# Chief of Air Force (Australia)

**Section:** Appointees

| Rank & Pre-Nominal | Name | Post- Nominals | Service | Term began | Term ended | Time in appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief of the Air Staff | Chief of the Air Staff | Chief of the Air Staff | Chief of the Air Staff | Chief of the Air Staff | Chief of the Air Staff | - |
| Wing Commander | Richard Williams | DSO, OBE | RAAF | October 1922 | December 1922 | 61 days |
| Wing Commander | Stanley Goble | CBE, DSO, DSC | RAAF | December 1922 | February 1925 | 2 years, 62 days |
| Air Commodore | Richard Williams | CBE, DSO | RAAF | February 1925 | December 1932 | 7 years, 304 days |
| Air Commodore | Stanley Goble | CBE, DSO, DSC | RAAF | December 1932 | June 1934 | 1 year, 182 days |
| Air Vice Marshal | Richard Williams | CB, CBE, DSO | RAAF | June 1934 | February 1939 | 5 years, 0 days |
| Air Vice Marshal | Stanley Goble | CBE, DSO, DSC | RAAF | February 1939 | January 1940 | 334 days |
| Air Commodore | William Anderson | CBE, DFC | RAAF | January 1940 | February 1940 | 31 days |
| Air Chief Marshal Sir | Charles Burnett | KCB, CBE, DSO | RAF | February 1940 | May 1942 | 2 years, 89 days |
| Air Marshal | George Jones | CB, CBE, DFC | RAAF | May 1942 | January 1952 | 9 years, 245 days |
| Air Marshal Sir | Donald Hardman | KCB, OBE, DFC | RAF | January 1952 | January 1954 | 2 years, 0 days |
| Air Marshal Sir | John McCauley | KBE, CB | RAAF | January 1954 | March 1957 | 3 years, 59 days |
| Air Marshal Sir | Frederick Scherger | KBE, CB, DSO, AFC | RAAF | March 1957 | May 1961 | 4 years, 61 days |
| Air Marshal Sir | Valston Hancock | KBE, CB, DFC | RAAF | May 1961 | May 1965 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Air Marshal Sir | Alister Murdoch | KBE, CB | RAAF | June 1965 | December 1969 | 4 years, 183 days |
| Air Marshal Sir | Colin Hannah | KBE, CB | RAAF | January 1970 | March 1972 | 2 years, 60 days |
| Air Marshal | Charles Read | CB, DFC, AFC | RAAF | March 1972 | March 1975 | 3 years, 0 days |
| Air Marshal Sir | James Rowland | KBE, DFC, AFC | RAAF | March 1975 | March 1979 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Air Marshal Sir | Neville McNamara | KBE, AO, AFC, AE | RAAF | March 1979 | April 1982 | 3 years, 31 days |
| Air Marshal | David Evans | AC, DSO, AFC | RAAF | April 1982 | May 1985 | 3 years, 30 days |
| Air Marshal | John Newham | AC | RAAF | May 1985 | July 1987 | 2 years, 61 days |
| Air Marshal | Ray Funnell | AC | RAAF | July 1987 | October 1992 | 5 years, 92 days |
| Air Marshal | Barry Gration | AO, AFC | RAAF | October 1992 | November 1994 | 2 years, 31 days |
| Air Marshal | Les Fisher | AO | RAAF | November 1994 | February 1997 | 2 years, 92 days |
| Chief of Air Force | Chief of Air Force | Chief of Air Force | Chief of Air Force | Chief of Air Force | Chief of Air Force | - |
| Air Marshal | Les Fisher | AO | RAAF | February 1997 | May 1998 | 1 year, 89 days |
| Air Marshal | Errol McCormack | AO | RAAF | May 1998 | June 2001 | 3 years, 31 days |
| Air Marshal | Angus Houston | AO, AFC | RAAF | June 2001 | July 2005 | 4 years, 30 days |
| Air Marshal | Geoff Shepherd | AO | RAAF | July 2005 | July 2008 | 3 years, 0 days |
| Air Marshal | Mark Binskin | AO | RAAF | July 2008 | July 2011 | 3 years, 0 days |
| Air Marshal | Geoff Brown | AO | RAAF | July 2011 | July 2015 | 4 years, 0 days |
| Air Marshal | Leo Davies | AO, CSC | RAAF | July 2015 | Incumbent | 3 years, 286 days |

Question: Who succeeded Air Marshal Sir Donald Hardman, and what year did it occur?