Australia and the war in the air / Michael Molkentin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Molkentin, Michael, author.

Series:

Centenary history of Australia and the Great War ; v 1.

Centenary history of Australia and the Great War ; Volume 1

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Australia. Australian Army. Australian Flying Corps.

Australia.

World War, 1914-1918--Aerial operations, Australian.

World War, 1914-1918.

Aeronautics, Military--Australia--History.

Aeronautics, Military.

History.

Military operations, Aerial--Australian.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

x, 284 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

South Melbourne, Vic. Oxford University Press, 2014.

Summary:

From the earliest days of the Great War Australians volunteered to fight in the air-warfare's newest arena, and one that would transform the nature of military operations. In the squadrons of the Australian Flying Corps and with Britain's flying services, Australian airmen fought in campaigns that spanned the length and breadth of the conflict; between 1914 and 1918 they served in the Middle East, in the Mediterranean and on the Western Front. By 1919 over 4000 Australians had participated in the air war. Though modest compared to some of the other British dominions, Australia's part had been the most conspicuous. Whereas the other dominions governments opted to provide manpower to serve in Britain's flying services, the Commonwealth's insistence on a distinctly national contribution ensured recognition for Australia's support to the empire's effort in the air. This book examines Australia's role in history's first major air war. Unlike previous accounts, which focus on the airmen of the Australian Flying Corps in isolation, this study conceives the Australian part as one of an imperial-and international-whole. In addition to using Australian involvement as a case study to analyse the impact air power had on military operations, this study also addresses aspects of organisation, training, administration and command, as well as the imperial politics and strategic issues that contextualised dominion participation in the war. Drawing on archival records in Australasia, Europe and North America, Australia and the War in the Air provides a fresh perspective on Australia's involvement in the Great War and a revaluation of air power's early influence on warfare. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Origins: Military Aeronautics in Australia, 1908-14 01

2 Evolution: The Organisation and Administration of Australia's War in the Air, 1914-18 17

3 Quite the Right Type: Recruitment, Training and Reinforcement of the Australian Flying Corps 38

4 Crucible; Air War on the Western Front, 1914-16 60

5 Mesopotamia: The Australian Half Flight's Campaign in the Middle East, 1915 77

6 War Over the Desert: 1st Squadron and the Egypt-Sinai Campaign, 1916 96

7 Maelstrom: Australian Airmen on the Western Front, 1917 114

8 Gaza: The Advance to Jerusalem, 1917 136

9 The Battle for Air Superiority, 1918: The Western Front 157

10 Megiddo: The Final Battle in Palestine, 1918 175

11 Army Cooperation on the Western Front: 3rd Squadron and the Australian Corps in 1918 189

12 Conclusion: Aftermath and Legacy 207.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780195576795

0195576799

OCLC:

878950567