Garnet Malley Captain Garnet Francis Malley ( 2 November 1892 – 20 May 1961 ) was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories . He became Chiang Kaishek ' s aviation advisor in 1930 . Early life . Malley was the penultimate of six children born to Clara Ellen Merritt and Francis Malley , born to them at Mosman , Sydney , Australia on 2 November 1892 . He attended the Church of England Preparatory School and Hawkesbury Agricultural College . He was apprenticing as a mechanic in his father ' s firm in Sydney before the war started . World War I service . He joined the Australian military on 12 October 1915 . In March 1916 , he sailed for the Western Front in France . In May , he was assigned to the 1st Field Artillery Brigade . During Bloody April 1917 , he then transferred to the Australian Flying Corps . Malley was posted to 4 Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps as a Sopwith Camel pilot in early 1918 , as the unit moved into France . On 16 March 1918 , he won his initial triumph , driving down a Pfalz D . III fighter out of control . He then destroyed three German fighters , an observation balloon , and an unidentified observation plane by 1 June . In May , in the midst of this run , Malley was appointed Flight Commander ; on 22 June , he received the Military Cross . He was wounded twice in the process . In August 1918 , he was transferred to training duty with 5 Squadron RAF at Minchinhampton , England . While there , he flew a white Camel trainer . Between the wars . Malley returned to Australia ; beginning in August 1919 , he toured to support the Peace Loan . He was released from the Australian Imperial Force on 4 October 1919 . He rejoined his family ' s concern as warehouse manager in 1921 . On 25 January 1922 , he married Phyllis Kathleen Dare . The union would produce one son , Maldon . In June 1925 , he was commissioned as a Flight Lieutenant in No . 3 Squadron of the Citizens Air Force . From 1925 – 1928 , he was vice - president of the Australian Flying Corps Association . In January 1928 , he was promoted to honorary Squadron Leader ; he temporarily commanded his unit in 1928 – 1929 . In 1928 , Malley also became an aviation consultant to Australian National Airways ( 1930 ) , as well as a director of the firm . In April 1929 , Malley was instrumental in the search for the missing Southern Cross aircraft , its pilot Charles Kingsford - Smith , and its crew . By 1931 , the company was in financial difficulties . In early 1932 , Malley traveled to China for a " prominent position " in the Chinese government ' s aviation corps . His stay in China increasingly involved him in the fighting in China ; his wife would relate three years of night - time air raids to her friends upon her return to Australia . In February 1937 , by influence of the British Foreign Office , Malley was appointed an honorary Wing Commander in the RAAF Reserves . He was serving as advisor to Madame Chiang Kai - shek in her capacity as Secretary - General of the aeronautical commission that directed China ' s air force . However , Malley ' s reports of Japanese air tactics were discounted by his home government as being exaggerated . World War II . Garnet Malley returned to Australia in 1940 . On 1 October , he was reported to be rejoining the RAAF . He resumed duty as a Squadron Leader holding the position of Deputy Director of Combined Operational Intelligence Centre . A year later , in October 1941 , he was promoted again to honorary Wing Commander ; two months later , when Director Rupert Long departed , Malley rose to the Directorship of COIC . Despite a promotion to acting Group Captain in July , ill health forced him to relinquish his post in October 1942 . He was complimented by Douglas MacArthur on his " foresight , planning , and organizational ability " . Malley went on to work as officer - in - charge of the Chinese section in the Commonwealth Security Service from 1944 – 1947 as an honorary Group Captain . Post World War II . Malley was awarded the American Legion of Merit in 1948 . By 1949 , the Malley family was spending three months per year in Fiji on the copra plantation they bought . They lived on their yacht , the " Royal Flight " , which was used as a setting in the film " The Blue Lagoon " . In September 1951 , Malley and his wife toured the world , visiting Algiers , Guadaloupe , Curaçao , Martinique , and Tahiti . In 1953 , the Malleys rode out an earthquake and tidal wave in Fiji . Garnet Francis Malley died of a cardiac infarction on 20 May 1961 . He was buried at sea with Anglican rites . Honors and awards . Military Cross ( MC ) Lt . ( T . / Capt . ) Garnet Francis Malley , Aust . F . C . , attd . R . F . C . For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty . When on offensive and low - flying patrol he attacked one of two hostile scouts , which eventually turned over and fell out of control , being seen to crash by another pilot . Later , a general engagement ensued with four enemy scouts , one of which he attacked , with the result that it fell completely out of control and crashed . Prior to this occasion he had also shot down out of control another hostile machine . His courage and able leadership have resulted in his patrol carrying out excellent work under the most adverse conditions . The Air Force Cross was awarded on 3 June 1919 . The American Legion of Merit was awarded in 1948 .