Air Vice-Marshal F.H. McNamara

Plaster bust of Air Vice-Marshal Francis 'Frank' Hubert McNamara, VC, CBE (4 April 1894-2 November 1961). McNamara flew in the First World War with the No. 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps (AFC) and was the first Australian airman to win a Victoria Cross. The artist, Donald Gilbert, originally gifted this sculpture to the RAAF Overseas Headquarters who, through the RAAF War History Section, subsequently arranged for transport to Melbourne and gifted the piece to the Australian War Memorial. The AFC was established in 1913. In 1915 Australia was asked by Britain to form compile squadrons for service with the RFC . Australia responded by despatching No. 1 squadron to Egypt. During the next two years the squadron operated first from Heliopolis and later in Palestine and Syria. More squadrons were raised in Australia for the Western Front. No. 2, 3 and 4 squadrons arrived in France during August, September and December 1917 respectively. No. 2 squadron (flying DH5s) was attached to the Third Army and during the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917 carried out patrol duties, ground strafing of enemy troops and bombing. No. 3 squadron (flying RE8s) was supporting the last phase of the Passchendaele campaign in Flanders. The last Australian squadron to arrive (No. 4 flying Sopwith Camels) took up its duties with the First Army. At the end of the First World War, the AFC was disbanded and replaced by the Australian Air Corps which became the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1921.