Afterwards he campaigned for an Australian Air Force run separately from the Army and Navy, which came into being on 31 March 1921. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and finished the war a lieutenant colonel. As a pilot with the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) in World War I, Williams rose to command No. 1 Squadron AFC, and later 40th Wing RAF. He was a lieutenant in the Army when he learned to fly at Point Cook, Victoria, in 1914. Williams came from a working class background in South Australia.

He served as CAS for thirteen years over three terms, longer than any other officer.

A proponent for air power independent of other branches of the armed services, Williams played a leading role in the establishment of the RAAF and became its first Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) in 1922. He was the first military pilot trained in Australia, and went on to command Australian and British fighter units in World War I. Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empireĭirector-General of Civil Aviation (1946–1955)Īir Marshal Sir Richard Williams KBE, CB, DSO (3 August 1890 – 7 February 1980) is widely regarded as the 'father' of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

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