| Notes |
- Paul Joseph McGinness
Paul was born at Framlingham VIC in 1896. After finishing his education he became a successful farmer in the Warragul district. When WW1 was declared he enlisted in the First AIF in the 8th Light Horse Brigade. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and during the Gallipoli campaign he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, for outstanding bravery at Pope's Hill in 1915. After serving on Gallipoli he remounted and served with the 8ALH in the Siani and Palestine campaigns. In 1917 he transferred to the Australian Flying Corps and underwent pilot training. One of the criteria for pilot training, in those days was that every candidate had to be a skillful horseman. After gaining his 'Wings' he was posted to No 1 Squadron AFC where be developed into a very skillful pilot. For his flying gallantry in aerial combat, against German flyers, with superior aircraft, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was credited with destroying seven enemy aircraft and became one of the few recognized air ace in Palestine. Hudson Fysh was his Observer.
After his discharge from the AFC, it was his string desire to take part in the initial England to Australia air race in 1919. Despite his effort to finance, he failed to raise sufficient money or backers to support the venture. However, he gained the contract to survey the air route from Darwin to Brisbane. This involved not only traversing the entire route overland, but at designated places along the route he had to prepare emergency landing strips with 'What labour, aboriginal or white, could be found. This in its self was a major task. A number of years ago 'Australia Post' released a postage stamp to commemorate this achievements
Paul was a visionary, and as soon as he learned to fly he came to the conclusion that air travel was the answer to Australia's vast distances. After completing the air route survey he had accumulated sufficient capital, from that contract and from the sale of his farm, to purchase two aircraft. With Hudson Fysh and Fergus Mc Master, his dream became a reality when 'Queensland and Northern Territory. Aerial Service' (QANTAS) was rounded at Winton QLD in.
In 1922 Paul left QANTAS and around 1923 he purchased a block of virgin land at Moroowa WA, which he had to clear and prepare for planting. In 1926 he sowed his first wheat crop and continued to work on the farm up until the outbreak of the Second World War. Soon after the declaration of war he joined the RAAF as a flying instructor. After several years of flying training he was transferred to special duties at the RAAF Station at Evans Head NSW. At Evans Head he was responsible for testing and assessing the effectiveness of various patterns of camouflage from aerial observation.
After the war Paul returned to WA and in 1946 took up tobacco farming in the Manjimup District. After a sudden illness he died in RGH Hollywood Hospital in 1952,
|
1896 - 1952 (55 years)
