the Royal Military College, Duntroon
, before joining the Air Force in December 1930. After serving in instructional
and general flying roles, he took command of No. 3 Squadron
in December 1939, leading it into action in the Middle East
less than a year later. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
, he returned to Australia in 1942 to command air bases in Canberra
and Melbourne. The following year he was posted to the South West Pacific
, where he led Nos. 71
and 73 Wings
. Having been promoted to Group Captain
, he took charge of RAAF Southern Area in 1944, and No. 81 Wing
in the Dutch East Indies
the following year.
Raised to acting Air Commodore
in 1946, McLachlan served as Senior Air Staff Officer for the British Commonwealth Air Group
in Japan until 1948. After leading RAAF North-Eastern Area in 1951–53, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and posted to Britain, where he attended the Imperial Defence College
. Promoted Air Vice Marshal, he returned to Australia in 1957 as Air Officer Commanding Training Command; in this role he carried out two major reviews focussing on the RAAF's educational and command systems. He was Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
from 1959 to 1961, and then Head of the Australian Joint Services Staff in Washington, DC
until 1963. Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1966, McLachlan's final post before retiring in 1968 was as Air Member for Supply and Equipment. He was a consultant to Northrop
after leaving the RAAF, and lived in Darling Point
, Sydney, until his death in 1991.
, Victoria, on 23 July 1911. Following education at Melbourne High School, he entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon
, in 1928. He was one of four cadets sponsored that year by the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF), which did not at that stage have its own officer training college. Budgetary constraints imposed by the Great Depression
necessitated the transfer of these cadets out of Duntroon midway through their four-year course. Although offered positions in the Australian Public Service
or nominations for short-term commissions with the Royal Air Force
, all were determined to serve with the RAAF, apparently 'delighted' at the prospect of entering their chosen service early.
Enlisting in the Air Force on 10 December 1930, McLachlan completed his flight training the following year. He was commissioned as a pilot in 1932, and undertook various flight-instruction and general duties roles over the next five years. In 1937, he was a member of the RAAF contingent posted to Britain to celebrate the coronation of King George VI
. Ranked Flight Lieutenant
, he was given command of No. 3 (Army Cooperation) Squadron
, operating Hawker Demon fighters out of RAAF Station Richmond
, New South Wales, on 4 December 1939. He was promoted to Squadron Leader
on 1 February 1940, and led his unit to the Middle East
on 15 July.
, India, No. 3 Squadron arrived at Suez
, Egypt, in late August 1940. In its original army cooperation role supporting the Australian 6th Division in the North African Campaign
, the squadron was equipped with obsolescent Gloster Gladiator
biplane fighters and Westland Lysander
observation aircraft. As part of his unit's work-up for operations, McLachlan organised training exercises with the 6th Division, as well as written exams to test his men's knowledge of army jargon and air-to-ground communications. Described later as "acerbic but capable", he led No. 3 Squadron through the Battle of Sidi Barrani in December 1940, followed by the Battle of Bardia
and the capture of Tobruk in January 1941. Prior to converting to Hawker Hurricane
s that month, the unit was credited with destroying twelve Italian aircraft for the loss of five Gladiators and two pilots; McLachlan himself shot down a Fiat CR.42
on 10 December 1940, the same action in which fellow squadron member and future ace
Gordon Steege
claimed his first "kill". Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Middle East
, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore
, praised McLachlan and his squadron for their "high morale and adaptability to desert conditions".
McLachlan was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC) for his "fine qualities as a fighter pilot" and "determined leadership" in the face of often "overwhelming numbers of enemy aircraft"; the award was promulgated in the London Gazette
on 11 February 1941 under the name "Ian Duncan MacLachlan". He was the first RAAF fighter pilot to be decorated in World War II. Promoted to Wing Commander
, he took charge of the newly established RAF Benina
, Benghazi
, on 13 February, handing over No. 3 Squadron to Squadron Leader Peter Jeffrey
. By May 1941, McLachlan was acting as RAAF Liaison Officer for the new Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, RAF Middle East, Air Marshal Arthur Tedder
. The Air Board in Melbourne, headed by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Burnett
, was not consulted over this change of role and took exception to the RAF's "unilateral action" in appointing McLachlan, but eventually acquiesced and permitted him to remain at the post to coordinate facilities for RAAF personnel in the region until July, when he was recalled to Australia.
, and, later in the year, RAAF Station Laverton
, Victoria. Posted for action in New Guinea
, he became the inaugural commander of No. 71 Wing
at Milne Bay
in February 1943. The wing consisted of No. 6 Squadron
(flying Lockheed Hudson
s), No. 75 Squadron
(P-40 Kittyhawks), No. 77 Squadron
(Kittyhawks), and No. 100 Squadron
(Bristol Beaufort
s). It came under the control of No. 9 Operational Group
, the RAAF's "premier fighting unit" in the South West Pacific Area
(SWPA), whose purpose was to act as a mobile strike force in support of advancing Allied troops. In March the Beauforts took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea
, "the decisive aerial engagement" in the SWPA according to General Douglas MacArthur
, though they were unable to score any hits against Japanese ships.
By June 1943, McLachlan had been promoted Group Captain
and given command of No. 73 Wing
. He established his headquarters at Goodenough Island
, where he was responsible for organising the wing into a fighter formation consisting of No. 76 Squadron
(Kittyhawks), No. 77 Squadron (Kittyhawks) and No. 79 Squadron
(Spitfires
). As well as providing local air defence, and fighter escort for Australian bombers, the Kittyhawks were armed with incendiary
and general-purpose bombs so that they could engage in ground attack
missions, a practice that had already been employed by Commonwealth forces in the Middle Eastern theatre. In August, the wing transferred to Kiriwina
, while No. 9 Group's other combat formation, No. 71 Wing, took over responsibility for Goodenough. Appointed Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at No. 9 Group, McLachlan handed over command of No. 73 Wing to Wing Commander Gordon Steege in October 1943. Towards the end of his posting to No. 9 Group, McLachlan told its former commander, Air Commodore Joe Hewitt
, that the USAAF
was "leaping ahead" of the RAAF, which was being left to "clean up the remnants" of Japanese resistance. He feared that Australian fighter pilots especially would be "increasingly restless if the Americans took all the fighting plums". Barely a year later, morale among senior RAAF fighter pilots had dropped to such an extent that eight of them tried to resign their commissions in the so-called "Morotai Mutiny
".
In March 1944, McLachlan took over as commander of RAAF Southern Area, Melbourne, with responsibility for maritime patrol
, convoy escort
and anti-submarine warfare
in southern Australian waters; he handed over to Group Captain Charles Eaton
the following January. Mentioned in Despatches on 9 March 1945 for his "gallant and distinguished service", McLachlan returned to action in the South-West Pacific as commander of No. 81 Wing
, which comprised Nos. 76, 77 and 82 Squadron
s, operating Kittyhawks. As part of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
in the Dutch East Indies
, the wing was slated to take part in Operation Oboe One, the Battle of Tarakan
, in May but was unable to relocate from Noemfoor to its new base on Morotai
in time. It fought in Operation Oboe Six, the invasion of Labuan
, from June and was based on the island when the Pacific War ended in August 1945.
on 1 March, he was appointed SASO of the British Commonwealth Air Group
(BCAIR), headquartered in Kure
and responsible for No. 81 Wing RAAF, as well as squadrons from the Royal Air Force
, Royal New Zealand Air Force
, and Indian Air Force
. Returning to Australia in 1948, he served as Air Commodore Operations in Air Force Headquarters, Melbourne, at which time the English Electric Canberra
was ordered as Australia's first jet bomber, partly for its ability to deliver nuclear weapon
s. He completed his term in September 1951 and took command of RAAF North-Eastern Area, based at Townsville
, Queensland. Following his appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1954 New Year's Honours, McLachlan was posted to Britain for three years, first attending the Imperial Defence College
, London, and then serving as RAF Director of Flying Training at the Air Ministry
during 1955–56. Raised to Air Vice-Marshal, he returned to Australia in 1957 to become Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Training Command in Melbourne.
As AOC Training Command, McLachlan undertook two reviews that would have "a significant effect on the Air Force of the 1960s". In 1957, at the instigation of the Air Member for Personnel, Air Vice Marshal Frederick Scherger
, he formed a committee to review the effectiveness of the syllabus at RAAF College for meeting the future needs of the Air Force in an age of guided missile
s and nuclear weaponry. This led to a policy of cadets undertaking academic degrees, in line with similar institutions in the other armed services; the College was subsequently renamed RAAF Academy. The result has been considered only partially successful however, for while it turned out more highly educated officers, that education was solely in a rigid scientific discipline suited to an Air Force that never came into existence, namely one relying on missiles rather than manned aircraft. In 1959, McLachlan chaired a committee to review the change in the RAAF's command structure that had taken place in 1953–54, from a geographically based "area" system to a functional system consisting of Home, Maintenance, and Training Commands. Concluding that this had reduced duplication and improved efficiency, he proposed further rationalisation by amalgamating Training and Maintenance Commands to form a new organisation, Support Command. His plan was duly implemented, as was his recommendation that Home Command, responsible for air operations, be renamed Operational Command
.
McLachlan was appointed Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
in 1959, before being posted to Washington, DC
, as attaché
heading up the Australian Joint Services Staff in 1961. During his term in the US, Australia ordered the General Dynamics F-111C
swing-wing bomber as a replacement for the Canberra. Despite what was touted as a firm timetable and cost schedule for the order, McLachlan confided to a colleague that he had serious concerns about when and if the RAAF would actually get the F-111, and what the final cost would be. According to Air Force historian Alan Stephens, "even for such a shrewd and sardonic man as McLachlan, that was to prove a painfully prescient observation", as the new bomber was delivered six years late and massively over budget. Following his return from Washington, McLachlan became Air Member for Supply and Equipment (AMSE) in February 1964. As AMSE he sat on the Air Board, the service's controlling body that consisted of its most senior officers, chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff. In this position he worked to increase the proportion of tertiary educated Supply Officers, following similar achievements among Engineering Officers in the RAAF's Technical Branch. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1966 New Year's Honours, the citation noting particularly his chairmanship of the two "historic" committees that reorganised RAAF College and the Air Force's command structure in the late 1950s. The use of Electronic Data Processing
became more widespread during McLachlan's tenure as AMSE, and by 1968 the RAAF's supply system had been computerised.
, and chairman of Information Electronics Pty Ltd from 1983, serving in both positions until 1987. He was also chairman of Pokolbin Winemakers
from 1970 through 1975. In retirement he continued to exercise his interest in Australia's defence, joining in 1975 a group of pundits, including former Chief of the Air Staff Sir Alister Murdoch
, who promoted the addition of nuclear weapons to the country's arsenal. A resident of Sydney's Darling Point
, Ian McLachlan died on 14 July 1991.
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(23 July 1911 – 14 July 1991) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF). Born in Melbourne, he was a cadet at the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
, before joining the Air Force in December 1930. After serving in instructional
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly 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 the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
and general flying roles, he took command of No. 3 Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...
in December 1939, leading it into action in the Middle East
Middle East Theatre of World War II
The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa...
less than a year later. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
, he returned to Australia in 1942 to command air bases in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
and Melbourne. The following year he was posted to the South West Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
, where he led Nos. 71
No. 71 Wing RAAF
No. 71 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised two squadrons of P-40 Kittyhawks, one of Lockheed Hudsons, and one of Bristol Beauforts...
and 73 Wings
No. 73 Wing RAAF
No. 73 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised three attack squadrons flying CAC Wirraways, Douglas Bostons, and Bristol Beaufighters, with...
. Having been promoted to Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
, he took charge of RAAF Southern Area in 1944, and No. 81 Wing
No. 81 Wing RAAF
No. 81 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's air superiority wing. Formed during World War II, it operated in the South West Pacific theatre, flying P-40 Kittyhawks. Following the end of hostilities, it converted to P-51 Mustangs and was based in Japan as part of the Allied occupational forces...
in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
the following year.
Raised to acting Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
in 1946, McLachlan served as Senior Air Staff Officer for the British Commonwealth Air Group
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
in Japan until 1948. After leading RAAF North-Eastern Area in 1951–53, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and posted to Britain, where he attended the Imperial Defence College
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
. Promoted Air Vice Marshal, he returned to Australia in 1957 as Air Officer Commanding Training Command; in this role he carried out two major reviews focussing on the RAAF's educational and command systems. He was Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Deputy Chief of Air Force (Australia)
Deputy Chief of Air Force is the second most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Air Force, responsible to the Chief of Air Force . The rank associated with the position is Air Vice Marshal . DCAF acts as the manager of the Air Force Headquarters , which provides oversight of activities in...
from 1959 to 1961, and then Head of the Australian Joint Services Staff in Washington, DC
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
until 1963. Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1966, McLachlan's final post before retiring in 1968 was as Air Member for Supply and Equipment. He was a consultant to Northrop
Northrop Corporation
Northrop Corporation was a leading United States aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1939 until its merger with Grumman to form Northrop Grumman in 1994. The company is known for its development of the flying wing design, although only a few of these have entered service.-History:Jack...
after leaving the RAAF, and lived in Darling Point
Darling Point, New South Wales
Darling Point is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darling Point is located 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Woollahra Council....
, Sydney, until his death in 1991.
Early career
The son of Dugald and Bertha McLachlan, Ian McLachlan was born in the Melbourne suburb of South YarraSouth Yarra, Victoria
South Yarra is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Stonnington and Melbourne...
, Victoria, on 23 July 1911. Following education at Melbourne High School, he entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
, in 1928. He was one of four cadets sponsored that year by the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF), which did not at that stage have its own officer training college. Budgetary constraints imposed by the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
necessitated the transfer of these cadets out of Duntroon midway through their four-year course. Although offered positions in the Australian Public Service
Australian Public Service
The Australian Public Service is the Australian federal civil service, the group of people employed by federal departments, agencies and courts under the Government of Australia, to administer the working of the public administration of the Commonwealth of Australia...
or nominations for short-term commissions with the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, all were determined to serve with the RAAF, apparently 'delighted' at the prospect of entering their chosen service early.
Enlisting in the Air Force on 10 December 1930, McLachlan completed his flight training the following year. He was commissioned as a pilot in 1932, and undertook various flight-instruction and general duties roles over the next five years. In 1937, he was a member of the RAAF contingent posted to Britain to celebrate the coronation of King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
. Ranked Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
, he was given command of No. 3 (Army Cooperation) Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...
, operating Hawker Demon fighters out of RAAF Station Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond is one of Australia's oldest and largest air force bases. It is located within the City of Hawkesbury in the north-western fringe of Sydney, New South Wales, between the towns of Windsor and Richmond. The base is home to the Royal Australian Air Force's transport headquarters,...
, New South Wales, on 4 December 1939. He was promoted to Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
on 1 February 1940, and led his unit to the Middle East
Middle East Theatre of World War II
The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa...
on 15 July.
Middle East
Sailing via BombayMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India, No. 3 Squadron arrived at Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
, Egypt, in late August 1940. In its original army cooperation role supporting the Australian 6th Division in the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, the squadron was equipped with obsolescent Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
biplane fighters and Westland Lysander
Westland Lysander
The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
observation aircraft. As part of his unit's work-up for operations, McLachlan organised training exercises with the 6th Division, as well as written exams to test his men's knowledge of army jargon and air-to-ground communications. Described later as "acerbic but capable", he led No. 3 Squadron through the Battle of Sidi Barrani in December 1940, followed by the Battle of Bardia
Battle of Bardia
The Battle of Bardia was fought over three days between 3 and 5 January 1941, as part of Operation Compass, the first military operation of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. It was the first battle of the war in which an Australian Army formation took part, the first to be...
and the capture of Tobruk in January 1941. Prior to converting to Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s that month, the unit was credited with destroying twelve Italian aircraft for the loss of five Gladiators and two pilots; McLachlan himself shot down a Fiat CR.42
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
on 10 December 1940, the same action in which fellow squadron member and future ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
Gordon Steege
Gordon Steege
Air Commodore Gordon Henry Steege DSO, DFC is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Air Force . He became a fighter ace in World War II, credited with eight aerial victories...
claimed his first "kill". Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Middle East
RAF Middle East Command
Middle East Command was a command of the Royal Air Force formed on December 29, 1941 by renaming Headquarters RAF Middle East. During the early part of the Second World War the Command was one of the three major British service commands in the Middle East, the others being the British Army's...
, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore
Arthur Longmore
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Murray Longmore GCB, DSO was an early naval aviator, before reaching high rank in the Royal Air Force.-Biography:...
, praised McLachlan and his squadron for their "high morale and adaptability to desert conditions".
McLachlan was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC) for his "fine qualities as a fighter pilot" and "determined leadership" in the face of often "overwhelming numbers of enemy aircraft"; the award was promulgated in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 11 February 1941 under the name "Ian Duncan MacLachlan". He was the first RAAF fighter pilot to be decorated in World War II. Promoted to Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
, he took charge of the newly established RAF Benina
Benina International Airport
Benina International Airport serves Benghazi, Libya. It is located in the town of Benina, 19 km east of Benghazi, from which it takes its name. The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau of Libya and is the second largest in the country after Tripoli International...
, Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
, on 13 February, handing over No. 3 Squadron to Squadron Leader Peter Jeffrey
Peter Jeffrey (RAAF officer)
Peter Jeffrey DSO, DFC was a senior officer and fighter ace in the Royal Australian Air Force . Born in Tenterfield, New South Wales, he joined the RAAF active reserve in 1934, and transferred to the Permanent Air Force shortly before World War II...
. By May 1941, McLachlan was acting as RAAF Liaison Officer for the new Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, RAF Middle East, Air Marshal Arthur Tedder
Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Arthur William Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder, GCB was a senior British air force commander. During the First World War, he was a pilot and squadron commander in the Royal Flying Corps and he went on to serve as a senior officer in the Royal Air Force during the inter-war...
. The Air Board in Melbourne, headed by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Burnett
Charles Burnett (RAF officer)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Stuart Burnett KCB, CBE, DSO was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century. During the Second World War, he served as Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force.-Early life:Charles Burnett was born in Browns...
, was not consulted over this change of role and took exception to the RAF's "unilateral action" in appointing McLachlan, but eventually acquiesced and permitted him to remain at the post to coordinate facilities for RAAF personnel in the region until July, when he was recalled to Australia.
South West Pacific
In 1942 McLachlan took command of RAAF Station CanberraFairbairn, Canberra
Fairbairn was a base of the Royal Australian Air Force located in Australia's national capital, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Over the years the name of the establishment, and the use of the land, has changed...
, and, later in the year, RAAF Station Laverton
RAAF Williams
RAAF Williams comprises the two bases of Point Cook and Laverton. Both establishments previously existed as separate RAAF Bases until 1999 when they were amalgamated to form RAAF Williams...
, Victoria. Posted for action in New Guinea
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
, he became the inaugural commander of No. 71 Wing
No. 71 Wing RAAF
No. 71 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised two squadrons of P-40 Kittyhawks, one of Lockheed Hudsons, and one of Bristol Beauforts...
at Milne Bay
Milne Bay
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, southeastern Papua New Guinea. The bay is named after Sir Alexander Milne.The area was a site of the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942....
in February 1943. The wing consisted of No. 6 Squadron
No. 6 Squadron RAAF
No. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force training and bomber squadron. The squadron was first formed in 1917 and served as a training unit based in England during World War I. It was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of 1939...
(flying Lockheed Hudson
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
s), No. 75 Squadron
No. 75 Squadron RAAF
No. 75 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter unit based at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. The squadron was formed in 1942 and saw extensive action in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, operating P-40 Kittyhawks. It was disbanded in 1948, but reformed the...
(P-40 Kittyhawks), No. 77 Squadron
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
(Kittyhawks), and No. 100 Squadron
No. 100 Squadron RAAF
No. 100 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force bomber and maritime patrol squadron of World War II. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and was disbanded in 1946.-Squadron history:...
(Bristol Beaufort
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was 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....
s). It came under the control of No. 9 Operational Group
No. 9 Operational Group RAAF
No. 9 Operational Group was a major Royal Australian Air Force unit providing fighter, ground attack and anti-shipping support to the Allies in the South West Pacific theatre during World War II. It was designed to act as a mobile striking force independent of the RAAF's static area commands. As...
, the RAAF's "premier fighting unit" in the South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
(SWPA), whose purpose was to act as a mobile strike force in support of advancing Allied troops. In March the Beauforts took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea
Battle of the Bismarck Sea
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea took place in the South West Pacific Area during World War II. During the course of the battle, aircraft of the U.S. 5th Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force attacked a Japanese convoy that was carrying troops to Lae, New Guinea...
, "the decisive aerial engagement" in the SWPA according to General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
, though they were unable to score any hits against Japanese ships.
By June 1943, McLachlan had been promoted Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
and given command of No. 73 Wing
No. 73 Wing RAAF
No. 73 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised three attack squadrons flying CAC Wirraways, Douglas Bostons, and Bristol Beaufighters, with...
. He established his headquarters at Goodenough Island
Goodenough Island
Goodenough Island in the Solomon Sea is the westernmost of the three large islands of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. It lies to the east of mainland New Guinea and south west of the Trobriand Islands.It should not be confused with Goodenough's Island...
, where he was responsible for organising the wing into a fighter formation consisting of No. 76 Squadron
No. 76 Squadron RAAF
No. 76 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force flight training squadron. Established in 1942, the squadron operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighter aircraft and saw combat during World War II. Following the war it formed part of Australia's contribution to the occupation of Japan until it was...
(Kittyhawks), No. 77 Squadron (Kittyhawks) and No. 79 Squadron
No. 79 Squadron RAAF
No. 79 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force flight training unit which has been formed on four occasions since 1943. The squadron was established in May 1943 as a fighter unit equipped with Supermarine Spitfires, and subsequently saw combat in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
(Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
). As well as providing local air defence, and fighter escort for Australian bombers, the Kittyhawks were armed with incendiary
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
and general-purpose bombs so that they could engage in ground attack
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
missions, a practice that had already been employed by Commonwealth forces in the Middle Eastern theatre. In August, the wing transferred to Kiriwina
Kiriwina
Kiriwina is the largest of the Trobriand Islands, with an area of 290.5 km². It is part of the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. Most of the 12,000 people who live in the Trobriands live on Kiriwina. The Kilivila language, also known as Kiriwina, is spoken on the island...
, while No. 9 Group's other combat formation, No. 71 Wing, took over responsibility for Goodenough. Appointed Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at No. 9 Group, McLachlan handed over command of No. 73 Wing to Wing Commander Gordon Steege in October 1943. Towards the end of his posting to No. 9 Group, McLachlan told its former commander, Air Commodore Joe Hewitt
Joe Hewitt (RAAF officer)
Air Vice Marshal Joseph Eric Hewitt, CBE was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force...
, that the USAAF
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
was "leaping ahead" of the RAAF, which was being left to "clean up the remnants" of Japanese resistance. He feared that Australian fighter pilots especially would be "increasingly restless if the Americans took all the fighting plums". Barely a year later, morale among senior RAAF fighter pilots had dropped to such an extent that eight of them tried to resign their commissions in the so-called "Morotai Mutiny
Morotai Mutiny
The "Morotai Mutiny" was an incident in April 1945 involving members of the Australian First Tactical Air Force based on the island of Morotai, in the Dutch East Indies...
".
In March 1944, McLachlan took over as commander of RAAF Southern Area, Melbourne, with responsibility for maritime patrol
Maritime patrol
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....
, convoy escort
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
and anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
in southern Australian waters; he handed over to Group Captain Charles Eaton
Charles Eaton (RAAF officer)
Charles Eaton OBE, AFC was a senior officer and aviator in the Royal Australian Air Force , who later served as a diplomat. Born in London, he joined the British Army upon the outbreak of World War I and saw action on the Western Front before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in 1917...
the following January. Mentioned in Despatches on 9 March 1945 for his "gallant and distinguished service", McLachlan returned to action in the South-West Pacific as commander of No. 81 Wing
No. 81 Wing RAAF
No. 81 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's air superiority wing. Formed during World War II, it operated in the South West Pacific theatre, flying P-40 Kittyhawks. Following the end of hostilities, it converted to P-51 Mustangs and was based in Japan as part of the Allied occupational forces...
, which comprised Nos. 76, 77 and 82 Squadron
No. 82 Squadron RAAF
No. 82 Squadron RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in June 1943 and was disbanded in October 1948 after seeing action during World War II and participating in the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.-History:...
s, operating Kittyhawks. As part of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
Australian First Tactical Air Force
The Australian First Tactical Air Force was formed on 25 October 1944 by the Royal Australian Air Force . Its purpose was to provide a mobile force of fighter and ground attack aircraft that could support Allied army and naval units fighting the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific Area...
in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, the wing was slated to take part in Operation Oboe One, the Battle of Tarakan
Battle of Tarakan (1945)
The Battle of Tarakan was the first stage in the Borneo campaign of 1945. It began with an amphibious landing by Australian forces on 1 May, code-named Operation Oboe One...
, in May but was unable to relocate from Noemfoor to its new base on Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
in time. It fought in Operation Oboe Six, the invasion of Labuan
Battle of North Borneo
The Battle of North Borneo took place during the Second World War between Allied and Japanese forces. Part of the wider Borneo campaign of the Pacific War, it was fought between 10 June and 15 August 1945 in North Borneo...
, from June and was based on the island when the Pacific War ended in August 1945.
Post-war career
Following the end of hostilities, McLachlan volunteered to serve with the Allied occupation forces in Japan. He married Margaret Helen Chrystal on 5 January 1946; they had a son and a daughter. Promoted to acting Air CommodoreAir Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
on 1 March, he was appointed SASO of the British Commonwealth Air Group
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
(BCAIR), headquartered in Kure
Kure
Kure can refer to:*KURE, a radio station in Ames, Iowa*Kure Software Koubou, Japanese video game development company*Kure, Hiroshima , a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan**Kure Line, a rail line in the city...
and responsible for No. 81 Wing RAAF, as well as squadrons from the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
, and Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
. Returning to Australia in 1948, he served as Air Commodore Operations in Air Force Headquarters, Melbourne, at which time the English Electric Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
was ordered as Australia's first jet bomber, partly for its ability to deliver nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s. He completed his term in September 1951 and took command of RAAF North-Eastern Area, based at Townsville
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
, Queensland. Following his appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1954 New Year's Honours, McLachlan was posted to Britain for three years, first attending the Imperial Defence College
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
, London, and then serving as RAF Director of Flying Training at the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
during 1955–56. Raised to Air Vice-Marshal, he returned to Australia in 1957 to become Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Training Command in Melbourne.
As AOC Training Command, McLachlan undertook two reviews that would have "a significant effect on the Air Force of the 1960s". In 1957, at the instigation of the Air Member for Personnel, Air Vice Marshal Frederick Scherger
Frederick Scherger
Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rudolph William Scherger KBE, CB, DSO, AFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force...
, he formed a committee to review the effectiveness of the syllabus at RAAF College for meeting the future needs of the Air Force in an age of guided missile
Missile guidance
Missile guidance refers to a variety of methods of guiding a missile or a guided bomb to its intended target. The missile's target accuracy is a critical factor for its effectiveness...
s and nuclear weaponry. This led to a policy of cadets undertaking academic degrees, in line with similar institutions in the other armed services; the College was subsequently renamed RAAF Academy. The result has been considered only partially successful however, for while it turned out more highly educated officers, that education was solely in a rigid scientific discipline suited to an Air Force that never came into existence, namely one relying on missiles rather than manned aircraft. In 1959, McLachlan chaired a committee to review the change in the RAAF's command structure that had taken place in 1953–54, from a geographically based "area" system to a functional system consisting of Home, Maintenance, and Training Commands. Concluding that this had reduced duplication and improved efficiency, he proposed further rationalisation by amalgamating Training and Maintenance Commands to form a new organisation, Support Command. His plan was duly implemented, as was his recommendation that Home Command, responsible for air operations, be renamed Operational Command
RAAF Air Command
Air Command is the operational arm of the Royal Australian Air Force . It is headed by the Air Commander Australia, whose role is to manage and command the RAAF's Force Element Groups , which contain the operational capability of the Air Force...
.
Deputy Chief of Air Force (Australia)
Deputy Chief of Air Force is the second most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Air Force, responsible to the Chief of Air Force . The rank associated with the position is Air Vice Marshal . DCAF acts as the manager of the Air Force Headquarters , which provides oversight of activities in...
in 1959, before being posted to Washington, DC
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, as attaché
Attaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
heading up the Australian Joint Services Staff in 1961. During his term in the US, Australia ordered the General Dynamics F-111C
General Dynamics F-111C
The General Dynamics F-111C is a variant of the F-111 Aardvark medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft, developed by General Dynamics to meet Australian requirements. The design was based on the F-111A model but included longer wings and strengthened undercarriage...
swing-wing bomber as a replacement for the Canberra. Despite what was touted as a firm timetable and cost schedule for the order, McLachlan confided to a colleague that he had serious concerns about when and if the RAAF would actually get the F-111, and what the final cost would be. According to Air Force historian Alan Stephens, "even for such a shrewd and sardonic man as McLachlan, that was to prove a painfully prescient observation", as the new bomber was delivered six years late and massively over budget. Following his return from Washington, McLachlan became Air Member for Supply and Equipment (AMSE) in February 1964. As AMSE he sat on the Air Board, the service's controlling body that consisted of its most senior officers, chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff. In this position he worked to increase the proportion of tertiary educated Supply Officers, following similar achievements among Engineering Officers in the RAAF's Technical Branch. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1966 New Year's Honours, the citation noting particularly his chairmanship of the two "historic" committees that reorganised RAAF College and the Air Force's command structure in the late 1950s. The use of Electronic Data Processing
Electronic data processing
Electronic Data Processing can refer to the use of automated methods to process commercial data. Typically, this uses relatively simple, repetitive activities to process large volumes of similar information...
became more widespread during McLachlan's tenure as AMSE, and by 1968 the RAAF's supply system had been computerised.
Later life
McLachlan completed his term as Air Member for Supply and Equipment on 23 July 1968 and retired from the Air Force; he was divorced from his wife the same year. Upon leaving the military, he became an aeronautical consultant to the Northrop CorporationNorthrop Corporation
Northrop Corporation was a leading United States aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1939 until its merger with Grumman to form Northrop Grumman in 1994. The company is known for its development of the flying wing design, although only a few of these have entered service.-History:Jack...
, and chairman of Information Electronics Pty Ltd from 1983, serving in both positions until 1987. He was also chairman of Pokolbin Winemakers
Pokolbin, New South Wales
Pokolbin is a rural locality in the Hunter Region of New South Wales Australia. It is part of the Singleton Shire Council Local Government Area and the city of Cessnock. The area is the centre of the Lower Hunter Valley wine region...
from 1970 through 1975. In retirement he continued to exercise his interest in Australia's defence, joining in 1975 a group of pundits, including former Chief of the Air Staff Sir Alister Murdoch
Alister Murdoch
Air Marshal Sir Alister Murray Murdoch KBE, CB was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1965 to 1969. Joining the Air Force in 1930, Murdoch trained as a seaplane pilot, and participated in an Antarctic rescue mission for lost explorers...
, who promoted the addition of nuclear weapons to the country's arsenal. A resident of Sydney's Darling Point
Darling Point, New South Wales
Darling Point is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darling Point is located 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Woollahra Council....
, Ian McLachlan died on 14 July 1991.