John Lloyd Waddy
Encyclopedia
John Lloyd Waddy OBE
, DFC
(10 December 1916 – 11 September 1987) was a senior officer and aviator in the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF), who later served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
and Minister of the Crown
. As a fighter pilot
during World War II
, he shot down fifteen enemy aircraft in the Desert War
, becoming one of Australia's top-scoring aces
and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross
. He went on to command No. 80 Squadron
in the South West Pacific
, where he was awarded the US Air Medal
. He was also one of eight senior pilots who took part in the "Morotai Mutiny
" of April 1945.
Discharged from the Permanent Air Force at the end of the war, Waddy took a commission in the RAAF Reserve, leading the organisation as a Group Captain
in the early 1950s. He was active in business and in veterans' groups, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1955. As the Liberal
Member for Kirribilli
from 1962 to 1976, he held cabinet posts in the New South Wales Parliament, including Minister for Child Welfare and Social Welfare (later Youth and Community Services), Minister for Health
, and Minister for Police
and Services
. He retired from politics in 1976, and died in 1987 at the age of seventy.
er Edgar Lloyd Waddy and his wife Lottchen, and great-grandson of General Sir Richard Waddy KCB
. His four siblings included a sister and three brothers. Edgar Waddy established the real estate firm of E.L. Waddy & Son in Rose Bay
, which John joined as a clerk after completing his education at The King's School, Parramatta. He married Vera Nellie May (Ve) Dengate on 21 July 1938; the couple had a son, Lloyd, and two daughters, Denise and Rosalind.
Waddy enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) in late 1940, learning to fly under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Rhodesia
. His two older brothers, Edgar and Richard, were also pilots. Edgar had taken a short-service commission with the Royal Air Force
(RAF) in the 1930s, while Richard trained in Canada with EATS during the war prior to active duty in Britain, where he was killed flying a single-engined fighter
in 1941. Waddy's elder sister, Lett, was commissioned into the Women's Volunteer Naval Reserve, and his younger brother Rowen served as an officer with Z Special Unit
in the South West Pacific
.
Waddy was posted to the North African theatre
with No. 250 (Fighter) Squadron RAF
, operating P-40
Tomahawks and, later, Kittyhawks. He was befriended and mentored by the RAAF's top-scoring ace
, Clive "Killer" Caldwell
, who became godfather to Waddy's daughter. Waddy's first operational sortie
was as Caldwell's wingman
; he found the ensuing dogfight
so fast and confusing that he had no idea what was happening and afterwards had to ask the more experienced pilot how things had gone. On 9 December, however, he registered his first victory—in a Tomahawk that had previously been Caldwell's personal mount—when he shared in the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf110
twin-engined fighter near El Adem
.
By the end of April 1942, Waddy had scored four-and-a-half victories over enemy aircraft. Promoted Flying Officer
, he achieved four "kills" in a single sortie on 12 May 1942, destroying two Junkers Ju52
cargo planes and two escorting Bf110s from a German air transport convoy operating between Crete
and North Africa. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC) for this action, gazetted
on 2 October. The citation praised his "masterly airmanship as a fighter pilot" and his "great courage and devotion to duty". Shortly after claiming a victory over a Messerschmitt Bf109
on 22 May, Waddy was posted to another RAF unit, No. 260 Squadron
, flying Kittyhawks. He accounted for two enemy aircraft in June, before being assigned to No. 4 Squadron
, South African Air Force
, with which he destroyed a Bf109 in September. In October, following the award of his DFC, Waddy began flying Spitfire Vs
in No. 92 Squadron RAF
. He claimed a further three victories with his latest unit before being posted back to Australia on 19 November 1942. His final tally of fifteen-and-a-half victories made him one of the most successful Allied fighter pilots in the Desert War, and second only to Caldwell among the RAAF contingent.
(2OTU), based at Mildura
, Victoria. He was quoted in The Canberra Times that April offering his message of congratulation to the RAF on the 25th anniversary of its foundation: "You should not have many more birthdays before 'Jerry' and the Jap
s are shot clean out of the skies. Here's hoping." Fellow aces and Desert War veterans Clive Caldwell, Wilf Arthur
and Bobby Gibbes
were also instructors
at 2OTU prior to their combat postings in the South West Pacific; in December 1943, Caldwell and Waddy nearly collided when they crossed paths during an aerobatics
display at No. 5 Service Flying Training School
in Uranquinty, New South Wales. Waddy undertook a staff course the following year, and was promoted to Squadron Leader
. He was posted to Noemfoor
, Dutch East Indies
in September 1944 to command No. 80 Squadron
, part of No. 78 (Fighter) Wing
of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
led by Air Commodore Harry Cobby
. Operating Kittyhawks, Waddy's unit undertook dive bombing
and strafing
missions against Japanese targets, but saw little air combat.
In April 1945, Waddy joined Caldwell, Arthur, Gibbes and four other senior 1TAF pilots in an action that became known as the "Morotai Mutiny
". The eight attempted to resign their commissions in protest at the relegation of the RAAF's fighter squadrons to apparently worthless ground attack missions. Earlier that month, Waddy had asked his Intelligence Officer to produce a "profit and loss statement" for No. 80 Squadron, covering the period 1 October 1944 to 31 March 1945, in order to "bring out the fact that the expenditure by the squadron was not compensated for by the achievements of the Squadron". In that time, Waddy had lost eleven pilots with the unit, including seven to enemy action. Arthur had produced a similar "balance sheet" for No. 81 Wing. Both had become frustrated with the lack of attention paid by superior officers to their concerns regarding the usefulness of 1TAF operations. At the subsequent inquiry into events on Morotai, Justice John Vincent Barry
cleared the pilots of fault over the incident, finding their motives in tendering their resignations to be sincere. Waddy continued to lead No. 80 Squadron until handing over command on 1 June 1945. For his service in the Pacific, he was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the US Air Medal
, the former promulgated on 25 June 1946 and the latter on 1 July 1948.
in September 1945. He joined the Rose Bay branch of the Liberal Party
, and accepted a commission in the RAAF Reserve, also known as the Citizen Air Force (CAF). He also worked as a sales executive in the import-export firm of Falkiner, Caldwell Pty Ltd, run by Clive Caldwell and businessman George Falkiner. Promoted Group Captain
, Waddy led the CAF from 1950 through 1954, becoming its first member to take a seat on the Air Board, the RAAF's controlling body that consisted of its most senior officers and which was chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff. During his tenure, CAF squadrons continued to operate aircraft and were expected to act as home defence in the absence of PAF forces serving overseas, roles they would lose by the end of the 1950s.
Retiring from the Reserve in 1954, Waddy established his own real estate and travel agency, John L. Waddy Pty Ltd, and served as Honorary Aide-de-camp
to the Queen
until 1957. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1955 New Years Honours. The Australian delegate to the World Veterans' Federation
from 1956 to 1963, he was President of the New South Wales Division of the Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association throughout the 1950s, becoming an honorary life member in 1958. In October 1956, he joined former Chiefs of the Air Staff Air Marshals Sir Richard Williams and Sir George Jones
in calling for greater investment in the local aircraft industry, warning that unless prompt action was taken the situation would deteriorate to the same level as before World War II.
Pat Hills, Waddy was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
as the Liberal member for the newly created seat of Kirribilli
, on Sydney's North Shore
, in March 1962. He sold his interest in John L. Waddy Pty Ltd the same year. Appointed Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister for Education in 1967, he was an Assistant Minister from February 1969 until March 1971, when he became a Minister of the Crown
in charge of Child Welfare and Social Welfare in Premier Robert Askin
's cabinet, succeeding Frederick Hewitt. His portfolio
included responsibility for Aboriginal affairs
; in 1972 he founded the Aboriginal Lands Trust, staffed by a council of nine elected Indigenous Australians
, to assume freehold title of former government reserves in New South Wales as a precursor to granting land rights
.
Waddy's position was changed to Minister for Youth and Community Services in January 1973. In September he piloted a bill to reorganise the Ministries of Child Welfare and Social Welfare as the Department of Youth and Community Services; the move was designed to "revitalise" and re-focus welfare services, and to remove "overtones of charity and paternalism" inherent in the earlier titles. Waddy was succeeded by Dick Healey
on 3 December 1973, and took over as Minister for Health
from Harry Jago
. On 3 January 1975, he was appointed Minister for Police
and Minister for Services
under new Premier Tom Lewis
, serving until 23 January the following year. In this portfolio he sponsored an amendment to the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Bill, including provisions to close polling booths at 6 pm rather than 8 pm to expedite the reporting of results, and to change the term "Christian name" to "Given name" on candidate nominations to reflect changing community attitudes. He also put through a bill to hold a referendum on whether to make daylight saving a permanent fixture in New South Wales, following trials that had commenced in 1971.
Described by one of his parliamentary colleagues as a "mixture of bon vivant and conservatism", Waddy was also known for an occasionally quick temper; his staff were said to "start making motions as though they were bombing and strafing the enemy" when their boss got "wound up". Charles Cutler
, Deputy Premier from 1965 to 1975, reflecting on the bond between ex-servicemen in the political arena, recalled Waddy as "a great bloke, but inclined to be a bit pompous when speaking in the house ...", while John Booth found him to have an "old-fashioned sense of service to the community". Waddy was named a Freeman of the City of London in 1972, and Australian Father of the Year
in 1973. Having held his state seat in Kirribilli for fourteen years and four re-election campaigns—in 1965, 1968, 1971 and 1973—he was denied preselection by the Liberal Party for the 1976 contest
. He resigned from the party and stood as an Independent, but was defeated by future Liberal leader Bruce McDonald
. His parliamentary career was over but, in the words of a later Deputy Premier, Ian Armstrong
, Waddy had "refused to retreat to political obscurity", and "went out fighting". He was permitted to continue to use the title "Honourable" on his retirement. After eleven years in power in New South Wales, the sitting Liberal government itself lost office in the 1976 poll, to Neville Wran
's Labor Party.
twin-engined turboprop
in the 1969 England-to-Australia Air Race, taking second prize in the New South Wales Government division. As Minister for Child Welfare and Social Welfare with responsibility for Aboriginal affairs in 1971, he piloted his own light plane on three of the longest legs of his tour of government reserves in rural New South Wales. Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Australian and British Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators in 1977–78, he was an honorary member of the American Fighter Aces Association, and became director of a private airline, Aquatic Airways, in 1979. He also raised cattle on his farm near Goulburn
, New South Wales.
Following several bouts of serious illness in his later years, John Lloyd Waddy died on 11 September 1987, at the age of seventy. He was survived by his wife and three children, and given a funeral at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
. His pallbearers included Clive Caldwell and Tom Lewis. Waddy’s son Lloyd served in the RAAF Reserve from 1979 to 1995, and was appointed Queen's Counsel
in 1988 and later a Justice of the Family Court of Australia
. He was also a co-founder and National Convenor of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy
. Waddy's widow Ve died in 2006, at the age of ninety-six.
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...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(10 December 1916 – 11 September 1987) was a senior officer and aviator 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), who later served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
and Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
. As a fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
during World War II
Military 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...
, he shot down fifteen enemy aircraft in the Desert War
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
, becoming one of Australia's top-scoring aces
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
. He went on to command No. 80 Squadron
No. 80 Squadron RAAF
No. 80 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron of World War II. The squadron was formed in September 1943 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre of the war.-History:...
in the South West Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
, where he was awarded the US Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
. He was also one of eight senior pilots who took part in the "Morotai Mutiny
Morotai Mutiny
The "Morotai Mutiny" was an incident in April 1945 involving members of the Australian First Tactical Air Force based on the island of Morotai, in the Dutch East Indies...
" of April 1945.
Discharged from the Permanent Air Force at the end of the war, Waddy took a commission in the RAAF Reserve, leading the organisation as a 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...
in the early 1950s. He was active in business and in veterans' groups, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1955. 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...
Member for Kirribilli
Electoral district of Kirribilli
Kirribilli was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1962, partly replacing Neutral Bay, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Kirribilli. It was abolished in 1981 and partly replaced by North Shore.-Members for...
from 1962 to 1976, he held cabinet posts in the New South Wales Parliament, including Minister for Child Welfare and Social Welfare (later Youth and Community Services), Minister for Health
Minister for Health (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Health has responsibilities which includes all hospitals and health services in NSW.The current Minister for Health is Jillian Skinner. She administers her portfolio through the Department of Health.-List of Ministers:...
, and Minister for Police
Minister for Police and Emergency Services (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Police and Emergency Services has responsibilities which includes bus and ferry policy, contracting and regulation, rail policy, fares and concessions, and taxi and hire car policy and regulation...
and Services
Minister for Police and Emergency Services (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Police and Emergency Services has responsibilities which includes bus and ferry policy, contracting and regulation, rail policy, fares and concessions, and taxi and hire car policy and regulation...
. He retired from politics in 1976, and died in 1987 at the age of seventy.
Family and early life
Born in Sydney on 10 December 1916, Waddy was the son of first-class cricketFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er Edgar Lloyd Waddy and his wife Lottchen, and great-grandson of General Sir Richard Waddy KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. His four siblings included a sister and three brothers. Edgar Waddy established the real estate firm of E.L. Waddy & Son in Rose Bay
Rose Bay, New South Wales
Rose Bay is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rose Bay is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Waverley Municipal Council and Woollahra Council .Rose Bay has views of both the Sydney...
, which John joined as a clerk after completing his education at The King's School, Parramatta. He married Vera Nellie May (Ve) Dengate on 21 July 1938; the couple had a son, Lloyd, and two daughters, Denise and Rosalind.
Waddy enlisted 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) in late 1940, learning to fly under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
. His two older brothers, Edgar and Richard, were also pilots. Edgar had taken a short-service commission with 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) in the 1930s, while Richard trained in Canada with EATS during the war prior to active duty in Britain, where he was killed flying a single-engined fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
in 1941. Waddy's elder sister, Lett, was commissioned into the Women's Volunteer Naval Reserve, and his younger brother Rowen served as an officer with Z Special Unit
Z Special Unit
Z Special Unit was a joint Allied special forces unit formed during the Second World War to operate behind Japanese lines in South East Asia...
in the South West Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
.
North Africa
Completing his training in June 1941, Pilot OfficerPilot 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...
Waddy was posted to the North African theatre
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
with No. 250 (Fighter) Squadron RAF
No. 250 Squadron RAF
No. 250 squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II.It operated Kittyhawk IIIs out of southern Italy in 1943-44....
, operating P-40
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
Tomahawks and, later, Kittyhawks. He was befriended and mentored by the RAAF's top-scoring ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
, Clive "Killer" Caldwell
Clive Caldwell
Group Captain Clive Robertson Caldwell DSO, DFC & Bar was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties. In addition to his official score, he has been ascribed six probables and 15 damaged...
, who became godfather to Waddy's daughter. Waddy's first operational 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....
was as Caldwell's wingman
Wingman
A wingman is a pilot who supports another in a potentially dangerous flying environment. Wingman was originally a term referring to the plane flying beside and slightly behind the lead plane in an aircraft formation....
; he found the ensuing dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
so fast and confusing that he had no idea what was happening and afterwards had to ask the more experienced pilot how things had gone. On 9 December, however, he registered his first victory—in a Tomahawk that had previously been Caldwell's personal mount—when he shared in the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf110
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten...
twin-engined fighter near El Adem
Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base
Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base is a Libyan Air Force base, located about 16 km south of Tobruk. It is believed to have once had about 60 or 70 Mirage F.1EDs aircraft assigned....
.
By the end of April 1942, Waddy had scored four-and-a-half victories over enemy aircraft. Promoted 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...
, he achieved four "kills" in a single sortie on 12 May 1942, destroying two Junkers Ju52
Junkers Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler...
cargo planes and two escorting Bf110s from a German air transport convoy operating between Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and North Africa. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC) for this action, gazetted
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 2 October. The citation praised his "masterly airmanship as a fighter pilot" and his "great courage and devotion to duty". Shortly after claiming a victory over a Messerschmitt Bf109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
on 22 May, Waddy was posted to another RAF unit, No. 260 Squadron
No. 260 Squadron RAF
No. 260 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as a reconnaissance and anti–submarine unit in World War I and a fighter unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No...
, flying Kittyhawks. He accounted for two enemy aircraft in June, before being assigned to No. 4 Squadron
4 Squadron SAAF
4 Squadron SAAF was a South African Air Force squadron which served during World War II. It was resurrected in 1951 and remained active until 1958. Its final period of active service was from 1961 to 1991...
, South African Air Force
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
, with which he destroyed a Bf109 in September. In October, following the award of his DFC, Waddy began flying Spitfire Vs
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...
in No. 92 Squadron RAF
No. 92 Squadron RAF
No. 92 Squadron, also known as No 92 Squadron, of the Royal Air Force was formed as part of the Royal Flying Corps at London Colney as a fighter squadron on 1 September 1917. It deployed to France in July 1918 and saw action for just four months, until the end of the war. During the conflict it...
. He claimed a further three victories with his latest unit before being posted back to Australia on 19 November 1942. His final tally of fifteen-and-a-half victories made him one of the most successful Allied fighter pilots in the Desert War, and second only to Caldwell among the RAAF contingent.
South West Pacific
In February 1943, Waddy took charge of the Spitfire Squadron of No. 2 Operational Training UnitNo. 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...
(2OTU), based at Mildura
Mildura, Victoria
Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
, Victoria. He was quoted in The Canberra Times that April offering his message of congratulation to the RAF on the 25th anniversary of its foundation: "You should not have many more birthdays before 'Jerry' and the Jap
Jap
Jap is an English abbreviation of the word "Japanese." Today it is generally regarded as an ethnic slur, although English-speaking countries differ in the degree to which they consider the term offensive. In the United States, Japanese Americans have come to find the term controversial or...
s are shot clean out of the skies. Here's hoping." Fellow aces and Desert War veterans Clive Caldwell, Wilf Arthur
Wilfred Arthur
Wilfred Stanley Arthur DSO, DFC was an Australian fighter ace of World War II. He is officially credited with ten aerial victories...
and Bobby Gibbes
Bobby Gibbes
Robert Henry Maxwell Gibbes DSO, DFC & Bar, OAM was a leading Australian fighter ace of World War II. He was officially credited with shooting down 10¼ enemy aircraft, although his score is often reported as 12 destroyed...
were also instructors
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...
at 2OTU prior to their combat postings in the South West Pacific; in December 1943, Caldwell and Waddy nearly collided when they crossed paths during an aerobatics
Aerobatics
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in normal flight. Aerobatics are performed in airplanes and gliders for training, recreation, entertainment and sport...
display at No. 5 Service Flying Training School
No. 5 Service Flying Training School RAAF
No. 5 Service Flying Training School was a Royal Australian Air Force flight training unit of World War II. Its role was to provide intermediate and advanced flight training to new pilots as part of Australia's contribution to the Empire Air Training Scheme...
in Uranquinty, New South Wales. Waddy undertook a staff course the following year, and was 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...
. He was posted to Noemfoor
Noemfoor
Numfor is one of the Biak Islands in Papua province, Indonesia. It was the site of conflict between Japanese and the Allied forces during World War II, and was major airbase for both sides.-Geography:The island is situated just north of the large Cenderawasih Bay...
, 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....
in September 1944 to command No. 80 Squadron
No. 80 Squadron RAAF
No. 80 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron of World War II. The squadron was formed in September 1943 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre of the war.-History:...
, part of No. 78 (Fighter) Wing
No. 78 Wing RAAF
No. 78 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's operational training wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, and operates the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter. The wing was formed in 1943 and operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
of the Australian 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...
led by Air Commodore Harry Cobby
Arthur Henry Cobby
Air Commodore Arthur Henry Cobby CBE, DSO, DFC & Two Bars, GM was an Australian military aviator...
. Operating Kittyhawks, Waddy's unit undertook dive bombing
Dive bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target reduces the distance the bomb has to fall, which is the primary factor in determining the accuracy of the drop...
and strafing
Strafing
Strafing is the practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. This means, that although ground attack using automatic weapons fire is very often accompanied with bombing or rocket fire, the term "strafing" does not specifically include the...
missions against Japanese targets, but saw little air combat.
In April 1945, Waddy joined Caldwell, Arthur, Gibbes and four other senior 1TAF pilots in an action that became known as the "Morotai Mutiny
Morotai Mutiny
The "Morotai Mutiny" was an incident in April 1945 involving members of the Australian First Tactical Air Force based on the island of Morotai, in the Dutch East Indies...
". The eight attempted to resign their commissions in protest at the relegation of the RAAF's fighter squadrons to apparently worthless ground attack missions. Earlier that month, Waddy had asked his Intelligence Officer to produce a "profit and loss statement" for No. 80 Squadron, covering the period 1 October 1944 to 31 March 1945, in order to "bring out the fact that the expenditure by the squadron was not compensated for by the achievements of the Squadron". In that time, Waddy had lost eleven pilots with the unit, including seven to enemy action. Arthur had produced a similar "balance sheet" for No. 81 Wing. Both had become frustrated with the lack of attention paid by superior officers to their concerns regarding the usefulness of 1TAF operations. At the subsequent inquiry into events on Morotai, Justice John Vincent Barry
John Vincent Barry
Sir John Vincent William Barry KC was an Australian justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, and an expert in criminology. Born the eldest child of William Edward Barry and Sarah Lena Jeanette, née Keene in Albury, New South Wales, Barry was educated in St Patrick's College, a small convent...
cleared the pilots of fault over the incident, finding their motives in tendering their resignations to be sincere. Waddy continued to lead No. 80 Squadron until handing over command on 1 June 1945. For his service in the Pacific, he was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the US Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
, the former promulgated on 25 June 1946 and the latter on 1 July 1948.
RAAF reservist and businessman
With the end of the Pacific War, Waddy was discharged from the Permanent Air Force (PAF) as an acting Wing CommanderWing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
in September 1945. He joined the Rose Bay branch of the Liberal Party
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...
, and accepted a commission in the RAAF Reserve, also known as the Citizen Air Force (CAF). He also worked as a sales executive in the import-export firm of Falkiner, Caldwell Pty Ltd, run by Clive Caldwell and businessman George Falkiner. Promoted 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...
, Waddy led the CAF from 1950 through 1954, becoming its first member to take a seat on the Air Board, the RAAF's controlling body that consisted of its most senior officers and which was chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff. During his tenure, CAF squadrons continued to operate aircraft and were expected to act as home defence in the absence of PAF forces serving overseas, roles they would lose by the end of the 1950s.
Retiring from the Reserve in 1954, Waddy established his own real estate and travel agency, John L. Waddy Pty Ltd, and served as Honorary Aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
until 1957. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1955 New Years Honours. The Australian delegate to the World Veterans' Federation
World Veterans Federation (WVF)
The World Veterans Federation is the world's largest international veteran organisation. The federation currently consists of 170 veterans organizations from 93 countries representing some 25 to 30 million veterans worldwide....
from 1956 to 1963, he was President of the New South Wales Division of the Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association throughout the 1950s, becoming an honorary life member in 1958. In October 1956, he joined former Chiefs of the Air Staff Air Marshals Sir Richard Williams and Sir George Jones
George Jones (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir George Jones KBE, CB, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He rose from private soldier in World War I to Air Marshal in 1948, and served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1942 to 1952, the longest continuous tenure of any RAAF chief...
in calling for greater investment in the local aircraft industry, warning that unless prompt action was taken the situation would deteriorate to the same level as before World War II.
State parliamentarian
After an unsuccessful bid to become Lord Mayor of Sydney that saw him defeated by the Labor Party'sAustralian 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...
Pat Hills, Waddy was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
as the Liberal member for the newly created seat of Kirribilli
Electoral district of Kirribilli
Kirribilli was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1962, partly replacing Neutral Bay, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Kirribilli. It was abolished in 1981 and partly replaced by North Shore.-Members for...
, on Sydney's North Shore
North Shore (Sydney)
The North Shore is an informal term used to describe the primarily residential area of northern metropolitan Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The term usually refers to the suburbs located on the north shore of Sydney Harbour between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River, up to...
, in March 1962. He sold his interest in John L. Waddy Pty Ltd the same year. Appointed Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister for Education in 1967, he was an Assistant Minister from February 1969 until March 1971, when he became a Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
in charge of Child Welfare and Social Welfare in Premier Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
's cabinet, succeeding Frederick Hewitt. His portfolio
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
included responsibility for Aboriginal affairs
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
; in 1972 he founded the Aboriginal Lands Trust, staffed by a council of nine elected Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
, to assume freehold title of former government reserves in New South Wales as a precursor to granting land rights
Land rights
Land law is the form of law that deals with the rights to use, alienate, or exclude others from land. In many jurisdictions, these species of property are referred to as real estate or real property, as distinct from personal property. Land use agreements, including renting, are an important...
.
Waddy's position was changed to Minister for Youth and Community Services in January 1973. In September he piloted a bill to reorganise the Ministries of Child Welfare and Social Welfare as the Department of Youth and Community Services; the move was designed to "revitalise" and re-focus welfare services, and to remove "overtones of charity and paternalism" inherent in the earlier titles. Waddy was succeeded by Dick Healey
Dick Healey
Richard Owen Healey was a New South Wales politician, ABC Sports Broadcaster and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin, Tom Lewis and Sir Eric Willis. From 1973 to 1975 he was Minister for Youth and Community Services, when he was made Minister for Health, which he held until...
on 3 December 1973, and took over as Minister for Health
Minister for Health (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Health has responsibilities which includes all hospitals and health services in NSW.The current Minister for Health is Jillian Skinner. She administers her portfolio through the Department of Health.-List of Ministers:...
from Harry Jago
Harry Jago
Arnold Henry Jago , known as Harry Jago, was a former Liberal member of the New South Wales parliament representing the seat Gordon and a Minister of the Crown.-Early life:...
. On 3 January 1975, he was appointed Minister for Police
Minister for Police and Emergency Services (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Police and Emergency Services has responsibilities which includes bus and ferry policy, contracting and regulation, rail policy, fares and concessions, and taxi and hire car policy and regulation...
and Minister for Services
Minister for Police and Emergency Services (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Police and Emergency Services has responsibilities which includes bus and ferry policy, contracting and regulation, rail policy, fares and concessions, and taxi and hire car policy and regulation...
under new Premier Tom Lewis
Tom Lewis (Australian politician)
Thomas Lancelot Lewis AO is a former New South Wales politician, Premier of New South Wales and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin and Sir Eric Willis. He was made the Premier of New South Wales following Askin's retirement from politics and held it until he was replaced by...
, serving until 23 January the following year. In this portfolio he sponsored an amendment to the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Bill, including provisions to close polling booths at 6 pm rather than 8 pm to expedite the reporting of results, and to change the term "Christian name" to "Given name" on candidate nominations to reflect changing community attitudes. He also put through a bill to hold a referendum on whether to make daylight saving a permanent fixture in New South Wales, following trials that had commenced in 1971.
Described by one of his parliamentary colleagues as a "mixture of bon vivant and conservatism", Waddy was also known for an occasionally quick temper; his staff were said to "start making motions as though they were bombing and strafing the enemy" when their boss got "wound up". Charles Cutler
Charles Cutler
Sir Charles Benjamin Cutler KBE, ED was an Australian politician, holding office for 28 years as an elected member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Orange...
, Deputy Premier from 1965 to 1975, reflecting on the bond between ex-servicemen in the political arena, recalled Waddy as "a great bloke, but inclined to be a bit pompous when speaking in the house ...", while John Booth found him to have an "old-fashioned sense of service to the community". Waddy was named a Freeman of the City of London in 1972, and Australian Father of the Year
Australian Father Of The Year award
The Australian Father Of The Year award is an Australian award to honor and showcase a fine example of Australian fatherhood. Spanning over fifty years, the ‘Australian Father of the Year’ has been awarded to high-profile, famous fathers, from prime ministers & politicians to sportsmen and business...
in 1973. Having held his state seat in Kirribilli for fourteen years and four re-election campaigns—in 1965, 1968, 1971 and 1973—he was denied preselection by the Liberal Party for the 1976 contest
New South Wales state election, 1976
A general election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 1 May 1976. The result was a narrow win for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran—the party's first in the state in more than a decade.- Issues :The incumbent...
. He resigned from the party and stood as an Independent, but was defeated by future Liberal leader Bruce McDonald
Bruce McDonald (Australian politician)
Bruce John McDonald, AM was a New South Wales politician, Leader of the Opposition and Leader for the Liberal Party of New South Wales. McDonald was Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales, Australia from 1 June 1981 to 12 October 1981, when he lost the election to Labor Premier, Neville Wran...
. His parliamentary career was over but, in the words of a later Deputy Premier, Ian Armstrong
Ian Armstrong (Australian politician)
Ian Morton Armstrong, AM, OBE is a former Deputy Premier of New South Wales.-Parliametary career:Armstrong was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Lachlan from 19 September 1981 to March 2007. He was Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs from 1988 to 1993...
, Waddy had "refused to retreat to political obscurity", and "went out fighting". He was permitted to continue to use the title "Honourable" on his retirement. After eleven years in power in New South Wales, the sitting Liberal government itself lost office in the 1976 poll, to Neville Wran
Neville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...
's Labor Party.
Later life
Waddy maintained his interest in aviation during and after his political career. He flew a Beechcraft King AirBeechcraft King Air
The Beechcraft King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation...
twin-engined turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
in the 1969 England-to-Australia Air Race, taking second prize in the New South Wales Government division. As Minister for Child Welfare and Social Welfare with responsibility for Aboriginal affairs in 1971, he piloted his own light plane on three of the longest legs of his tour of government reserves in rural New South Wales. Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Australian and British Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators in 1977–78, he was an honorary member of the American Fighter Aces Association, and became director of a private airline, Aquatic Airways, in 1979. He also raised cattle on his farm near Goulburn
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
, New South Wales.
Following several bouts of serious illness in his later years, John Lloyd Waddy died on 11 September 1987, at the age of seventy. He was survived by his wife and three children, and given a funeral at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
St Andrew's Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney in the Anglican Church of Australia. The cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of New South Wales, the Most Reverend Peter Jensen...
. His pallbearers included Clive Caldwell and Tom Lewis. Waddy’s son Lloyd served in the RAAF Reserve from 1979 to 1995, and was appointed Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1988 and later a Justice of the Family Court of Australia
Family Court of Australia
The Family Court of Australia is a superior Australian federal court of record which deals with family law matters. Together with the Federal Magistrates Court, it covers family law matters in all states and territories of Australia except Western Australia...
. He was also a co-founder and National Convenor of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy
Australians for Constitutional Monarchy
Australians for Constitutional Monarchy is a group that aims to preserve Australia's current constitutional monarchy, with Elizabeth II as Queen of Australia...
. Waddy's widow Ve died in 2006, at the age of ninety-six.