Air Vice Marshall Francis McNamaraPrint Page 
The monument, featuring a portrait bust, commemorates Frank McNamara (1894 - 1961), born and educated in Rushworth who was awarded the Victoria Cross in World War One whilst a member of the Australian Flying Corps.
On 20 March 1917, McNamara, flying on an operation, saw a fellow squadron member, Captain D. W. Rutherford, shot down. Although having just suffered a serious leg wound, McNamara landed near the stricken Rutherford who climbed aboard, but his wound prevented McNamara from taking off and his aircraft crashed. The two men made it back to Rutherford's aeroplane which they succeeded in starting and, with McNamara at the controls, they took off just as enemy cavalry reached the scene. For this action McNamara was awarded the Victoria Cross.
In 1921, McNamara enlisted as a flying officer in the newly formed Royal Australian Air Force rising to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal by 1942.
Location
| Address: | High Street, Median Strip, Rushworth, 3612 |
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| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -36.587081 Long: 145.015953 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Military |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Monday 20th March, 2017 |
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ANZAC Centenary 2014 - 2018
Air Vice-Marshall Francis (Frank) Hubert McNamara VB CB CBE
Born Rushworth : 4 April 1894
Died England : 2 November 1961
Educated : Rushworth State School
Service No : 5
Frank McNamara embarked on a military career as a qualified teacher, was commissioned as Lieutenant in the Militia Forces, selected for, and successfully completed the 3rd Military Aeronautics Course at Point Cook`s Central Flying school. He was allocated to No 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps which was deployed to Egypt for active service in the Middle East in March 1916.
On March 20, 1917, Frank McNamara became the first and only Australian airman to be decorated with the Victoria Cross award during WWI, and the only Australian to receive that award during the Middle East (Sinai / Palestine) campaign. The Victoria Cross citation states : "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during an aerial bomb attack upon a hostile construction train, when one of the four pilots was forced to land behind the enemy`s lines, Lieutenat McNamara, observing this pilot`s predicament and the fact that hostile cavalry were approaching, descended to his rescue. He did this under heavy rifle fire, and in spite of the fact that he himself had been severely wounded in the thigh. He landed about 200 yards from the damaged machine, the pilot of which climbed on to Lieutenant McNamara`s machine and an attempt was made to rise.
Owing, however to his disabled leg, Lieutenant McNamara was unable to keep the machine straight and it turned over. The two officers, having extricated themselves, immediately set fire to the machine and made their way across to the damaged machine, which they succeeded in starting. Finally, Lieutenant McNamara, although weak from the loss of blood, flew this machine back to the aerodrome, a distance of seventy miles, and thus completed his comrade`s rescue."
Re-enlisting in the newly established Royal Australian Air Force, Frank McNamara VC was one of the twenty-one commissioned officers on strength at its formation on 31 March 1921, and steadlily rose in rank and responsibility to hold the following positions :
Commanding Officer, No 1 Flying Training School a Point Cook (1923)
Commanding Officer, No 1 Aircraft Depot, Laverton (1933)
Commanding Officer, RAAF Station Headquarters, Laverton (1936)
Posted to the Imperial Defence College (London) in late 1936, he remained in England throughout the Second World War at the Australian High Commission and later, the newly formed RAAF Overseas Headquarters. He was made available 'on loan' to the Royal Air Force, and appointed Air Officer Commanding (AOC) British Forces at Aden (1943 - 1945), becoming only the second RAAF officer to attain an AOC`s appointment with the RAF during WWII.
Air Vice-Marshal Frank McNamara VC retired on 11 July 1946, concluding his distinguished career with the additional honours of CB and CBE. Air Vice-Marshal Frank McNamara VC CB CBE, died on 2 November 1961, aged 67, and was buried at St. Joseph`s Priory, Gerrard`s Cross UK. Air Vice-Marshal Frank McNamara`s Victoria Cross is located at the RAF Museum, London.
Unveiled on the 20th March 2017 by Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin AC, Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Gavin ` Leo` Davies AO, CSC, Mrs Anne Marland and Ms Paula Marland.
