Alan Charlesworth
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Alan Moorehouse Charlesworth CBE
, AFC
(17 September 1903 – 21 September 1978) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF). Born in Tasmania
, he graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon
, and served with the 2nd Light Horse Regiment
in Queensland
before transferring to the Air Force in 1925. Most of his pre-war flying career was spent with No. 1 Squadron
at RAAF Station Laverton
, Victoria. In 1932 he undertook a series of survey flights around Australia, earning the Air Force Cross
. Charlesworth's early wartime commands included No. 2 Squadron
at Laverton, and RAAF Station Pearce
in Western Australia. Appointed Air Officer Commanding
(AOC) RAAF Eastern Area in December 1943, he was promoted temporary air commodore
the following year and took over as AOC RAAF North-Western Area in Darwin
, Northern Territory.
Charlesworth's control of air operations during the North Western Area Campaign
led to his appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire following the end of World War II. Retaining his wartime rank, he took charge of the newly formed School of Land/Air Warfare from 1947 until 1949, when he assumed command of RAAF Station Williamtown
, New South Wales. He was posted to Japan later that year as Chief of Staff
, British Commonwealth Occupation Force
, and organised support for RAAF units involved in the Korean War
. Returning to Australia in 1951, he was raised to acting air vice marshal and became AOC RAAF Southern Area. Charlesworth's final appointment before retiring from the Air Force was commanding RAAF Overseas Headquarters
, London, in 1954–55. After leaving the military he served as Director of Recruiting in the late 1950s, and later as a judge's associate at the Supreme Court of Victoria
. He died at his home in Glen Iris
, Victoria, in 1978.
, Hobart, before entering the Royal Military College, Duntroon
, in 1920. He won the Silver Boomerang trophy, awarded to the college's champion athlete, three years running in 1921–23. In 1923 he was appointed company sergeant major
at Duntroon, and received the Sword of Honour upon graduating as a lieutenant
later that year. Following service as adjutant
and quartermaster
with the 2nd Light Horse Regiment
in Queensland
, Charlesworth transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) as a Flying Officer
on 27 January 1925. Among his classmates on the 1925 pilots' course at Point Cook
, Victoria, was fellow Duntroon graduate Frederick Scherger
. During a training flight on 25 March, Charlesworth's Avro 504K stalled and spun into a field, injuring him and killing his instructor
. Recovering, he was subsequently involved in an accident with future lieutenant general
and Governor of New South Wales Eric Woodward
, when their plane flipped on landing and came to rest upside down on a fence; neither man was badly hurt.
Charlesworth graduated as a pilot in July 1925, and was posted to No. 1 Squadron
at RAAF Station Laverton
, Victoria. In January 1926, he took part in experiments to test parachute
s by attaching them to dummies and throwing them out of aircraft in flight. His secondment to the Air Force having been made permanent the previous month, Charlesworth was promoted to flight lieutenant
in February 1928. On 30 April, he married Edith Bennett at All Saints Anglican Church, St Kilda
; the couple had a daughter. The next month, Charlesworth was posted to the United Kingdom on attachment to the Royal Air Force
(RAF). He attended the RAF School of Photography at Farnborough
, before serving with the RAF Survey Flight in British Somaliland
during 1929–30. Returning to Australia he was again posted to No. 1 Squadron, taking command of a round-Australia aerial survey conducted in three phases during 1932 in association with the Commonwealth Geologist, Doctor Walter Woolnough
. Charlesworth's study in Britain and his experience in Somaliland had made him the RAAF's leading expert in photographic reconnaissance, which was to be utilised in the search for potential oil fields.
The first phase of the survey took place in January–February, employing two Westland Wapiti
s and seven other Air Force personnel from Nos. 1 and 3 Squadrons
to photograph sites in southern Queensland. Despite both aircraft being damaged in a gale at Bourke
in northern New South Wales
while returning to base, the expedition was considered a success. For the second phase, lasting from July to September, Charlesworth and his team journeyed around the whole of Australia from New South Wales to Queensland, thence to the Northern Territory
and Western Australia
, before returning to Laverton. The final phase in December explored Tasmania
. Charlesworth was awarded the Air Force Cross
(AFC) for his leadership of the survey, described as a "milestone" in the country's exploration. Following his survey work, Charlesworth was appointed Staff Officer Photography at RAAF Headquarters, Melbourne. In 1934 he returned to Laverton to take up his third and final posting with No. 1 Squadron. By September 1937, he had been raised to Squadron Leader
and was in temporary command of the unit. He had overall charge of a training flight in November–December that ended in disaster, when a Hawker Demon crashed near Cootamundra
, New South Wales, and its pilot burned to death; this was one of a spate of incidents during the year that led to serious questions being raised about the level of flying safety in the RAAF. In March 1939, Charlesworth was raised to wing commander
and took command of No. 2 Squadron
, operating Avro Anson
s out of Laverton.
in September 1939, No. 2 Group was formed in Sydney
on 20 November; Charlesworth was appointed its Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO). He continued to serve in this position when the group was reformed as Central Area in March 1940. Posted to Western Australia to take command of RAAF Station Pearce
in August, he was promoted to temporary group captain
on 1 September 1940. He became Senior Administration Officer at the newly established Western Area, Perth
, in January the following year. In September 1942, Charlesworth took over No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School in Sale
, Victoria. He handed over to Group Captain Charles "Moth" Eaton
in August 1943, before briefly taking charge of RAAF Headquarters Forward Echelon in Brisbane
. Charlesworth was appointed Air Officer Commanding
(AOC) Eastern Area
, headquartered at Bradfield Park
, Sydney, in December 1943. Eastern Area was responsible for maritime patrol
and anti-submarine warfare
off the coast of New South Wales and southern Queensland. Japanese submarine activity had decreased in the months prior to Charlesworth taking command, and he was concerned that Allied ships were becoming complacent. He observed "a general slackening off in procedure; ships are seldom where they should be, and a minority of merchant ships identify themselves to aircraft". However, the RAAF's patrols had also settled into a predictable pattern which would have been easy for an observant submarine captain to avoid.
Charlesworth was promoted to temporary air commodore
on 1 August 1944. The following month he was appointed AOC North-Western Area (NWA) in Darwin
, Northern Territory, replacing Air Vice Marshal Adrian "King" Cole
. By this stage of the war, the Allies were advancing north and the tempo of operations in the Darwin area had decreased. Charlesworth immediately raised concerns regarding No. 80 Wing
, which operated three squadrons of Spitfire
fighters, warning higher command that its morale could drop if it was not either given a more active role in the war or transferred to southern Australia for rest. By October, the wing had received orders to depart NWA for the forward base of Morotai
to join the RAAF's main mobile strike force, First Tactical Air Force
; this move would leave Charlesworth with twelve squadrons at his disposal, including one B-24 Liberator heavy bomber unit and three other Spitfire squadrons. In the meantime, NWA supported the assault on Leyte
with attacks on enemy ports, oil facilities, and shipping in the Dutch East Indies
using Beaufighters
, B-25 Mitchells, and Liberators. These operations continued through November–December. In April 1945, Charlesworth sent Mitchells and Liberators against a Japanese convoy led by the cruiser Isuzu
; the bombers damaged the cruiser, and it was subsequently sunk by Allied submarines. The same month, NWA's Liberators attacked targets in Java
in the lead-up to the Battle of Tarakan
that commenced on 1 May. By July, Charlesworth's area command had been denuded of much of its strength as two of its bomber wings were transferred to First Tactical Air Force.
, New South Wales, the following year. Charlesworth took overall command of Williamtown in 1949. In June that year, he succeeded fellow Duntroon graduate Air Commodore John McCauley
as Chief of Staff
to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
(BCOF) in Japan.
Charlesworth's workload at BCOF increased considerably with the outbreak of the Korean War
in June 1950 and the need to supply the RAAF's contribution to the conflict, chiefly No. 77 Squadron
. In October, following the death in combat of Squadron Leader Lou Spence, Charlesworth temporarily transferred from Tokyo to Iwakuni so that he could administer No. 77 Squadron and its ancillaries until No. 91 (Composite) Wing was formed to take over the task. Upon his return to Australia in June 1951, he was promoted to acting air vice marshal and appointed AOC Southern Area, headquartered in Albert Park
, Melbourne. Towards the end of his tenure, the RAAF's wartime area command system was transformed into a structure based on function rather than geography. As a result, Southern Area was reformed as Training Command in October 1953. In 1954 he returned to the UK to command RAAF Overseas Headquarters, London. Completing his term in London, Charlesworth retired from the Air Force on 31 December 1955, and was made an honorary air vice marshal the following year. He was then appointed a technical advisor to the committee organising the 1956 Summer Olympics
in Melbourne. In 1958–59, he served as Director of Recruiting Combined Services, and later became a judge's associate with the Supreme Court of Victoria
. In retirement he made his home in Glen Iris
, Victoria, where he died on 21 September 1978. Survived by his wife and daughter, he was accorded an Air Force funeral and cremated.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(17 September 1903 – 21 September 1978) 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 Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, he graduated from 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...
, and served with the 2nd Light Horse Regiment
2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment
The 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment is a regiment of the Australian Army and forms part of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. The regiment was formed in 1952 though sentimentally traces its lineage to 1860...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
before transferring to the Air Force in 1925. Most of his pre-war flying career was spent with 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
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. In 1932 he undertook a series of survey flights around Australia, earning the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
. Charlesworth's early wartime commands included No. 2 Squadron
No. 2 Squadron RAAF
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. From its formation in 1916, it has operated a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control.-World War I:No...
at Laverton, and RAAF Station Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce is the main RAAF base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force...
in Western Australia. Appointed Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
(AOC) RAAF Eastern Area in December 1943, he was promoted temporary air commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
the following year and took over as AOC RAAF North-Western Area 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.
Charlesworth's control of air operations during the North Western Area Campaign
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...
led to his appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire following the end of World War II. Retaining his wartime rank, he took charge of the newly formed School of Land/Air Warfare from 1947 until 1949, when he assumed command of RAAF Station Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force base and headquarters to Australia's Tactical Fighter group. The base is located north of the coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales in the Local Government Area of Port Stephens. The military base shares its runway facilities with...
, New South Wales. He was posted to Japan later that year as Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
, British Commonwealth Occupation Force
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...
, and organised support for RAAF units involved in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Returning to Australia in 1951, he was raised to acting air vice marshal and became AOC RAAF Southern Area. Charlesworth's final appointment before retiring from the Air Force was commanding RAAF Overseas Headquarters
RAAF Overseas Headquarters
RAAF Overseas Headquarters was a Royal Australian Air Force administrative unit located in London. It was formed on 1 December 1941 to oversee the welfare of RAAF personnel posted to Royal Air Force units as well as the Australian squadrons which were planned to be formed as part of the RAF in...
, London, in 1954–55. After leaving the military he served as Director of Recruiting in the late 1950s, and later as a judge's associate at the Supreme Court of Victoria
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1852, and is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited jurisdiction within the state...
. He died at his home in Glen Iris
Glen Iris, Victoria
Glen Iris is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Boroondara and Stonnington...
, Victoria, in 1978.
Early career
Born in Lottah, Tasmania, on 17 September 1903, Alan Charlesworth was the son of a storeman, Edwin Charlesworth, and his wife Louisa. The youth attended Lottah Public School and St Virgil's CollegeSt Virgil's College
St Virgil's College Roman Catholic, primary and secondary, day school for boys, located over two campuses in Austins Ferry and Hobart, Tasmania, Australia....
, Hobart, before entering 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 1920. He won the Silver Boomerang trophy, awarded to the college's champion athlete, three years running in 1921–23. In 1923 he was appointed company sergeant major
Company Sergeant Major
A company sergeant major is the senior non-commissioned soldier of a company in the armies of many Commonwealth countries, responsible for standards and discipline. In combat, his prime responsibility is the supply of ammunition to the company...
at Duntroon, and received the Sword of Honour upon graduating as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
later that year. Following service as adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
and quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
with the 2nd Light Horse Regiment
2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment
The 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment is a regiment of the Australian Army and forms part of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. The regiment was formed in 1952 though sentimentally traces its lineage to 1860...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Charlesworth transferred to 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) as a Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
on 27 January 1925. Among his classmates on the 1925 pilots' course at Point Cook
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, was fellow Duntroon graduate 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...
. During a training flight on 25 March, Charlesworth's Avro 504K stalled and spun into a field, injuring him and killing his 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...
. Recovering, he was subsequently involved in an accident with future lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and Governor of New South Wales Eric Woodward
Eric Woodward
Lieutenant General Sir Eric Winslow Woodward KCMG, KCVO, CB, CBE, DSO was an Australian military officer and Viceroy...
, when their plane flipped on landing and came to rest upside down on a fence; neither man was badly hurt.
Charlesworth graduated as a pilot in July 1925, and was posted to 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
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. In January 1926, he took part in experiments to test parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
s by attaching them to dummies and throwing them out of aircraft in flight. His secondment to the Air Force having been made permanent the previous month, Charlesworth 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 February 1928. On 30 April, he married Edith Bennett at All Saints Anglican Church, St Kilda
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
; the couple had a daughter. The next month, Charlesworth was posted to the United Kingdom on attachment to 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...
(RAF). He attended the RAF School of Photography at Farnborough
Farnborough Airfield
Farnborough Airport or TAG London Farnborough Airport is an airport situated in Farnborough, Rushmoor, Hampshire, England...
, before serving with the RAF Survey Flight in British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
during 1929–30. Returning to Australia he was again posted to No. 1 Squadron, taking command of a round-Australia aerial survey conducted in three phases during 1932 in association with the Commonwealth Geologist, Doctor Walter Woolnough
Walter George Woolnough
Walter George Woolnough was an Australian geologist.Woolnough was born in Brushgrove, Grafton, New South Wales, and attended Sydney Boys High School, Newington College and the University of Sydney...
. Charlesworth's study in Britain and his experience in Somaliland had made him the RAAF's leading expert in photographic reconnaissance, which was to be utilised in the search for potential oil fields.
The first phase of the survey took place in January–February, employing two Westland Wapiti
Westland Wapiti
The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service....
s and seven other Air Force personnel from Nos. 1 and 3 Squadrons
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:...
to photograph sites in southern Queensland. Despite both aircraft being damaged in a gale at Bourke
Bourke, New South Wales
-Transportation:Bourke can be reached by the Mitchell Highway, with additional sealed roads from town to the north , east and south . The town is also served by Bourke Airport and has Countrylink bus service to other regional centres, like Dubbo...
in northern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
while returning to base, the expedition was considered a success. For the second phase, lasting from July to September, Charlesworth and his team journeyed around the whole of Australia from New South Wales to Queensland, thence to 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...
, before returning to Laverton. The final phase in December explored Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. Charlesworth was awarded the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(AFC) for his leadership of the survey, described as a "milestone" in the country's exploration. Following his survey work, Charlesworth was appointed Staff Officer Photography at RAAF Headquarters, Melbourne. In 1934 he returned to Laverton to take up his third and final posting with No. 1 Squadron. By September 1937, he had been raised 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...
and was in temporary command of the unit. He had overall charge of a training flight in November–December that ended in disaster, when a Hawker Demon crashed near Cootamundra
Cootamundra, New South Wales
Cootamundra is a town and Local Government Area in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia and within the Riverina. At the 2006 census, Cootamundra had a population of 5,566. It is located on the Olympic Highway at the point where it crosses the Muttama Creek, between Junee and...
, New South Wales, and its pilot burned to death; this was one of a spate of incidents during the year that led to serious questions being raised about the level of flying safety in the RAAF. In March 1939, Charlesworth was raised 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...
and took command of No. 2 Squadron
No. 2 Squadron RAAF
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. From its formation in 1916, it has operated a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control.-World War I:No...
, operating Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s out of Laverton.
World War II
As part of the RAAF's reorganisation following the outbreak of World War IIMilitary history of Australia during World War II
Australia entered World War II shortly after the invasion of Poland, declaring war on Germany on 3 September 1939. By the end of the war, almost a million Australians had served in the armed forces, whose military units fought primarily in the European theatre, North African campaign, and...
in September 1939, No. 2 Group was formed 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...
on 20 November; Charlesworth was appointed its Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO). He continued to serve in this position when the group was reformed as Central Area in March 1940. Posted to Western Australia to take command of RAAF Station Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce is the main RAAF base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force...
in August, 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...
on 1 September 1940. He became Senior Administration Officer at the newly established Western Area, 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....
, in January the following year. In September 1942, Charlesworth took over No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School in Sale
Sale, Victoria
Sale is a city in the Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. It is the seat of the Shire of Wellington as well as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale and the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland. It has a population of around 13,336, and is expected to reach a population of 14,000 soon...
, Victoria. He handed over to Group Captain Charles "Moth" 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...
in August 1943, before briefly taking charge of RAAF Headquarters Forward Echelon in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. Charlesworth was appointed Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
(AOC) Eastern Area
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...
, headquartered at Bradfield Park
RAAF Bradfield Park
RAAF Bradfield Park was a Royal Australian Air Force station located at Lindfield, New South Wales during World War II.-History:The station was built on the grounds of Bradfield Park in 1940 and housed a number of RAAF and WAAAF units...
, Sydney, in December 1943. Eastern Area was responsible 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....
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....
off the coast of New South Wales and southern Queensland. Japanese submarine activity had decreased in the months prior to Charlesworth taking command, and he was concerned that Allied ships were becoming complacent. He observed "a general slackening off in procedure; ships are seldom where they should be, and a minority of merchant ships identify themselves to aircraft". However, the RAAF's patrols had also settled into a predictable pattern which would have been easy for an observant submarine captain to avoid.
Charlesworth was promoted to temporary air commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
on 1 August 1944. The following month he was appointed AOC North-Western Area (NWA) 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, replacing Air Vice Marshal Adrian "King" Cole
Adrian Cole (RAAF officer)
Air Vice Marshal Adrian Lindley Trevor Cole, CBE, DSO, MC, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . Joining the army at the outbreak of World War I, he transferred to the Australian Flying Corps in 1916 and flew with No. 1 Squadron in the Middle East and No. 2...
. By this stage of the war, the Allies were advancing north and the tempo of operations in the Darwin area had decreased. Charlesworth immediately raised concerns regarding No. 80 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...
, which operated three squadrons of 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...
fighters, warning higher command that its morale could drop if it was not either given a more active role in the war or transferred to southern Australia for rest. By October, the wing had received orders to depart NWA for the forward base of 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:...
to join the RAAF's main mobile strike force, 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...
; this move would leave Charlesworth with twelve squadrons at his disposal, including one B-24 Liberator heavy bomber unit and three other Spitfire squadrons. In the meantime, NWA supported the assault on Leyte
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
with attacks on enemy ports, oil facilities, and shipping 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....
using Beaufighters
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
, B-25 Mitchells, and Liberators. These operations continued through November–December. In April 1945, Charlesworth sent Mitchells and Liberators against a Japanese convoy led by the cruiser Isuzu
Japanese cruiser Isuzu
was one of six s in the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was named after the Isuzu River, near Ise Shrine in the Chūbu region of Japan.-Background:Isuzu was the second of the six vessels completed in the Nagara-class of light cruisers, and like other vessels of her class, she was intended for use as...
; the bombers damaged the cruiser, and it was subsequently sunk by Allied submarines. The same month, NWA's Liberators attacked targets in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
in the lead-up to 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...
that commenced on 1 May. By July, Charlesworth's area command had been denuded of much of its strength as two of its bomber wings were transferred to First Tactical Air Force.
Postwar career
Among a small coterie of wartime RAAF commanders considered suitable for further senior roles, Charlesworth retained his rank of air commodore following the cessation of hostilities. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1946 King's Birthday Honours for his "conspicuous service in operations against the Japanese" while leading North-Western Area Command. The same year, he relinquished command of North-Western Area and briefly took charge of Eastern Area Command. He then posted to Britain to undertake a course at the RAF School of Air Support. Returning to Australia, he became the inaugural Commandant of the School of Land/Air Warfare at Laverton in April 1947. The school transferred to RAAF Station WilliamtownRAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force base and headquarters to Australia's Tactical Fighter group. The base is located north of the coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales in the Local Government Area of Port Stephens. The military base shares its runway facilities with...
, New South Wales, the following year. Charlesworth took overall command of Williamtown in 1949. In June that year, he succeeded fellow Duntroon graduate Air Commodore John McCauley
John McCauley (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir John Patrick Joseph McCauley, KBE, CB was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1954 to 1957. A Duntroon graduate, McCauley spent four years in the Australian Military Forces before transferring to the RAAF in 1924...
as Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
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...
(BCOF) in Japan.
Charlesworth's workload at BCOF increased considerably with the outbreak of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
in June 1950 and the need to supply the RAAF's contribution to the conflict, chiefly 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:...
. In October, following the death in combat of Squadron Leader Lou Spence, Charlesworth temporarily transferred from Tokyo to Iwakuni so that he could administer No. 77 Squadron and its ancillaries until No. 91 (Composite) Wing was formed to take over the task. Upon his return to Australia in June 1951, he was promoted to acting air vice marshal and appointed AOC Southern Area, headquartered in Albert Park
Albert Park, Victoria
Albert Park is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip. At the 2006 Census, Albert Park had a population of 5827....
, Melbourne. Towards the end of his tenure, the RAAF's wartime area command system was transformed into a structure based on function rather than geography. As a result, Southern Area was reformed as Training Command in October 1953. In 1954 he returned to the UK to command RAAF Overseas Headquarters, London. Completing his term in London, Charlesworth retired from the Air Force on 31 December 1955, and was made an honorary air vice marshal the following year. He was then appointed a technical advisor to the committee organising the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
in Melbourne. In 1958–59, he served as Director of Recruiting Combined Services, and later became a judge's associate with the Supreme Court of Victoria
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1852, and is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited jurisdiction within the state...
. In retirement he made his home in Glen Iris
Glen Iris, Victoria
Glen Iris is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Boroondara and Stonnington...
, Victoria, where he died on 21 September 1978. Survived by his wife and daughter, he was accorded an Air Force funeral and cremated.