Post-war career Valston Hancock

air commodore hancock inaugural commandant of raaf college, point cook, c. 1948

among small coterie of wartime raaf commanders considered suitable future senior roles, hancock retained rank of group captain following end of hostilities. director of personnel services during 1946, involved in restructuring air force dramatically smaller peacetime service. recalled time twilight period when no-one wanted know , many people let go due government s parsimonious retention policies. in 1947, hancock promoted air commodore , appointed inaugural commandant of newly formed raaf college, point cook, air force s equivalent of duntroon , royal australian naval college. drafted institution s charter. departing in late 1949, spent following year in britain, attended imperial defence college. on return australia in 1951, promoted acting air vice marshal , made deputy chief of air staff. raised commander of order of british empire (cbe) in 1953 new years honours. in october year, hancock took on air vice marshal frank bladin air member personnel (amp). amp, occupied seat on air board, service s controlling body consisted of senior officers , chaired chief of air staff. completing term in january 1955, hancock posted britain head of australian joint services staff in london. spent of latter half of 1955 , 1956 laid low stomach ailment diagnosed amoebic dysentery later thought malta fever or malaria.

in march 1957, hancock 1 of 3 candidates, along air vice marshals frederick scherger , allan walters, touted possible successors air marshal sir john mccauley chief of air staff (cas), raaf s senior position. scherger gained selection, , hancock posted in june malaya air officer commanding (aoc) no. 224 group raf, responsible commonwealth air forces in region. though fastidious in appearance , strict teetotaller, known enthusiasm in meeting staff , indefatigable participant in mess functions , games . made point of getting out units in field, taking every opportunity fly himself around command. distinguished service in malaya , hancock appointed companion of order of bath (cb) on 9 december 1958. returned australia in july 1959 serve aoc operational command (now air command). when scherger s term cas due complete, hancock , walters once more put forward minister air potential replacements. professional ability, operational experience , personal qualities being deemed more appropriate role, hancock promoted air marshal , took on cas in may 1961. in june, met opposite numbers in army , navy @ chiefs of staff committee conference discuss necessity of australia acquiring nuclear weapons; chiefs agreed probability such capability required remote should remain option under circumstances, position defence forces maintained during ensuing decade. appointed knight commander of order of british empire (kbe) in 1962 queen s birthday honours, gazetted on 2 june.

air vice marshal hancock (right) greeting personnel of no. 78 wing in malta, unit on garrison duty, august 1953

as cas, hancock worked enhance raaf s deterrent capability in pacific region, particularly in light of heightened tensions indonesia during period of konfrontasi malaysia. in june 1963, hancock undertook mission britain, france , united states consider potential replacements english electric canberra bomber australia s prime aerial strike platform. after investigating tfx , north american a-5 vigilante , mcdonnell douglas f-4 phantom ii, british bac tsr-2, , french dassault mirage iv, hancock decided swing-wing tfx, forerunner of general dynamics f-111, aircraft best suited role. however, tfx had not yet flown, recommended purchase of operational vigilante counteract perceived imminent threat indonesia. in event, federal government did not go ahead immediate replacement canberra, , hancock s original choice of tfx taken long-term solution, leading australia s agreement in october purchase f-111c. same month, konfrontasi continued simmer, hancock approved simplification rules of engagement australian cac sabre fighters based @ raaf butterworth engage , destroy indonesian aircraft violating malay air space. following month urged using raaf canberras butterworth make pre-emptive strikes against indonesian air bases, in retaliation incursions west malaysia, britain, had requested australia s involvement, held on action.

once f-111 had been ordered, hancock sought suitable forward airfield operate. in this, continued policy initiated predecessor cas, air marshal scherger, of developing chain of so-called bare bases in northern australia. hancock recommended redeveloping raaf base learmonth in northern part of western australia, due proximity indonesia. flying out of airfield, f-111s destroy vital centres in java ; importantly deterrence purposes, hancock contended, enhancing base s capability send clear message indonesia s hierarchy. though project delayed, in part due thawing in relations between australia , indonesia, learmonth s upgrade completed in 1973, same year f-111 entered raaf service. latter part of hancock s tour cas coincided beginning of large-scale australian involvement in vietnam war. mid-1964, commonwealth had sent small team of military advisors, plus detachment of newly acquired dhc-4 caribou cargo planes, region @ request of south vietnamese government. under hancock, caribou had been reluctantly ordered air force following intense pressure army , federal government stol transport. concerned @ potential drain on raaf s resources, hancock tried resist calls commitments vietnam. negative views in contrast hawkish attitudes of deputy, air vice marshal colin hannah, , air chief marshal scherger, chairman of chiefs of staff committee , australia s senior soldier. in april 1965, part of american operations in indochina, united states air force strike aircraft took residence @ ubon air force base, thailand, since 1962 had been home no. 79 squadron sabres , run raaf under seato arrangements. hancock proposed australia continue command facility , provide local air defence, though made sabres support unit in war effort , therefore potential targets of north vietnamese attack; in event, none occurred.