Article of the day for July 23, 2016
The Article of the day for July 23, 2016 is Ian Dougald McLachlan.
Ian Dougald McLachlan (23 July 1911 – 14 July 1991) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). A Duntroon cadet before he joined the Air Force, McLachlan took command of No. 3 Squadron in December 1939, leading it into action in the Middle East less than a year later. He was posted to the South West Pacific in 1943, commanding successively Nos. 71 and 73 Wings. He took over Southern Area Command in 1944, and No. 81 Wing in the Dutch East Indies the following year. Raised to air commodore in 1946, McLachlan served with the British Commonwealth Air Group in Japan until 1948. After leading North-Eastern Area Command in 1951–53, he attended the Imperial Defence College, London. Promoted to air vice marshal, he returned to Australia in 1957 as Air Officer Commanding Training Command, carrying out major reviews on the RAAF's educational and command systems. He was Deputy Chief of the Air Staff in 1959–61, and then Head of the Australian Joint Services Staff in Washington, DC, until 1963. McLachlan's final post before retiring in 1968 was as Air Member for Supply and Equipment. He was a consultant to Northrop after leaving the RAAF.
Ian Dougald McLachlan (23 July 1911 – 14 July 1991) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). A Duntroon cadet before he joined the Air Force, McLachlan took command of No. 3 Squadron in December 1939, leading it into action in the Middle East less than a year later. He was posted to the South West Pacific in 1943, commanding successively Nos. 71 and 73 Wings. He took over Southern Area Command in 1944, and No. 81 Wing in the Dutch East Indies the following year. Raised to air commodore in 1946, McLachlan served with the British Commonwealth Air Group in Japan until 1948. After leading North-Eastern Area Command in 1951–53, he attended the Imperial Defence College, London. Promoted to air vice marshal, he returned to Australia in 1957 as Air Officer Commanding Training Command, carrying out major reviews on the RAAF's educational and command systems. He was Deputy Chief of the Air Staff in 1959–61, and then Head of the Australian Joint Services Staff in Washington, DC, until 1963. McLachlan's final post before retiring in 1968 was as Air Member for Supply and Equipment. He was a consultant to Northrop after leaving the RAAF.
