Peter Jeffrey (RAAF officer)
Encyclopedia
Peter Jeffrey DSO
, DFC
(6 July 1913 – before 10 April 1997) was a senior officer and fighter ace
in the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF). Born in Tenterfield
, New South Wales, he joined the RAAF active reserve in 1934, and transferred to the Permanent Air Force (PAF) shortly before World War II. Posted to the Middle East
in July 1940, Jeffrey saw action with No. 3 Squadron
and took command of the unit the following year, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross
for his energy and fighting skills. He was appointed wing leader of No. 234 Wing RAF in November 1941, and became an ace the same month with his fifth solo victory. The next month he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
for his achievements, which included rescuing a fellow pilot who had crash landed in the desert.
In 1942, Jeffrey was posted to the South West Pacific
, where he helped organise No. 75 Squadron
for the defence of Port Moresby
, and No. 76 Squadron
prior to the Battle of Milne Bay
. He served two stints in charge of No. 2 Operational Training Unit
in southern Australia before the end of the war, broken by command of No. 1 (Fighter) Wing
in the Northern Territory
and Western Australia
during 1943–44, at which time he was promoted to temporary group captain
. Jeffrey was transferred to the RAAF reserve after the war but returned to the PAF in 1951, holding training posts in Victoria and command of RAAF Base Edinburgh
in South Australia, before resigning in 1956. Outside the military, he was a grazier
and stock broker
. He died in 1997, aged 83.
, New South Wales, on 6 July 1913. He was educated at Church of England Preparatory School
in Toowoomba
, Queensland, and at Cranbrook in Sydney
. Having spent time as a jackaroo
, by 1934 he was in his first year of engineering studies at Sydney University
, residing in St Andrew's College. In December that year, he enlisted as an air cadet in the RAAF active reserve, known as the Citizen Air Force (CAF).
Jeffrey undertook flying instruction on the 1935 'B' (reservists) course conducted by No. 1 Squadron
at RAAF Station Laverton, and was commissioned as a pilot officer
in July. Serving with No. 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron
from July 1936, he transferred from the CAF to the Permanent Air Force (PAF) on a short-service commission in May 1938. He was then assigned to No. 1 Flying Training School
at RAAF Point Cook, Victoria, as an instructor
. In January 1939, he was posted to Britain to attend the Specialists Signals Course at Royal Air Force College Cranwell
, and was promoted to flight lieutenant
in September.
at RAAF Station Richmond
, New South Wales. He resumed flying duties in June 1940, and posted out to the Middle East
as a flight commander
with No. 3 Squadron on 15 July.
, India, No. 3 Squadron arrived at Suez
, Egypt, in late August 1940. Along with most of his comrades, Jeffrey flew obsolescent Gloster Gladiator
biplanes in support of the Australian 6th Division during the North African Campaign
, but he claimed no victories at this stage. Promoted squadron leader
, he took over No. 3 Squadron from Wing Commander Ian McLachlan
on 13 February 1941, by which time the unit had converted to Hawker Hurricane
monoplane fighters. Based at RAF Benina
in defence of Benghazi
when Jeffrey assumed command, No. 3 Squadron retreated eastwards only hours ahead of German tanks after Rommel
launched his offensive in April. The Australians were forced to use ten different airfields in as many days before the Allies regrouped.
Jeffrey was flying a Hurricane when he claimed his first aerial victory on 15 April 1941. Following a flight of four German Junkers Ju 52 transports back to their base near Fort Capuzzo
, Libya, he shot one down before it landed and strafed the other three on the ground, setting all on fire. He was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC) for this exploit, as well as his "untiring efforts" and "high standard of efficiency ... under extremely trying conditions"; the award was promulgated in the London Gazette
on 13 May. After converting to P-40 Tomahawks the same month, No. 3 Squadron took part in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign
. Jeffrey scored the unit's first victory in the new fighter when he shot down in flames an Italian Junkers Ju 88 over the sea near Beirut
on 13 June 1941. Within two days he had followed this up by destroying a Vichy French
Martin 167 bomber in southern Syria. Jeffrey was credited with another Ju 88 before the squadron returned to North Africa in September to support the Allied counter-attack against the Afrika Korps
. He was mentioned in despatches on 24 September 1941.
As commanding officer of No. 3 Squadron, Jeffrey came up with innovative ways of improving morale in the face of living conditions that were "primitive at best". On one occasion he arranged accommodation for his men near a beach, well away from the din of night-time bombing that was causing them to lose sleep on a regular basis. Another of his more "radical ideas" and lasting legacies was a combined mess
for all pilots in the combat zone, whether commissioned
or non-commissioned
. The concept was initially frowned upon by Royal Air Force
units; however when Air Vice Marshal "Mary" Coningham
dined at the shared mess on 11 October 1941 and gave his approval, it took root across the entire Desert Air Force
; leading ace Clive Caldwell
later put the same idea into practice as commander of the RAAF's No. 1 (Fighter) Wing
in Darwin
, Northern Territory. One of No. 3 Squadron's flight sergeant
s recalled that Jeffrey made it a rule for new pilots to get to know their ground crew to increase their sense of comradeship, and also gave one of his senior warrant officer
s special responsibility for keeping track of the location of Allied airfields and petrol supplies to ensure that the unit was never short of fuel or places to land in an emergency.
Having been promoted to temporary wing commander
and appointed wing leader of No. 234 Wing RAF earlier in the month, Jeffrey was credited with a share in the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter on 20 November. Two days later he was shot down himself, but was uninjured and managed to make his way back to base. On 25 November, above cheering Allied soldiers besieged in Tobruk
, Jeffrey led No. 3 Squadron and No. 112 Squadron RAF in an attack on Axis
bombers that resulted in seven enemy aircraft being destroyed and eight damaged, against one Tomahawk lost. He scored his fifth solo victory during the engagement, shooting down a Bf 110, and damaged another. On 30 November, Jeffrey rescued one of his old comrades from No. 3 Squadron, Sergeant Pilot
Allan Cameron, who had crash-landed behind enemy lines. Nicknamed "Tiny", Cameron had the bulkiest frame of any man in the unit, and after landing Jeffrey had to ditch his parachute to make room for his passenger in the Tomahawk's cockpit. He nevertheless managed to take off and return to base, and Cameron went on to survive the war and become an ace in the process. For this and other achievements Jeffrey was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
on 12 December 1941. As well as his rescue of the downed pilot, the citation paid tribute to his "great success" as wing leader, his "fine fighting spirit" in returning to base after having been shot down himself, and to his "magnificent leadership, fearlessness and skill" that had "contributed in a large measure to the successes achieved". At the end of the month, Jeffrey was posted back to Australia to serve in the South West Pacific
. He was credited with a total of five aerial victories in the Middle East, plus one shared and one damaged, though he was considered to be "conservative" in his scoring.
, operating newly delivered P-40 Kittyhawks. Forming the squadron in Townsville
, Queensland, Jeffrey was responsible for readying it for the defence of Port Moresby
, which would become one of the crucial early battles in the New Guinea campaign
. Although it included two other veterans of No. 3 Squadron in the Middle East, Flight Lieutenants "Old John" Jackson
and Peter Turnbull
, most of the unit's pilots were untried, and Jeffrey had only nine days to instil in them basic principles of combat flying, gunnery and tactics. He handed over command to Jackson on 19 March, but assisted in ferrying the Kittyhawks to Moresby two days later, only to be fired upon by nervous anti-aircraft gunners as he came in to land with Turnbull and two other pilots. All four aircraft were damaged, and Jeffrey came within inches of death as a bullet flew past his skull and into the headrest of his seat. By 24 March, No. 75 Squadron had already shot down a number of Japanese raiders; having witnessed it "quickly established as a fighting unit", Jeffrey returned to Australia. He immediately began working up a second new Kittyhawk unit for service in New Guinea, No. 76 (Fighter) Squadron
. Based in Townsville at this stage, it was subsequently commanded by Peter Turnbull and joined No. 75 Squadron in the Battle of Milne Bay
.
In April 1942, Jeffrey was appointed to establish and command No. 2 Operational Training Unit
(No. 2 OTU). Initially based at Port Pirie, South Australia, the unit relocated to Mildura
, Victoria, the following month, training pilots for combat in such aircraft as Kittyhawks, CAC Boomerang
s and Supermarine Spitfire
s. Its instructors under Jeffrey included aces Clive Caldwell
and Wilf Arthur
. Jeffrey married Colleen Crozier at Toorak Presbyterian Church
in Melbourne on 14 May; his best man was fellow ace and No. 3 Squadron veteran Alan Rawlinson. The couple had two sons, Rod and Tim. In August 1943, Jeffrey took charge of No. 5 Fighter Sector Headquarters
, based in Darwin
, Northern Territory. On 25 September, he took over from Caldwell as officer commanding No. 1 (Fighter) Wing
, comprising three Spitfire squadrons whose role was to defend the North Western Area
(NWA) from air attack. By this time however, Japanese raids had declined in strength and frequency, and Allied forces in the NWA shifted from a defensive posture to assaulting Japanese positions in the Dutch East Indies
and Western New Guinea
. No. 1 Wing intercepted some raiders in late September but none came in October; the last Japanese attack on northern Australia took place on 12 November. Jeffrey was promoted to temporary group captain
in December.
On 8 March 1944, Jeffrey urgently dispatched two of his squadrons to the vicinity of Perth
, Western Australia, in response to concerns that a Japanese naval force would raid the area
, but it proved to be an abortive sortie; no attack ensued, and the squadrons were directed to return to Darwin on 20 March. He led the wing in its first offensive strafing
operation on 18 April, attacking Japanese positions in the Babar Islands. The next month, he deployed his headquarters and two squadrons to Exmouth Gulf
in Western Australia to protect facilities that had been established to refuel the British Eastern Fleet prior to Operation Transom
. On 5 September 1944, Jeffrey led No. 1 Wing to the Tanimbar Islands
and strafed targets in Selaru
. Later he discussed the mission with Caldwell, who was then commanding No. 80 (Fighter) Wing
and had tagged along to determine if such long-range operations might be worthwhile for his squadrons. Jeffrey declared that the trip was a wasted effort and he had only undertaken it to prevent, in Caldwell's words, "the morale of his pilots going completely down the drain". The following month, Jeffrey was recommended to be mentioned in despatches for "Gallant & distinguished service" in North Western Area; the award was gazetted
on 9 March 1945. Departing No. 1 Wing, in November he returned to the command of No. 2 OTU, in which role he saw out the rest of the war.
. In April 1951 he again applied to rejoin the PAF and this time was granted a commission as a wing commander. Over the next two years he held training posts in Victoria, firstly at the RAAF Staff College, Point Cook, and in 1952 at Central Flying School
, East Sale
. The following year he became Deputy Director of Operations at RAAF Headquarters, Melbourne.
Raised to acting group captain in February 1954, Jeffrey was appointed Superintendent, Air, with the Long-Range Weapons Establishment in Salisbury
, South Australia. Coordinating weapons trials at Woomera Rocket Range
, Jeffrey and his support staff were based initially at RAAF Base Mallala
but later relocated to Edinburgh airfield
, then part of Salisbury and owned by the Department of Supply. On 17 January 1955, he became the inaugural officer commanding RAAF Base Edinburgh
, and oversaw the transfer of units from Mallala during the year. He handed over command of the base in April 1956, and resigned from the Air Force on 14 May. Returning to private life, Jeffrey settled in Queensland and became partner in a stock broking
firm at Surfers Paradise
. He later became a grazier
, running a sheep and cattle property at Emerald
in Queensland's Central Highlands. He moved back to Surfers Paradise in 1972, where he died in 1997 at the age of 83, survived by his wife and sons. His obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald on 10 April described him as the "archetypal Australian combat leader ... fearless, forthright, unpretentious, caring".
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DFC
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...
(6 July 1913 – before 10 April 1997) was a senior officer and fighter 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...
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 Tenterfield
Tenterfield, New South Wales
Tenterfield is a town in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the New England region at the intersection of the New England and Bruxner Highways. Tenterfield is a three-hour drive from Brisbane, 2.5 hours from Byron Bay, two hours from Armidale, New South Wales and 10 hours from Sydney....
, New South Wales, he joined the RAAF active reserve in 1934, and transferred to the Permanent Air Force (PAF) shortly before World War II. Posted 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...
in July 1940, Jeffrey saw action with 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:...
and took command of the unit the following year, earning 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...
for his energy and fighting skills. He was appointed wing leader of No. 234 Wing RAF in November 1941, and became an ace the same month with his fifth solo victory. The next month he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
for his achievements, which included rescuing a fellow pilot who had crash landed in the desert.
In 1942, Jeffrey 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 helped organise 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...
for the defence of Port Moresby
Battle of Port Moresby
The Battle of Port Moresby was an aerial battle fought between aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force , United States Army Air Force and aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy between 3 February 1942 and 17 August 1943 over Port Moresby, New Guinea.-References:**...
, and 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...
prior to the Battle of Milne Bay
Battle of Milne Bay
The Battle of Milne Bay, also known as Operation RE by the Japanese, was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Japanese marines attacked the Australian base at Milne Bay on the eastern tip of New Guinea on 25 August 1942, and fighting continued until the Japanese retreated on 5...
. He served two stints in charge of No. 2 Operational Training Unit
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a Royal Australian Air Force training unit located at RAAF Base Williamtown. 2OCU's main role is to train pilots to operate the F/A-18 Hornet. New RAAF pilots enter 2OCU for training after first qualifying to fly jet fighters in No. 76 Squadron...
in southern Australia before the end of the war, broken by command of No. 1 (Fighter) Wing
No. 1 Wing RAAF
No. 1 Wing was an Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force wing active during World War I and World War II. The wing was established on 1 September 1917 as the 1st Training Wing and commanded the AFC's pilot training squadrons in England until April 1919, when it was...
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
during 1943–44, at which time he was promoted to temporary 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...
. Jeffrey was transferred to the RAAF reserve after the war but returned to the PAF in 1951, holding training posts in Victoria and command of RAAF Base Edinburgh
RAAF Base Edinburgh
RAAF Base Edinburgh is located in Edinburgh, 25km north of the centre of Adelaide.It is primarily home to No 92 Wing's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that conduct surveillance operations throughout Australia's airspace....
in South Australia, before resigning in 1956. Outside the military, he was a grazier
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
and stock broker
Stock broker
A stock broker or stockbroker is a regulated professional broker who buys and sells shares and other securities through market makers or Agency Only Firms on behalf of investors...
. He died in 1997, aged 83.
Early life
The son of A.L. Jeffrey, Peter Jeffrey was born in TenterfieldTenterfield, New South Wales
Tenterfield is a town in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the New England region at the intersection of the New England and Bruxner Highways. Tenterfield is a three-hour drive from Brisbane, 2.5 hours from Byron Bay, two hours from Armidale, New South Wales and 10 hours from Sydney....
, New South Wales, on 6 July 1913. He was educated at Church of England Preparatory School
Toowoomba Preparatory School
Toowoomba Preparatory School is a private co-educational primary school located in Toowoomba, Queensland. It has an average enrolment of approximately 500 students. It has three sporting ovals and a multipurpose court...
in Toowoomba
Toowoomba, Queensland
Toowoomba is a city in Southern Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. With an estimated district population of 128,600, Toowoomba is Australia's second largest inland city and its largest non-capital inland city...
, Queensland, and at Cranbrook in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. Having spent time as a jackaroo
Jackaroo (trainee)
A Jackaroo is a young man working on a sheep or cattle station, to gain practical experience in the skills needed to become an owner, overseer, manager, etc. The word originated in Queensland, Australia in the Nineteenth Century and is still in use in Australia and New Zealand in the twenty-first...
, by 1934 he was in his first year of engineering studies at Sydney University
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, residing in St Andrew's College. In December that year, he enlisted as an air cadet in the RAAF active reserve, known as the Citizen Air Force (CAF).
Jeffrey undertook flying instruction on the 1935 'B' (reservists) course conducted by No. 1 Squadron
No. 1 Squadron RAAF
No. 1 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron based at RAAF Amberley. The squadron is currently being re-equipped with F/A-18F Super Hornet multi-role fighters.-World War I:...
at RAAF Station Laverton, and was commissioned as a pilot officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
in July. Serving with No. 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron
No. 22 Squadron RAAF
No. 22 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force mixed regular and reserve squadron that provides support for the RAAF in the Sydney region. Formed in 1936, the squadron served in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War, and later followed the Pacific war as far as the Philippines...
from July 1936, he transferred from the CAF to the Permanent Air Force (PAF) on a short-service commission in May 1938. He was then assigned to No. 1 Flying Training School
No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF
No. 1 Flying Training School was a flying training school of the Royal Australian Air Force . It was one of the Air Force's original units, dating back to the service's formation in 1921, when it was based at RAAF Point Cook, Victoria. The school underwent a number of reorganisations during its...
at RAAF Point Cook, Victoria, as an instructor
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...
. In January 1939, he was posted to Britain to attend the Specialists Signals Course at Royal Air Force College Cranwell
Royal Air Force College Cranwell
The Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...
, and was promoted to 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"...
in September.
World War II
Completing his course at Cranwell in November 1939, Jeffrey returned to Australia the following January as Signals Officer with No. 3 (Army Cooperation) SquadronNo. 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:...
at 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. He resumed flying duties in June 1940, and posted out 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...
as a flight commander
Flight (military unit)
A flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages,...
with No. 3 Squadron 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. Along with most of his comrades, Jeffrey flew 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...
biplanes in support of the Australian 6th Division during 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...
, but he claimed no victories at this stage. Promoted 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...
, he took over No. 3 Squadron from Wing Commander Ian McLachlan
Ian Dougald McLachlan
Air Vice Marshal Ian Dougald McLachlan CB, CBE, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . Born in Melbourne, he was a cadet at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, before joining the Air Force in December 1930...
on 13 February 1941, by which time the unit had converted 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...
monoplane fighters. Based at 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...
in defence of 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...
when Jeffrey assumed command, No. 3 Squadron retreated eastwards only hours ahead of German tanks after Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
launched his offensive in April. The Australians were forced to use ten different airfields in as many days before the Allies regrouped.
Jeffrey was flying a Hurricane when he claimed his first aerial victory on 15 April 1941. Following a flight of four German Junkers Ju 52 transports back to their base near Fort Capuzzo
Fort Capuzzo
Fort Capuzzo was a fort in the Italiancolony of Libya, near the Libyan-Egyptian border. It is famous for its role during the World War II.Within a week of Italy's 10 June 1940 declaration of war upon Britain, the British Army's 11th Hussars captured Fort Capuzzo...
, Libya, he shot one down before it landed and strafed the other three on the ground, setting all on fire. He 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 this exploit, as well as his "untiring efforts" and "high standard of efficiency ... under extremely trying conditions"; 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 13 May. After converting to P-40 Tomahawks the same month, No. 3 Squadron took part in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
. Jeffrey scored the unit's first victory in the new fighter when he shot down in flames an Italian Junkers Ju 88 over the sea near Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
on 13 June 1941. Within two days he had followed this up by destroying a Vichy French
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
Martin 167 bomber in southern Syria. Jeffrey was credited with another Ju 88 before the squadron returned to North Africa in September to support the Allied counter-attack against the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
. He was mentioned in despatches on 24 September 1941.
As commanding officer of No. 3 Squadron, Jeffrey came up with innovative ways of improving morale in the face of living conditions that were "primitive at best". On one occasion he arranged accommodation for his men near a beach, well away from the din of night-time bombing that was causing them to lose sleep on a regular basis. Another of his more "radical ideas" and lasting legacies was a combined mess
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...
for all pilots in the combat zone, whether commissioned
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
or non-commissioned
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
. The concept was initially frowned upon by 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...
units; however when Air Vice Marshal "Mary" Coningham
Arthur Coningham (RAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham KCB, KBE, DSO, MC, DFC, AFC, RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. During the First World War, he was at Gallipoli with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, where he became a flying ace...
dined at the shared mess on 11 October 1941 and gave his approval, it took root across the entire Desert Air Force
Desert Air Force
The Desert Air Force , also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, AHQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force, Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force , was an Allied tactical air force initially created from No...
; leading ace Clive Caldwell
Clive Caldwell
Group Captain Clive Robertson Caldwell DSO, DFC & Bar was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties. In addition to his official score, he has been ascribed six probables and 15 damaged...
later put the same idea into practice as commander of the RAAF's No. 1 (Fighter) Wing
No. 1 Wing RAAF
No. 1 Wing was an Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force wing active during World War I and World War II. The wing was established on 1 September 1917 as the 1st Training Wing and commanded the AFC's pilot training squadrons in England until April 1919, when it was...
in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, Northern Territory. One of No. 3 Squadron's flight sergeant
Flight Sergeant
Flight sergeant is a senior non-commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and several other air forces which have adopted all or part of the RAF rank structure...
s recalled that Jeffrey made it a rule for new pilots to get to know their ground crew to increase their sense of comradeship, and also gave one of his senior warrant officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
s special responsibility for keeping track of the location of Allied airfields and petrol supplies to ensure that the unit was never short of fuel or places to land in an emergency.
Having been promoted to temporary 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...
and appointed wing leader of No. 234 Wing RAF earlier in the month, Jeffrey was credited with a share in the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter on 20 November. Two days later he was shot down himself, but was uninjured and managed to make his way back to base. On 25 November, above cheering Allied soldiers besieged in Tobruk
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
, Jeffrey led No. 3 Squadron and No. 112 Squadron RAF in an attack on Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
bombers that resulted in seven enemy aircraft being destroyed and eight damaged, against one Tomahawk lost. He scored his fifth solo victory during the engagement, shooting down a Bf 110, and damaged another. On 30 November, Jeffrey rescued one of his old comrades from No. 3 Squadron, Sergeant Pilot
Sergeant Pilot
A Sergeant Pilot was a non-commissioned officer who had undergone flight training and was a qualified pilot in the air forces of several Commonwealth countries and in the United States Army Air Force before, during and after World War II where they were called Flying Sergeants...
Allan Cameron, who had crash-landed behind enemy lines. Nicknamed "Tiny", Cameron had the bulkiest frame of any man in the unit, and after landing Jeffrey had to ditch his parachute to make room for his passenger in the Tomahawk's cockpit. He nevertheless managed to take off and return to base, and Cameron went on to survive the war and become an ace in the process. For this and other achievements Jeffrey was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
on 12 December 1941. As well as his rescue of the downed pilot, the citation paid tribute to his "great success" as wing leader, his "fine fighting spirit" in returning to base after having been shot down himself, and to his "magnificent leadership, fearlessness and skill" that had "contributed in a large measure to the successes achieved". At the end of the month, Jeffrey was posted back to Australia to serve in 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....
. He was credited with a total of five aerial victories in the Middle East, plus one shared and one damaged, though he was considered to be "conservative" in his scoring.
South West Pacific
Arriving in Australia in January 1942, Jeffrey briefly took charge the following month of RAAF Bankstown, New South Wales. On 4 March he became the inaugural commander of No. 75 (Fighter) SquadronNo. 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...
, operating newly delivered P-40 Kittyhawks. Forming the squadron in 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, Jeffrey was responsible for readying it for the defence of Port Moresby
Battle of Port Moresby
The Battle of Port Moresby was an aerial battle fought between aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force , United States Army Air Force and aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy between 3 February 1942 and 17 August 1943 over Port Moresby, New Guinea.-References:**...
, which would become one of the crucial early battles in the New Guinea campaign
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:...
. Although it included two other veterans of No. 3 Squadron in the Middle East, Flight Lieutenants "Old John" Jackson
John Francis Jackson
John Francis Jackson DFC was an Australian fighter ace of World War II, credited with eight aerial victories. Born in Brisbane, he was a grazier and businessman when he joined the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve in 1936...
and Peter Turnbull
Peter Turnbull (RAAF officer)
Peter St George Bruce Turnbull DFC was an Australian fighter ace of World War II, credited with twelve aerial victories. Born in Armidale, New South Wales, he was an electrician before he joined the Royal Australian Air Force in January 1939...
, most of the unit's pilots were untried, and Jeffrey had only nine days to instil in them basic principles of combat flying, gunnery and tactics. He handed over command to Jackson on 19 March, but assisted in ferrying the Kittyhawks to Moresby two days later, only to be fired upon by nervous anti-aircraft gunners as he came in to land with Turnbull and two other pilots. All four aircraft were damaged, and Jeffrey came within inches of death as a bullet flew past his skull and into the headrest of his seat. By 24 March, No. 75 Squadron had already shot down a number of Japanese raiders; having witnessed it "quickly established as a fighting unit", Jeffrey returned to Australia. He immediately began working up a second new Kittyhawk unit for service in New Guinea, No. 76 (Fighter) 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...
. Based in Townsville at this stage, it was subsequently commanded by Peter Turnbull and joined No. 75 Squadron in the Battle of Milne Bay
Battle of Milne Bay
The Battle of Milne Bay, also known as Operation RE by the Japanese, was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Japanese marines attacked the Australian base at Milne Bay on the eastern tip of New Guinea on 25 August 1942, and fighting continued until the Japanese retreated on 5...
.
In April 1942, Jeffrey was appointed to establish and command No. 2 Operational Training Unit
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a Royal Australian Air Force training unit located at RAAF Base Williamtown. 2OCU's main role is to train pilots to operate the F/A-18 Hornet. New RAAF pilots enter 2OCU for training after first qualifying to fly jet fighters in No. 76 Squadron...
(No. 2 OTU). Initially based at Port Pirie, South Australia, the unit relocated to Mildura
Mildura, Victoria
Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
, Victoria, the following month, training pilots for combat in such aircraft as Kittyhawks, CAC Boomerang
CAC Boomerang
The CAC Boomerang was a World War II fighter aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia between 1942 and 1945. The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation produced Boomerangs under the production contract numbers CA-12, CA-13, CA-14 and CA-19, with aircraft supplied under each subsequent contract...
s and Supermarine Spitfire
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...
s. Its instructors under Jeffrey included aces Clive Caldwell
Clive Caldwell
Group Captain Clive Robertson Caldwell DSO, DFC & Bar was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties. In addition to his official score, he has been ascribed six probables and 15 damaged...
and Wilf Arthur
Wilfred Arthur
Wilfred Stanley Arthur DSO, DFC was an Australian fighter ace of World War II. He is officially credited with ten aerial victories...
. Jeffrey married Colleen Crozier at Toorak Presbyterian Church
Toorak, Victoria
Toorak is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district located on a rise on the south side of a bend in the Yarra River. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington...
in Melbourne on 14 May; his best man was fellow ace and No. 3 Squadron veteran Alan Rawlinson. The couple had two sons, Rod and Tim. In August 1943, Jeffrey took charge of No. 5 Fighter Sector Headquarters
No. 5 Fighter Sector RAAF
No. 5 Fighter Sector RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force unit formed at Sandfly Gully, Darwin, Northern Territory, on 25 February 1942. It was responsible for fighter aircraft control and coordination in the Darwin region....
, based in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, Northern Territory. On 25 September, he took over from Caldwell as officer commanding No. 1 (Fighter) Wing
No. 1 Wing RAAF
No. 1 Wing was an Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force wing active during World War I and World War II. The wing was established on 1 September 1917 as the 1st Training Wing and commanded the AFC's pilot training squadrons in England until April 1919, when it was...
, comprising three Spitfire squadrons whose role was to defend the North Western Area
North Western Area Campaign
The North-Western Area Campaign was an air campaign fought between the Allied and Japanese air forces over northern Australia and the Netherlands East Indies between 1942 and 1945...
(NWA) from air attack. By this time however, Japanese raids had declined in strength and frequency, and Allied forces in the NWA shifted from a defensive posture to assaulting Japanese positions 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....
and Western New Guinea
Western New Guinea campaign
The Western New Guinea campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. United States and Australian forces assaulted Japanese bases and positions in the northwest coastal areas of Netherlands New Guinea and adjoining parts of the Australian Territory of New Guinea...
. No. 1 Wing intercepted some raiders in late September but none came in October; the last Japanese attack on northern Australia took place on 12 November. Jeffrey was promoted to temporary 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...
in December.
On 8 March 1944, Jeffrey urgently dispatched two of his squadrons to the vicinity of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia, in response to concerns that a Japanese naval force would raid the area
Western Australian emergency of March 1944
On 6 March 1944 the Australian Government and military received an incorrect report that two Imperial Japanese Navy battleships had entered the Indian Ocean, possibly to attack Fremantle and Perth. In response, the Allied forces in the state of Western Australia were rapidly reinforced...
, but it proved to be an abortive sortie; no attack ensued, and the squadrons were directed to return to Darwin on 20 March. He led the wing in its first offensive strafing
Strafing
Strafing is the practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. This means, that although ground attack using automatic weapons fire is very often accompanied with bombing or rocket fire, the term "strafing" does not specifically include the...
operation on 18 April, attacking Japanese positions in the Babar Islands. The next month, he deployed his headquarters and two squadrons to Exmouth Gulf
Exmouth Gulf
Exmouth Gulf is a gulf in the north west of Western Australia. It lies between North West Cape and the main coastline of Western Australia. It is considered to be part of the region of the North West Shelf and in the Canning Basin area.-Environment:...
in Western Australia to protect facilities that had been established to refuel the British Eastern Fleet prior to Operation Transom
Operation Transom
Operation Transom was a major bombing raid on Japanese targets at Surabaya, Java by American and British planes on 17 May 1944 during World War II....
. On 5 September 1944, Jeffrey led No. 1 Wing to the Tanimbar Islands
Tanimbar Islands
The Tanimbar Islands, also called Timor Laut, are a group of about 65 islands in the Maluku province of Indonesia, including Fordata, Larat, Maru, Molu, Nuswotar, Selaru, Selu, Seira, Wotap, Wuliaru and Yamdena.-Geography:...
and strafed targets in Selaru
Selaru
Selaru is an island in Indonesia in the Tanimbar Islands group, Southeast Maluku. It is located south of Yamdena.-External links:**...
. Later he discussed the mission with Caldwell, who was then commanding No. 80 (Fighter) Wing
No. 80 Wing RAAF
No. 80 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. The unit was formed on 15 May 1944 and eventually comprised three squadrons equipped with Spitfire fighter aircraft. The wing's headquarters was absorbed into the newly formed No...
and had tagged along to determine if such long-range operations might be worthwhile for his squadrons. Jeffrey declared that the trip was a wasted effort and he had only undertaken it to prevent, in Caldwell's words, "the morale of his pilots going completely down the drain". The following month, Jeffrey was recommended to be mentioned in despatches for "Gallant & distinguished service" in North Western Area; the award was gazetted
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 9 March 1945. Departing No. 1 Wing, in November he returned to the command of No. 2 OTU, in which role he saw out the rest of the war.
Post-war career
Following the cessation of hostilities, No. 2 OTU was reduced to the status of a care and maintenance unit, and Jeffrey's commission was terminated on 6 June 1946. Having been transferred to the RAAF reserve upon his demobilisation, he sought readmission to the PAF in August the same year, without success. He then took up farming, purchasing a property on the Murray RiverMurray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
. In April 1951 he again applied to rejoin the PAF and this time was granted a commission as a wing commander. Over the next two years he held training posts in Victoria, firstly at the RAAF Staff College, Point Cook, and in 1952 at Central Flying School
Central Flying School RAAF
The Central Flying School RAAF is a Royal Australian Air Force training establishment, based at RAAF Base East Sale. It was formed in March 1913, and during the First World War it trained over 150 pilots, who fought in Europe and the Middle East....
, East Sale
RAAF Base East Sale
RAAF Base East Sale is one of the main training establishments of the Royal Australian Air Force, including where Australian Air Force Cadets have their annual General Service Training. It is home to the Roulettes aerobatic team. It is also now the home of the RAAF's Officers' Training School ...
. The following year he became Deputy Director of Operations at RAAF Headquarters, Melbourne.
Raised to acting group captain in February 1954, Jeffrey was appointed Superintendent, Air, with the Long-Range Weapons Establishment in Salisbury
Salisbury, South Australia
Salisbury is a northern suburb in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the seat of the City of Salisbury, and in the South Australian Legislative Assembly electoral district of Ramsay and the Australian House of Representatives divisions of Wakefield and Port Adelaide...
, South Australia. Coordinating weapons trials at Woomera Rocket Range
Woomera Test Range
The RAAF Woomera Test Range is a weapons testing range operated by the Royal Australian Air Force Aerospace Operational Support Group...
, Jeffrey and his support staff were based initially at RAAF Base Mallala
RAAF Base Mallala
RAAF Base Mallala was a Royal Australian Air Force base located at Mallala, South Australia.-History:The base was built in 1941 as the home of No. 6 Service Flying Training School during World War II...
but later relocated to Edinburgh airfield
Edinburgh, South Australia
Edinburgh is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is an industrial suburb dominated by RAAF Base Edinburgh and DSTO Edinburgh.It was split from the suburb of Salisbury in 1997 when the Department of Defence decided to rationalise the then "DSTO Salisbury" site and sell off about 70%...
, then part of Salisbury and owned by the Department of Supply. On 17 January 1955, he became the inaugural officer commanding RAAF Base Edinburgh
RAAF Base Edinburgh
RAAF Base Edinburgh is located in Edinburgh, 25km north of the centre of Adelaide.It is primarily home to No 92 Wing's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that conduct surveillance operations throughout Australia's airspace....
, and oversaw the transfer of units from Mallala during the year. He handed over command of the base in April 1956, and resigned from the Air Force on 14 May. Returning to private life, Jeffrey settled in Queensland and became partner in a stock broking
Stock broker
A stock broker or stockbroker is a regulated professional broker who buys and sells shares and other securities through market makers or Agency Only Firms on behalf of investors...
firm at Surfers Paradise
Surfers Paradise, Queensland
Surfers Paradise is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Surfers Paradise had a population of 18,501....
. He later became a grazier
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
, running a sheep and cattle property at Emerald
Emerald, Queensland
Emerald is a town located in the Central Highlands district of Central Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Emerald had a population of 10,999. The town is the business centre for the Central Highlands Regional Council....
in Queensland's Central Highlands. He moved back to Surfers Paradise in 1972, where he died in 1997 at the age of 83, survived by his wife and sons. His obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald on 10 April described him as the "archetypal Australian combat leader ... fearless, forthright, unpretentious, caring".