David Evans (RAAF officer)
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Selwyn David Evans, AC, DSO
, AFC
(born 3 June 1925) is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force
, and a writer and consultant on defence matters. He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1982 until 1985. Since leaving the RAAF he has published two military treatises, A Fatal Rivalry: Australia's Defence at Risk and War: A Matter of Principles, and completed an autobiography.
Enlisting in the Air Force in 1943, Evans graduated from flying school as a sergeant pilot
, and was converting to Beaufort
bombers when World War II ended. From 1948 to 1949, he was a member of the Australian contingent operating C-47 Dakota transports in the Berlin Airlift. He was an instructor in the early 1950s, before becoming a VIP captain with the Governor-General's Flight
in 1954. His service in the flight earned him the Air Force Cross
in 1957. In the 1960s Evans was twice posted to No. 2 Squadron
, flying Canberra
jet bombers: first as a flight commander when the unit was based in Malaysia in 1960–62 and then as its commanding officer during the Vietnam War
in 1967–68. The Canberras achieved a high degree of accuracy on their bombing missions under his leadership, and he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
after completing his tour in Vietnam.
Evans held senior staff positions in the early 1970s, before serving as Officer Commanding RAAF Base Amberley
from 1975 until 1977. Promoted to air vice marshal, he then became Chief of Air Force Operations. In this role he enhanced the RAAF's strategy for the defence of Australia, to fully exploit the "air-sea gap" on the northern approaches to the continent. Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1981, he was Chief of Joint Operations and Plans for the Australian Defence Force
(ADF) before his promotion to air marshal
and elevation to Chief of the Air Staff in April 1982. As head of the Air Force he focussed on morale, air power doctrine, and improving defensive capabilities in northern Australia. He was raised to Companion of the Order of Australia in 1984. Retiring from the RAAF in May 1985, Evans began to write and lecture on defence matters, as well as standing for election in Federal politics. He was a board member and defence advisor to British Aerospace Australia
(later BAE Systems Australia) from 1990 to 2009, and Chairman of the National Capital Authority
from 1997 until 2003. In 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal
for his services to the ADF and the Canberra community.
suburb of Paddington
on 3 June 1925. The son of Selwyn Douglas Evans and his wife Eileen, David was educated to Intermediate Certificate
level at Marist Brothers College
in Mosman
. He subsequently became one of the earliest recruits to the Air Training Corps
, established in 1941 to facilitate basic training for youths aged 16 to 18 whose ambition was to become aircrew in the Royal Australian Air Force
. After spending a short time as a bank clerk, Evans duly enlisted in the RAAF on 5 June 1943. He underwent instruction at No. 8 Service Flying Training School, an Empire Air Training Scheme
facility in Bundaberg, Queensland. After graduating as a sergeant pilot
in October 1944, he was posted to the flying staff of No. 1 Air Observer School at Evans Head
in northern New South Wales.
Promoted to flight sergeant
, Evans was in the middle of a Bristol Beaufort
light bomber conversion course at No. 1 Operational Training Unit
in East Sale
, Victoria, when the war ended on 14 August 1945. His Air Force career should have finished then and there, as he was slated for demobilisation along with thousands of other wartime enlistees. Evans, however, was determined to remain and travelled to RAAF Headquarters in Melbourne
to take his case to the officer responsible for discharges. He found a sympathetic ear and within days was transferred to No. 38 Squadron
, with which he flew C-47 Dakota transports on a regular courier service to Japan between October 1945 and May 1948. During this period he was commissioned as a pilot officer
, becoming the most junior name in the 1947 Air Force List of serving officers and their seniority. On 23 August 1948 he married Dorothy (Gail) Campbell, the daughter of a Merchant Navy
captain; the couple had three daughters and a son. Promoted to flying officer
, Evans was posted the same month to RAAF Overseas Headquarters
in London. From there he joined RAAF Squadron Berlin Air Lift—which comprised crews from Nos. 36
and 38 Squadrons and was based in Lubeck
, West Germany—and flew over 250 sortie
s in Royal Air Force
Dakotas during the Berlin Blockade
. Airlift operations were considered particularly challenging, as aircraft were expected to fly on instruments their entire route, often in inclement weather, and keep just three minutes separation. On one occasion, Evans and his crew discovered that boxes of condom
s were their main cargo. According to Air Force historian Alan Stephens, "as they took off into a bleak, snow-filled night they found themselves questioning the worth of the sortie, an attitude which doubtless was not shared by the eventual recipients".
Returning to Australia in November 1949, Evans qualified as a flying instructor
and served in this capacity for the next four years, including an exchange posting with the Royal New Zealand Air Force
from May 1951 to July 1953. In 1954 he became a VIP
captain, serving with the Governor-General's Flight
until 1956. Promoted to squadron leader
, his services with the VIP flight earned him the Air Force Cross
in the Queen's Birthday Honours
promulgated in the London Gazette
on 13 June 1957. The same year, he attended RAAF Staff College, Point Cook
. He became Personal Staff Officer to the Minister for Air
in 1958. From 1960 until 1962 he served as a flight commander
in No. 2 Squadron
, operating English Electric Canberra
bombers out of RAAF Base Butterworth
, Malaysia. He subsequently attended the RAF College of Air Warfare
. Evans was posted to Washington, DC, as Assistant Air Attaché
in January 1965.
. Operating from Phan Rang Air Base
outside Saigon, under the direction of the US 35th Tactical Fighter Wing
(TFW), the Canberras were initially engaged in medium-altitude missions against Viet Cong forces, guided by Sky Spot ground radar, usually at night. Promoted to wing commander
, Evans assumed control of the squadron in December 1967. By this time the Canberras were flying a greater proportion of their missions at lower levels in daylight, using visual bomb-aiming methods honed during their earlier service in Malaysia; this gave the bombers an average circular error probability (CEP) of 50 metres. Evans introduced intensive post-mission analysis to refine their technique, and permitted his pilots to bomb at the lowest level possible at which the bombsight would operate. The CEP was eventually reduced to 20 metres, making the Canberras the most accurate bombing force in the region. In January 1968, the unit participated in the air campaigns to defend Huế
and Khe Sanh
during the Tet Offensive. Phan Rang itself was often subjected to harassing attacks and mortar fire from the Viet Cong, requiring Evans to undertake improvements to the airfield's ground defences. He completed his posting to Vietnam in November 1968 and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
for his performance as commander of No. 2 Squadron. The decoration was gazetted on 2 May 1969 and backdated to 13 March. By this time he had been promoted to group captain
and appointed Director of Air Force Plans, a post he held until 1971.
Evans completed studies at the Royal College of Defence Studies
, London, in 1972. Returning to Australia, he served as Director-General Plans and Policy, Air Force, during 1973–74 and was Officer Commanding RAAF Base Amberley
from February 1975 until April 1977. In the latter role he qualified as a pilot on the recently delivered General Dynamics F-111C
swing-wing bomber, as well as the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter. Promoted to air vice marshal, Evans was Chief of Air Force Operations (CAFOPS) between 1977 and 1980; he also served temporarily as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
in 1978. As CAFOPS, Evans played a major part in developing the RAAF’s plans for the defence of Australia. Following America's announcement in the 1969 Guam Doctrine that its allies would have to assume greater self-reliance in their military affairs, Australia's strategic thought underwent a change from its earlier policy of "forward defence" to a more localised defensive posture. While the consensus among RAAF planning staff was to adopt a "repulsion" concept of repelling an enemy force on the air and sea approaches to northern Australia, Evans considered that this did not go far enough in exploiting the long-range offensive capabilities of such aircraft as the F-111. Convinced that Australia's numerically small forces would be hard-pressed to dislodge an invader that had gained a foothold on the continent, he refined the "repulsion" stance into what he termed an "anti-lodgement" strategy, focussing on defeating the enemy at its potential staging bases north of Australia and then, as a last resort, on the approaches closer to home. The Air Force’s role in shaping an overall strategy that took advantage of the "air-sea gap" was later acknowledged in the Federal government paper The Defence of Australia 1987. Evans was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia on 26 January 1981
for his achievements as CAFOPS.
In 1980, Evans was appointed Chief of Joint Operations and Plans for the Australian Defence Force
(ADF). He was promoted to air marshal
and became Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), the RAAF's senior position, on 20 April 1982. As CAS he took steps to enhance discipline, bearing and morale in the Air Force, demanding high personal standards. He sponsored the development of an Australian air power doctrine, eventually published as the Air Power Manual under one of his successors, Air Marshal Ray Funnell
, in 1990. As early as 1969, Evans had advocated permanently basing a squadron of fighter aircraft at RAAF Tindal
, in the Northern Territory. Tindal was one of a series of forward air bases initiated by Air Marshal Sir Frederick Scherger
when he was CAS in 1959, but a defence committee decision prior to Evans becoming CAS had determined to locate the RAAF's northernmost fighter squadron at Darwin
. His chance remark in mid-1982 to the then-new Minister of Defence, Ian Sinclair
, regarding the suitability of Tindal over Darwin led to the former base being chosen as the home of No. 75 (Fighter) Squadron
. Alan Stephens described the permanent manning of Tindal as having "formalised the shift to the strategy of defence-in-depth—of defending Australia by controlling its air-sea gap". Evans also directed the introduction of an airman aircrew scheme for maritime patrol
aircraft. Previously all such crews had comprised commissioned officers, but under the new concept crew members such as flight engineer
s and sensor operators would be NCOs
; the scheme was later extended to the crews of transport aircraft and helicopters. For his service as CAS, Evans was raised to a Companion of the Order of Australia on 11 June 1984. On 2 May 1985, he became the first serving member of the ADF to be invited to speak at the National Press Club
in Canberra. During his speech he reiterated the need for Australia to acquire an airborne early warning capability to enhance the effectiveness of the soon-to-be-delivered F/A-18 Hornet multirole fighter, declaring that "Jindalee is not sufficient". Later that month the first of the Hornets, whose acquisition Evans had supported while CAFOPS, was handed over to No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit
at RAAF Base Williamtown
, New South Wales.
's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre in 1986, he produced a working paper focussing on the RAAF's concept of operations, Air Operations in Northern Australia. The same year, he was publicly critical of the Federal government's Dibb Report
, claiming that while it contained "sensible policy for the defence of Australia", it did not recognise the ADF's offensive capabilities: "People win wars by taking the initiative. In war the aim must be to win. [...] If you are a small force you cannot afford to wait, and otherwise you will be defeated." Evans also stood for political office, running as the Liberal
candidate for the seat of Eden-Monaro, New South Wales, in the 1987 Australian Federal Election. The seat was retained by the sitting Labor
member Jim Snow
.
In 1990, Evans published his critique of Australian defence policies, A Fatal Rivalry: Australia’s Defence at Risk; he followed this in 2000 with War: A Matter of Principles, featuring contributions from senior soldiers and military analysts. Also in 1990, Evans joined the Board of British Aerospace Australia
as a non-executive director, and was later appointed Senior Defence Advisor to BAE Systems Australia, retiring in 2009. From 1997 until 2003, he was Chairman of the National Capital Authority
, and from 1999 until 2003 was the National President of the Royal United Services Institute
Australia. Evans has been the patron of numerous organisations including the Airfield Defence Guards Association, the Royal Australian Air Force Association (ACT Division), The Celtic Club Australia, and the Royal Australian Air Force Staff College Association. In January 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal
for "service to Australian society through Australian Defence Force and to the Canberra community". He was the Chairman of the 60th Anniversary Victory in the Pacific Steering Committee in 2005. His autobiography, Down to Earth, was released in July 2011.
Air Marshal (Australia)
Air marshal is the second highest active rank of the Royal Australian Air Force and was created as a direct equivalent of the British Royal Air Force rank of air marshal, it is also considered a three-star rank...
Selwyn David Evans, AC, DSO
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...
, 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"...
(born 3 June 1925) is a retired senior commander of 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...
, and a writer and consultant on defence matters. He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1982 until 1985. Since leaving the RAAF he has published two military treatises, A Fatal Rivalry: Australia's Defence at Risk and War: A Matter of Principles, and completed an autobiography.
Enlisting in the Air Force in 1943, Evans graduated from flying school as a sergeant pilot
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
, and was converting to Beaufort
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
bombers when World War II ended. From 1948 to 1949, he was a member of the Australian contingent operating C-47 Dakota transports in the Berlin Airlift. He was an instructor in the early 1950s, before becoming a VIP captain with the Governor-General's Flight
Governor-General's Flight RAAF
The Governor-General's Flight was a Royal Australian Air Force transport unit. The Governor-General's Flight was formed at RAAF Station Canberra on 4 April 1945. The unit was equipped with an Avro York named 'Endeavour', an Avro Anson and a Percival Proctor...
in 1954. His service in the flight earned him 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"...
in 1957. In the 1960s Evans was twice posted to 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...
, flying Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
jet bombers: first as a flight commander when the unit was based in Malaysia in 1960–62 and then as its commanding officer during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in 1967–68. The Canberras achieved a high degree of accuracy on their bombing missions under his leadership, and 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...
after completing his tour in Vietnam.
Evans held senior staff positions in the early 1970s, before serving as Officer Commanding RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force base located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron...
from 1975 until 1977. Promoted to air vice marshal, he then became Chief of Air Force Operations. In this role he enhanced the RAAF's strategy for the defence of Australia, to fully exploit the "air-sea gap" on the northern approaches to the continent. Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1981, he was Chief of Joint Operations and Plans for the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
(ADF) before his promotion to air marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
and elevation to Chief of the Air Staff in April 1982. As head of the Air Force he focussed on morale, air power doctrine, and improving defensive capabilities in northern Australia. He was raised to Companion of the Order of Australia in 1984. Retiring from the RAAF in May 1985, Evans began to write and lecture on defence matters, as well as standing for election in Federal politics. He was a board member and defence advisor to British Aerospace Australia
BAE Systems Australia
BAE Systems Australia, a subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, is the largest defence contractor in Australia. It was formed by the merger of British Aerospace Australia and GEC-Marconi Systems and expanded by the acquisitions of Armor Holdings in 2007 and Tenix Defence in June 2008.-History:BAE Systems'...
(later BAE Systems Australia) from 1990 to 2009, and Chairman of the National Capital Authority
National Capital Authority
The National Capital Authority is a body of the Australian Government that was established to manage the Commonwealth's interest in the planning and development of Canberra as the capital city of Australia....
from 1997 until 2003. In 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for his services to the ADF and the Canberra community.
World War II and early post-war career
Selwyn Evans, known by his middle name of David, was born in the SydneySydney
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...
suburb of Paddington
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
on 3 June 1925. The son of Selwyn Douglas Evans and his wife Eileen, David was educated to Intermediate Certificate
Intermediate Certificate
The Intermediate Certificate was a certificate awarded in Australia for the successful completion of three years of high school. This was at around age 14 — what is called Year 9 today. Currently students in New South Wales can leave school at age 15. Apparently this has been the case since...
level at Marist Brothers College
Marist College North Shore
Marist College North Shore , is a systemic Roman Catholic, secondary day school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, a suburb on Sydney's Lower North Shore....
in Mosman
Mosman, New South Wales
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...
. He subsequently became one of the earliest recruits to the Air Training Corps
Australian Air Force Cadets
The Australian Air Force Cadets , known as the Air Training Corps until 2001, is a Federal Government funded youth organisation. The parent force of the AAFC is the Royal Australian Air Force...
, established in 1941 to facilitate basic training for youths aged 16 to 18 whose ambition was to become aircrew 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...
. After spending a short time as a bank clerk, Evans duly enlisted in the RAAF on 5 June 1943. He underwent instruction at No. 8 Service Flying Training School, an Empire Air Training Scheme
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
facility in Bundaberg, Queensland. After graduating as a sergeant pilot
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in October 1944, he was posted to the flying staff of No. 1 Air Observer School at Evans Head
Evans Head, New South Wales
Evans Head is a town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia in Richmond Valley Shire. At the 2006 census, Evans Head had a population of 2,631 people. It is 726 kilometres north of Sydney, and 11 kilometres east off the Pacific Highway from Woodburn...
in northern New South Wales.
Promoted to 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...
, Evans was in the middle of a Bristol Beaufort
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
light bomber conversion course at No. 1 Operational Training Unit
No. 1 Operational Training Unit RAAF
No. 1 Operational Training Unit was an operational training unit of the Royal Australian Air Force formed at Nhill, Victoria on 8 December 1941. Advanced operational flying training and instruction began at Nhill on 22 December 1941....
in 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 ...
, Victoria, when the war ended on 14 August 1945. His Air Force career should have finished then and there, as he was slated for demobilisation along with thousands of other wartime enlistees. Evans, however, was determined to remain and travelled to RAAF Headquarters in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to take his case to the officer responsible for discharges. He found a sympathetic ear and within days was transferred to No. 38 Squadron
No. 38 Squadron RAAF
No. 38 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force transport squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1943 and saw active service in the Second World War, Korean War and Malayan Emergency. No. 38 Squadron has also supported Australian peacekeeping operations around the world including in Kashmir and East...
, with which he flew C-47 Dakota transports on a regular courier service to Japan between October 1945 and May 1948. During this period he 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...
, becoming the most junior name in the 1947 Air Force List of serving officers and their seniority. On 23 August 1948 he married Dorothy (Gail) Campbell, the daughter of a Merchant Navy
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
captain; the couple had three daughters and a son. Promoted to 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...
, Evans was posted the same month to 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...
in London. From there he joined RAAF Squadron Berlin Air Lift—which comprised crews from Nos. 36
No. 36 Squadron RAAF
No. 36 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force transport squadron. It currently operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft from RAAF Base Amberley. The Squadron has seen active service flying transport aircraft during World War II, the Berlin Airlift, Korean War, Vietnam War and the invasion of Iraq...
and 38 Squadrons and was based in Lubeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, West Germany—and flew over 250 sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
s in 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...
Dakotas during the Berlin Blockade
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War and the first resulting in casualties. During the multinational occupation of post-World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway and road access to the sectors of Berlin under Allied...
. Airlift operations were considered particularly challenging, as aircraft were expected to fly on instruments their entire route, often in inclement weather, and keep just three minutes separation. On one occasion, Evans and his crew discovered that boxes of condom
Condom
A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
s were their main cargo. According to Air Force historian Alan Stephens, "as they took off into a bleak, snow-filled night they found themselves questioning the worth of the sortie, an attitude which doubtless was not shared by the eventual recipients".
Returning to Australia in November 1949, Evans qualified as a flying 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...
and served in this capacity for the next four years, including an exchange posting with the Royal New Zealand Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
from May 1951 to July 1953. In 1954 he became a VIP
Very Important Person
A Very Important Person, or VIP is a person who is accorded special privileges due to his or her status or importance.Examples include celebrities, heads of state/heads of government, major employers, high rollers, politicians, high-level corporate officers, wealthy individuals, or any other...
captain, serving with the Governor-General's Flight
Governor-General's Flight RAAF
The Governor-General's Flight was a Royal Australian Air Force transport unit. The Governor-General's Flight was formed at RAAF Station Canberra on 4 April 1945. The unit was equipped with an Avro York named 'Endeavour', an Avro Anson and a Percival Proctor...
until 1956. Promoted 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...
, his services with the VIP flight earned him 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"...
in the Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
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 June 1957. The same year, he attended RAAF Staff College, 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...
. He became Personal Staff Officer to the Minister for Air
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
in 1958. From 1960 until 1962 he served 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,...
in 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 English Electric Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
bombers out of RAAF Base Butterworth
RAAF Base Butterworth
RMAF Butterworth is an Air Force Station of the Royal Malaysian Air Force situated near the town of Butterworth in the state of Penang, directly opposite the island itself.-RAF Butterworth:...
, Malaysia. He subsequently attended the RAF College of Air Warfare
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...
. Evans was posted to Washington, DC, as Assistant Air Attaché
Attaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
in January 1965.
Vietnam War and senior command
In April 1967, the Australian government committed No. 2 Squadron and its Canberra bombers to action in the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Operating from Phan Rang Air Base
Phan Rang Air Base
Phan Rang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located north-northwest of Phan Rang-Thap Cham in Ninh Thuan Province....
outside Saigon, under the direction of the US 35th Tactical Fighter Wing
35th Fighter Wing
The 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.-Mission:...
(TFW), the Canberras were initially engaged in medium-altitude missions against Viet Cong forces, guided by Sky Spot ground radar, usually at night. Promoted 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...
, Evans assumed control of the squadron in December 1967. By this time the Canberras were flying a greater proportion of their missions at lower levels in daylight, using visual bomb-aiming methods honed during their earlier service in Malaysia; this gave the bombers an average circular error probability (CEP) of 50 metres. Evans introduced intensive post-mission analysis to refine their technique, and permitted his pilots to bomb at the lowest level possible at which the bombsight would operate. The CEP was eventually reduced to 20 metres, making the Canberras the most accurate bombing force in the region. In January 1968, the unit participated in the air campaigns to defend Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
and Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh is the district capital of Hướng Hoá District, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam, located 63 km west of Đông Hà.Khe Sanh Combat Base was a United States Marine Corps outpost in South Vietnam used during the Vietnam War. The airstrip was built in September 1962...
during the Tet Offensive. Phan Rang itself was often subjected to harassing attacks and mortar fire from the Viet Cong, requiring Evans to undertake improvements to the airfield's ground defences. He completed his posting to Vietnam in November 1968 and 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 performance as commander of No. 2 Squadron. The decoration was gazetted on 2 May 1969 and backdated to 13 March. By this time he had been promoted to 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...
and appointed Director of Air Force Plans, a post he held until 1971.
Evans completed studies at the Royal College of Defence Studies
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
, London, in 1972. Returning to Australia, he served as Director-General Plans and Policy, Air Force, during 1973–74 and was Officer Commanding RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force base located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron...
from February 1975 until April 1977. In the latter role he qualified as a pilot on the recently delivered General Dynamics F-111C
General Dynamics F-111C
The General Dynamics F-111C is a variant of the F-111 Aardvark medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft, developed by General Dynamics to meet Australian requirements. The design was based on the F-111A model but included longer wings and strengthened undercarriage...
swing-wing bomber, as well as the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter. Promoted to air vice marshal, Evans was Chief of Air Force Operations (CAFOPS) between 1977 and 1980; he also served temporarily as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Deputy Chief of Air Force (Australia)
Deputy Chief of Air Force is the second most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Air Force, responsible to the Chief of Air Force . The rank associated with the position is Air Vice Marshal . DCAF acts as the manager of the Air Force Headquarters , which provides oversight of activities in...
in 1978. As CAFOPS, Evans played a major part in developing the RAAF’s plans for the defence of Australia. Following America's announcement in the 1969 Guam Doctrine that its allies would have to assume greater self-reliance in their military affairs, Australia's strategic thought underwent a change from its earlier policy of "forward defence" to a more localised defensive posture. While the consensus among RAAF planning staff was to adopt a "repulsion" concept of repelling an enemy force on the air and sea approaches to northern Australia, Evans considered that this did not go far enough in exploiting the long-range offensive capabilities of such aircraft as the F-111. Convinced that Australia's numerically small forces would be hard-pressed to dislodge an invader that had gained a foothold on the continent, he refined the "repulsion" stance into what he termed an "anti-lodgement" strategy, focussing on defeating the enemy at its potential staging bases north of Australia and then, as a last resort, on the approaches closer to home. The Air Force’s role in shaping an overall strategy that took advantage of the "air-sea gap" was later acknowledged in the Federal government paper The Defence of Australia 1987. Evans was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia on 26 January 1981
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
for his achievements as CAFOPS.
In 1980, Evans was appointed Chief of Joint Operations and Plans for the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
(ADF). He was promoted to air marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
and became Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), the RAAF's senior position, on 20 April 1982. As CAS he took steps to enhance discipline, bearing and morale in the Air Force, demanding high personal standards. He sponsored the development of an Australian air power doctrine, eventually published as the Air Power Manual under one of his successors, Air Marshal Ray Funnell
Ray Funnell
Air Marshal Raymond George "Ray" Funnell AC is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Air Force, serving as its Chief of the Air Staff from 1987 until 1992...
, in 1990. As early as 1969, Evans had advocated permanently basing a squadron of fighter aircraft at RAAF Tindal
RAAF Base Tindal
RAAF Base Tindal is a Royal Australian Air Force air base located near the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory. The base is currently home to No...
, in the Northern Territory. Tindal was one of a series of forward air bases initiated by Air Marshal Sir 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...
when he was CAS in 1959, but a defence committee decision prior to Evans becoming CAS had determined to locate the RAAF's northernmost fighter squadron at 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...
. His chance remark in mid-1982 to the then-new Minister of Defence, Ian Sinclair
Ian Sinclair
Ian McCahon Sinclair AC , is an Australian politician and former leader of the National Party of Australia.Sinclair was born in Sydney, the son of a suburban accountant. He was educated at Knox Grammar School and at the University of Sydney, where he graduated in arts and law...
, regarding the suitability of Tindal over Darwin led to the former base being chosen as the home of No. 75 (Fighter) 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...
. Alan Stephens described the permanent manning of Tindal as having "formalised the shift to the strategy of defence-in-depth—of defending Australia by controlling its air-sea gap". Evans also directed the introduction of an airman aircrew scheme 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....
aircraft. Previously all such crews had comprised commissioned officers, but under the new concept crew members such as flight engineer
Flight engineer
Flight engineers work in three types of aircraft: fixed-wing , rotary wing , and space flight .As airplanes became even larger requiring more engines and complex systems to operate, the workload on the two pilots became excessive during certain critical parts of the flight regime, notably takeoffs...
s and sensor operators would be NCOs
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 scheme was later extended to the crews of transport aircraft and helicopters. For his service as CAS, Evans was raised to a Companion of the Order of Australia on 11 June 1984. On 2 May 1985, he became the first serving member of the ADF to be invited to speak at the National Press Club
National Press Club (Australia)
The National Press Club is an association of primarily news journalists, but also includes academics, business people and members of the public service, and is based in Canberra, Australia. It was founded in the 1960s as the National Press Luncheon Club by a few journalists with the backing of the...
in Canberra. During his speech he reiterated the need for Australia to acquire an airborne early warning capability to enhance the effectiveness of the soon-to-be-delivered F/A-18 Hornet multirole fighter, declaring that "Jindalee is not sufficient". Later that month the first of the Hornets, whose acquisition Evans had supported while CAFOPS, was handed over to No. 2 Operational Conversion 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...
at RAAF Base 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.
Later career
Evans retired as CAS on 30 May 1985, having flown in excess of 8,600 hours during his RAAF career. He was praised by his successor, Air Marshal Jake Newham, for his "extraordinary zeal and robustness" that helped instil "a renewed sense of pride in the Service". In retirement Evans became a consultant on defence and aviation matters, and wrote and lectured extensively on air power. As a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National UniversityAustralian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre in 1986, he produced a working paper focussing on the RAAF's concept of operations, Air Operations in Northern Australia. The same year, he was publicly critical of the Federal government's Dibb Report
Dibb Report
The Review of Australia's Defence Capabilities, better known as the Dibb Report, was an influential review of Australia's defence plans. While the report's recommendations were not fully accepted by the Hawke Government, they lead to significant changes in Australia's defence policy, including...
, claiming that while it contained "sensible policy for the defence of Australia", it did not recognise the ADF's offensive capabilities: "People win wars by taking the initiative. In war the aim must be to win. [...] If you are a small force you cannot afford to wait, and otherwise you will be defeated." Evans also stood for political office, running as the Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
candidate for the seat of Eden-Monaro, New South Wales, in the 1987 Australian Federal Election. The seat was retained by the sitting Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member Jim Snow
Jim Snow
James Henry "Jim" Snow was an Australian politician.Snow was born in the Melbourne suburb of Surrey Hills, Victoria and graduated in pharmacy from the Victorian College of Pharmacy. He worked as a goat farmer, pharmacist and community worker for Queanbeyan City Council...
.
In 1990, Evans published his critique of Australian defence policies, A Fatal Rivalry: Australia’s Defence at Risk; he followed this in 2000 with War: A Matter of Principles, featuring contributions from senior soldiers and military analysts. Also in 1990, Evans joined the Board of British Aerospace Australia
BAE Systems Australia
BAE Systems Australia, a subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, is the largest defence contractor in Australia. It was formed by the merger of British Aerospace Australia and GEC-Marconi Systems and expanded by the acquisitions of Armor Holdings in 2007 and Tenix Defence in June 2008.-History:BAE Systems'...
as a non-executive director, and was later appointed Senior Defence Advisor to BAE Systems Australia, retiring in 2009. From 1997 until 2003, he was Chairman of the National Capital Authority
National Capital Authority
The National Capital Authority is a body of the Australian Government that was established to manage the Commonwealth's interest in the planning and development of Canberra as the capital city of Australia....
, and from 1999 until 2003 was the National President of the Royal United Services Institute
Royal United Services Institute
The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies , officially still known by its old name, the Royal United Services Institution, is a British defence and security think tank. It was founded in 1831 by The Duke of Wellington.RUSI describes itself asIt won Prospect Magazine's...
Australia. Evans has been the patron of numerous organisations including the Airfield Defence Guards Association, the Royal Australian Air Force Association (ACT Division), The Celtic Club Australia, and the Royal Australian Air Force Staff College Association. In January 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for "service to Australian society through Australian Defence Force and to the Canberra community". He was the Chairman of the 60th Anniversary Victory in the Pacific Steering Committee in 2005. His autobiography, Down to Earth, was released in July 2011.