HISTORY OF RAAF ASSOCIATION.
The RAAF Association was formed to,
1. Foster the spirit of friendship developed during service,
2. To foster the development of aviation,both civil and military,and
3. To promote the welfare of the members of the Association and to organise reunions.
The event officially accepted by the RAAF Association as marking its commencement was a gathering in Melbourne early in 1920.Ross and Keith Smith and crew had just completed the first England-Australia flight and a Mr Hal Leckie,a former member of the Australian Flying Corps thought that something should be done to enable fellow airmen to welcome the Smiths and to establish an organisation to keep ex-AFC people together.
During the years between World War I and World War II the AFC Assoc. worked in keeping former members of the AFC in touch by means of reunions and raising funds to look after those of their members who became in need of assistance.
On the formation of the Royal Australian Air Force on 31st March 1921
Colonel Richard Williams who had been one of the first four Australians to fly military aircraft and who had commanded No 1 Squadron AFC during World War 1 became the first Chief of Air Staff eventually rising to the rank of Air Marshal.
After the commencement of World War II with the much larger flying forces than World War I,the AFC Associations opened their doors to the thousands of young Australians in the RAAF and the name was changed to:
AUSTRALIAN FLYING CORPS
AND
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION
ALL EX-SERVING RAAF MEMBERS AND CURRENT RAAF SERVING MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION.
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE LATER ON THIS WEBSITE
RAAF ASSOCIATION
LEVEL 20
DEFENCE PLAZA
270 PITT STREET
SYDNEY
PHONE: (02) 9393 3485
PO BOX A 2147 SYDNEY SOUTH 1235
FAX: (02) 9283 3144
EMAIL : raafansw@bigpond.com
WEBSITE: www.simplesite.com/raafansw