Lawrence Wackett

Sir Lawrence James Wackett KBE, DFC, AFC is widely regarded as father of the Australian aircraft industry. He has been described as one of the towering figures in the history of Australian aviation covering, as he did, virtually all aspects of activities pilot, designer of airframes and engines, entrepreneur and manager. He was knighted for his services to aviation and was a winner of the Oswald Watt Gold Medal. He was also a keen angler and wrote two books on the subject.

Wackett was born in Townsville, Queensland, onJanuary 1896. He joined the Australian Army and graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, then with the rank of lieutenant joined No.Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps which had formed at Point Cook the day before his 20th birthday. He was one of twelve pilots that went to Egypt with the Squadron to operate in support of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, embarking onMarch 1916 and arriving at Suez four weeks later.

Source: Wikipedia