Sir Richard Williams, the first officer of the Royal Australian Air Force to attain air marshal rank
The following is a list of Australians who have attained air marshal rank within the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF); that is, service personnel who have held the rank of air chief marshal (four-star rank), air marshal (three-star rank) or air vice-marshal (two-star rank). The Royal Australian Air Force was established in 1921 as a separate branch of the Australian military forces. The service was modelled after the Royal Air Force—formed three years earlier—and adopted the same ranking system.[1][2][3]Richard Williams, regarded as the "father" of the Royal Australian Air Force, was the service's first member to obtain air-officer rank on being promoted to air commodore (one-star rank) in 1927; he went on to become the first air vice-marshal (1935) and air marshal (1940).[4][5] In 1965, Sir Frederick Scherger became the first officer to be advanced to air chief marshal, one of only four members of the Royal Australian Air Force to obtain this rank as of February 2024.[6] A further twenty-five individuals have reached air marshal in the RAAF and 145 air vice-marshal; seven officers have retired with the honorary rank of air vice-marshal.[7][8]
This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the air chief marshal is still a serving member of the RAAF.
A dash (—) in the "Died" column indicates that the person is still living.
The rank of air chief marshal is the most senior rank within the Royal Australian Air Force to which, excluding ceremonial appointments, any officer has ever been promoted. Only the five-star rank of Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force is higher, but it has been held in only a ceremonial capacity. As there are currently no appointments in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) at the five-star level, there is no prospect of a RAAF officer achieving the rank in a professional (i.e. non-ceremonial) capacity. Additionally, Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force is generally considered to be a marshal rank as opposed to an air marshal rank and so the only two individuals ever to hold the rank, King George VI and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, are not listed in a separate section. With the current structure of the ADF, the rank of air chief marshal is held only when an officer of the RAAF is appointed as Chief of the Defence Force. As of June 2018, only four officers have obtained the rank of air chief marshal in the RAAF, the first being Sir Frederick Scherger in 1965 who was also the first non-Army officer in the Australian military to reach four-star rank. Mark Binskin is the most-recently promoted of the four, having been advanced to air chief marshal in June 2014.[6][9]
Air chief marshals of the Royal Australian Air Force are as follows:[10]
This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the air marshal is still a serving member of the RAAF.
A dash (—) in the "Died" column indicates that the person is still living.
Air marshal is the highest permanent rank in the Royal Australian Air Force. The rank of air marshal is always held by the Chief of Air Force, though is also held when a RAAF officer is appointed as Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Chief of Joint Operations, Chief of Joint Capabilities or equivalent positions. Richard Williams was the first officer to attain the rank of air marshal in the RAAF on promotion in 1940.[11] Regarded as the 'father' of the Royal Australian Air Force, Williams was its first and longest serving chief, being appointed to the post during three different periods and serving for a total of thirteen years.[4][5]Stephen Chappell is the most recent officer to obtain the rank of air marshal, having been promoted to the rank in July 2024.[12]
Air marshals of the Royal Australian Air Force are as follows:[13]
Chief of Air Force (2019–22), Chief of Joint Operations (2018–19), Head Force Design (2016–18), Head Capability Systems (2014–15), Air Commander Australia (2012–14)
This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the air vice-marshal is still a serving member of the RAAF. This along with the + (plus) indicates that the officer retired with the honorary rank of air vice-marshal.
A dash (—) in the "Died" column indicates that the person is still living.
The first Royal Australian Air Force air vice-marshal was Richard Williams in 1935;[4] he was followed by Stanley Goble—Williams' successor all three times he held the position of Chief of the Air Staff—two years later.[14] The list of RAAF air vice-marshals includes Frank McNamara, the first Australian aviator to be decorated with the Victoria Cross (VC). McNamara was awarded the VC in 1917 while serving with the Australian Flying Corps, the Australian Army's air branch and predecessor of the RAAF, in the First World War; he was promoted air vice-marshal in 1942.[3][15] As of January 2023, six women have reached air vice-marshal rank. On promotion to air vice-marshal in 2003, Julie Hammer became the first woman to achieve two-star rank in the ADF.[16][17] Hammer has since been joined by Margaret Staib (2010),[18]Tracy Smart (2015), Cath Roberts (2016), Barbara Courtney (2021), Wendy Blyth (2022), and Dianne Turton (2024).
Air vice-marshals of the Royal Australian Air Force are as follows:[19][20]
Air Commander Australia (2023–), Deputy Chief of Air Force (2023), First Assistant Director-General Expeditionary and Transnational Intelligence Division (2020–22)
Air Officer Commanding Overseas Headquarters (1954–55), Air Officer Commanding North-Western Area (1944–46), Air Officer Commanding Eastern Area (1943–44)
Advisor to Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics Coordination Task Force (1999–01), Deputy Chief of Air Force (1998–99), Air Officer Commanding Training Command (1995–98)
National President, Engineers Australia (2007–08), Commandant, Australian Defence Force Academy (2001–03). First female to be promoted air commodore and air vice-marshal in RAAF; first female promoted to two-star rank in ADF.
Head One Defence Implementation (2015–17), Head Force Structure Review (2014–16), Head Joint Capability Coordination (2012–13), Deputy Chief of Air Force (2011)
Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden (1942–45), Air Officer Commanding Overseas Headquarters (1942). First Australian aviator to receive the Victoria Cross.
Program Manager, New Air Combat Capability (2011–14), Head of Australian Defence Staff, Washington D.C. (2008–11), Commander Air Combat Group (2007–08)
↑ "Air Chief Marshals". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
↑ "Air Marshals". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
↑ "Air Vice-Marshals A–K". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
↑ "Air Vice-Marshals L–Z". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
MacDougall, A.K. (2007). Australians at War: A Pictorial History. Rowville, Victoria, Australia: Five Mile Press. ISBN978-1-74178-957-7.
Newton, Dennis (1996). Australian Air Aces: Australian Fighter Pilots in Combat. Fyshwyck, Australian Capital Territory: Aerospace Publications. ISBN1-875671-25-0.
Staunton, Anthony (2005). Victoria Cross: Australia's Finest and the Battles They Fought. Prahan, Victoria, Australia: Hardie Grant Books. ISBN1-74066-288-1.
Rayner, Harry (1992). "Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Scherger". In Horner, David (ed.). The Commanders: Australian Military Leadership in the Twentieth Century. Sydney, Australia: Allen & Unwin. ISBN1-86373-190-3.
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