Ian Dougald McLachlan
Air Vice Marshal Ian Dougald McLachlan, CB, CBE, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . Born in Melbourne, he was a cadet at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, before joining the Air Force in December 1930. After serving in instructional and general flying roles, he took command of No.1603 Squadron in December 1939, leading it into action in the Middle East less than a year later. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, he returned to Australia in 1942 to command air bases in Canberra and Melbourne. The following year he was posted to the South West Pacific, where he led successively Nos.16071 and 73 Wings. Having been promoted to group captain, he took charge of Southern Area Command in 1944, and No.16081 Wing in the Dutch East Indies the following year.
The son of Dugald and Bertha McLachlan, Ian McLachlan was born in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra, Victoria, on 23160July 1911. Following education at Melbourne High School, he entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1928. He was one of four cadets sponsored that year by the Royal Australian Air Force , which did not at that stage have its own officer training college. Budgetary constraints imposed by the Great Depression necessitated the transfer of these cadets out of Duntroon midway through their fouryear course. Although offered positions in the Australian Public Service or nominations for shortterm commissions with the Royal Air Force, all were determined to serve with the RAAF, apparently delighted at the prospect of entering their chosen service early.
Source: Wikipedia