30 Facts About Colin Hannah

Colin Hannah attracted controversy in this role after making comments critical of the Federal government of the day, and the British government refused to agree to his term being extended.

Colin Hannah retired in March 1977, and died the following year.

Colin Hannah attended Hale School, leaving with a Junior Certificate in 1930.

Colin Hannah served with an Australian Militia unit, the 8th Field Artillery Brigade, from February 1933, and became a clerk in the Crown Law Department of the State Public Service later that year.

Colin Hannah joined the Royal Australian Air Force on 15 January 1935 as an air cadet at RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria.

Colin Hannah accompanied the squadron, which operated Hawker Demons and Avro Ansons, to its new location at the recently opened RAAF Station Pearce, Western Australia, in March 1938.

Colin Hannah completed the course, and returned to Australia in March 1940.

In September 1944, Colin Hannah was appointed senior air staff officer at Headquarters Western Area Command, Perth.

Colin Hannah handed over command of Western Area in October 1946, and was posted to Britain.

In 1955, Colin Hannah attended the Imperial Defence College in London, and was promoted to air commodore.

Colin Hannah was posted to Singapore as SASO, RAF Far East Air Force Headquarters, in January 1956, handling counter-insurgency operations during the Malayan Emergency.

Colin Hannah's "distinguished service" during the conflict was recognised with his appointment as a Companion of the Order of the Bath in June 1959.

In December 1961, Colin Hannah was appointed Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, receiving promotion to acting air vice marshal in May 1962; the rank was made substantive in January 1963.

Colin Hannah was promoted to air marshal on 1 January 1970, and succeeded Air Marshal Sir Alister Murdoch as Chief of the Air Staff.

Murdoch had earlier recommended Colin Hannah, known to be a strong advocate for Australian participation in the Vietnam War, for the position of Commander Australian Forces Vietnam when it came up for rotation at the end of 1969; the post went to an Army officer, and the Federal government ordered the withdrawal of the RAAF presence in Vietnam during Colin Hannah's tour as CAS.

Colin Hannah fundamentally disagreed with any suggestion that the Royal Australian Navy should operate land-based aircraft, claiming that he was arguing not from a partisan perspective but to ensure that Australia's limited defence resources were not spread across three services.

Two years later, Colin Hannah responded favourably to a recommendation from the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Admiral Sir Victor Smith, to use the soon-to-be-delivered F-111 bomber for maritime support, among other roles.

Colin Hannah personally organised a fly-past of two US Air Force F-111s at air shows marking the occasion, generating favourable coverage to counteract the poor publicity surrounding the type's long-delayed entry into Australian service.

Colin Hannah was involved in two controversial decisions the same year.

Secondly, Colin Hannah commissioned a replacement for the Air Force's winter uniform, traditionally a shade "somewhere between royal and navy blue" that had been personally chosen by the RAAF's first CAS, Wing Commander Richard Williams, to distinguish it from the lighter Royal Air Force colour.

Colin Hannah publicly debuted the uniform that he approved, an all-purpose middle-blue suit, at a Point Cook graduation parade on 8 December 1971.

Colin Hannah's planned three-year term as Chief of the Air Staff was cut short by some ten months when he accepted an offer to serve as Governor of Queensland, becoming the first officer in the RAAF to receive a vice-regal appointment.

Colin Hannah did not have a strong connection with Queensland at the time of his appointment, and had only lived in the state during his period as commander of RAAF Station Amberley between 1949 and 1951.

Colin Hannah claimed not to have actively sought the governorship, and was criticised for failing to consult with senior colleagues before making his decision to retire early from his position as head of the Air Force.

Colin Hannah was replaced as CAS by his deputy, Air Vice Marshal Charles Read.

Vice-regal appointees in Australia are expected to remain neutral and above politics but Colin Hannah declared that he would be "guilty of sheltering behind convention, of denying my heritage and failing in my regard for the people of Queensland" if he did not speak his mind.

Bjelke-Petersen sought to pursue the matter further, but Colin Hannah declined to let his name be put forward again.

Colin Hannah retired following completion of his term as Governor of Queensland.

Colin Hannah died of a heart attack on 22 May 1978 at his home in Surfers Paradise, Queensland.

Colin Hannah was given a state funeral and cremated; his wife and daughter survived him.