Mathew Howell
On August 23 one of the oldest groups within the Royal Australian Air Force celebrated its 95th year.
To celebrate this milestone, an anniversary ball was held on Saturday August 24 at the Altona RSL. The event was the idea of two retired Airfield Defence Guards, myself and Sean Carwardine, an idea dreamt up over a phone call between two old mates back in early 2022.
Airfield Defence, or as it was originally known, Aerodrome Defence, and what it’s known as today, Force Protection, was born in Victoria at the then No1 Station Point Cook, coincidentally, the birthplace of the Royal Australian Air Force.
Aerodrome Defence’s founding father was Flight Lieutenant J. P. J. McCauley, who in 1957 become Air Marshal McCauley KBE, CB, Chief of Air Staff, using today’s terminology, Chief of Air Force.
Airfield Defence has for 95 years provided the ground defence for Air Force, its personnel and air assets, in particular, the aircraft. This responsibility belongs to the men and women known as Airfield Defence Guards and Ground Defence Officers. It is a primarily infantry based role not that well known beyond the RAAF. The general public on seeing personnel wearing camouflage uniforms, body armour, helmet and carrying weapons assume them to be ’soldiers, army’. Simply not so; they are Airfield Defence Guards or ADGies and Ground Defence Officers or Ground Os as they are known within the wider Air Force.
RAAF’s Airfield Defence is the second oldest element of its kind in the world, only the Royal Air Force’s Royal Air Force Regiment is older. Airfield Defence personnel have served in every conflict since World War II. From North Africa, the South Pacific, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Middle East and Afghanistan, ADGies and Ground Os were there.
In July 2023 I researched the viability of conducting an anniversary event. My research led me to believe, this bird might just fly. With much hard work and determination I soon discovered that ‘yes’, the bird will fly.
Eighty-six guests and dignitaries including the current Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Reynolds AM, he himself a former ADG, attended, along with the current Commanding Officers from numbers 1 and 2 Security Forces Sqaudrons and the current Commanding Officer of the RAAF School of Fire and Security, with Air Force Band’s Rock and Jazz group providing the night’s musical entertainment.
As this function was a veteran-based event all financial support for it came about not from Defence funding but via individual veteran donations, sales of veterans’ own memorabilia and from the Air Force Association of Australia – Victorian Branch, even more extraordinary, via the gathering and recycling of hundreds of drink containers from the streets around Melbourne’s western suburbs. One veteran ADG in particular, who wishes to remain anonymous, generously donated over $11,000 in order to make the night possible.
In total, funds raised, were almost $20,000. As such, the event was at no cost to those attending, other than their flights and accommodation, it was a free evening.
The president of the evening and Ground Defence historian, Dr Sean Carwardine, said of the importance of the night, “Tonight is not about one person, one unit, or one mustering but the entire force protection family.“
Air Vice-Marshal Reynolds stated “The sacrifice of all is to be held as a valuable one, regardless of the type of service be it operational or training, the contribution of all is what makes us who we are…one family”.
Anyone who has a family member with a RAAF Airfield Defence history – father, brother, grandfather etc – could they please contact the Ground Defence historian, Dr Sean Carwardine via his email carbs99@bigpond.com. Dr Carwardine would love to hear from anyone who can assist in his historical research.
