Donald George Anderson CBE (1917 - 1975)

Born 1 Mar 1917 in Waikerie, South Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Monica Mary (Porker) Anderson — married 1941 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Died 30 Nov 1975 at age 58 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Don Anderson CBE is Notable.

Sir Don Anderson CBE was an Australian aviator, school teacher and public servant who rose to become Director–General of Civil Aviation for seventeen years and Chairman of QANTAS.

Don Anderson CBE was born in South Australia, Australia

Donald George Anderson was born on 1st March 1917 in Waikerie, South Australia, Australia. He was the fourth and youngest son of Alex Anderson and Clara Nash. ^[1] He was educated at Adelaide High School, Adelaide Teachers College and Adelaide University, qualifying in 1938 as a Primary School Teacher.

In 1941 Don married Monica Porker in Perth, Western Australia. ^[2]

Don Anderson CBE is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Royal Australian Air Force 1940-1946
Citizen Air Force RAAF; 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron, USAAF; No.37 Squadron RAAF

Soon after the outbreak of (the Second World) War, Don joined the Royal Australian Air Force's Citizen Air Force on 10th December 1940, and trained as a pilot. He was mobilised for full-time duty in the RAAF in January 1942 . ^[3] He initially served with the 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron, United States Army Air Force, in New Guinea flying troop positioning and supply–dropping missions. Later he flew in the United States as a test and acceptance pilot with the US Air Force Ferry Command. His final posting was to the No.37 Squadron. On demobilisation in 1946 he held the rank of temporary Flight Lieutenant and had 3,000 hours flying time. Don was Mentioned in Despatches, equivalent to today's Commendation for Gallantry, in June 1946, for 'services rendered in No.34 Squadron, Northern COmmand'. ^[4][5]

Back in 'civilian life', Don joined the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) as an Examiner of Airmen and was appointed to the role of Airway Surveyor (Flying) Air Navigation Branch, Directorate of Air Navigation in June 1947. The following year he was promoted to the new office of Superintendent, Air Traffic Control Branch. On 1st January 1956 he replaced Sir Richard Williams as Director–General of Civil Aviation. Following his retirement in 1973, Don was appointed Chairman of Qantas Airways Limited and moved to Sydney. He served on the Executive Committee of the International Air Transport Association and took up a Board position with the New South Wales Institution for Deaf and Blind Children. He retired from Qantas in August 1975.

Don was awarded the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia Oswald Watt Gold Medal in 1957. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours 1959 ^[6] and was created Knight Bachelor in the Queen's Birthday Honours 1967. ^[7]

Aged 58 years, Don passed away on 30th November 1975 in the Repatriation General Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria. ^[8] He was survived by his wife Monica and daughters Wendy and Kayleen.

Sir Donald Anderson was posthumously inducted into the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame in 2015. ^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ South Australia Birth Index #995/318 1917; registered at Wellington
2. ↑ Western Australia Marriage Index #100869/1941
3. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: 407661 Flight Lieutenant Donald George Anderson; accessed 1 Mar 2024
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: Mentioned in Despatches; accessed 1 Mar 2024
5. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards (recommendation): Mentioned in Despatches; accessed 1 Mar 2024
6. ↑ Australian Honours: CBE; accessed 15 Oct 2022
7. ↑ Australian Honours: Knight Bachelor; accessed 15 Oct 2022
8. ↑ Victoria Death Index #27761/1975
9. ↑ Australian Aviation Hall of Fame; accessed 15 Oct 2022