Early career Alister Murdoch



cadet murdoch (far right) other former students of royal military college, duntroon, transferred raaf in december 1930


alister murdoch born on 9 december 1912 in elsternwick, victoria, son of engineer thomas murdoch , wife kathleen. lieutenant in commonwealth military forces @ time of alister s birth, thomas awarded distinguished service order in world war i, , rose rank of brigardier director general of engineer services in world war ii. educated @ caulfield grammar school, alister entered royal military college, duntroon, in 1929, following elder brother ian (later major general). alister 1 of 4 cadets sponsored year royal australian air force (raaf), did not @ stage have own officer training college. budgetary constraints imposed during great depression necessitated transfer of these cadets out of duntroon midway through four-year course. although offered positions in australian public service or nominations short-term commissions royal air force, determined serve raaf , more pleased prospect of entering chosen service early.


murdoch enlisted in air force on 10 december 1930, , completed pilot training following year. commissioned in 1932 , later qualified flying instructor , seaplane pilot, undertaking navy cooperation , maritime patrol operations. in december 1935, flying officer murdoch selected join raaf rescue mission explorer lincoln ellsworth , pilot, herbert hollick-kenyon, presumed lost while journeying across antarctic. flying de havilland gipsy moth, murdoch located hollick-kenyon near bay of whales. hollick-kenyon led search party ellsworth, protested not lost , did not need rescuing. murdoch posted england in 1936–37 undertake course in long navigation @ raf manston , serve on attachment no. 114 squadron. returning australia, married florence miller on 27 december 1937; couple had daughter. murdoch spent next 2 years on staff of directorate of operations , intelligence @ air force headquarters, melbourne. in june 1938, helped inaugurate raaf instruction in long navigation, nine-month course in discipline.








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