Air Force Regulations (Amendment)

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STATUTORY RULES.

1941. No. 137.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE AIR FORCE ACT 1923-1941.*

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Air Force Act 1923-1941.

Dated this eighteenth day of June, 1941.

GOWRIE

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

J. McEWEN

Minister of State for Air.

______

Amendments of the Air Force Regulations. †

1.—(1.) After regulation 46 of the Air Force Regulations the following regulation is inserted:—

Officers serving under short service commissions—extension of liability to service in Active Force in time of war.

46a. Notwithstanding anything contained in these Regulations, an officer serving under a short service commission the period of whose liability thereunder to serve in the Active Force expires in time of war shall continue to be liable to serve in that Force for the duration of the war and twelve months thereafter, followed by a period of at least four years’ service in the Reserve.”.

(2.) This Regulation shall be deemed to have come into operation as on and from the third day of September, 1939:

Provided that this regulation shall not be construed to impose upon any officer the period of whose liability under a short service commission to serve in the Active Force expired on or after the third day of September, 1939, and prior to the date upon which this regulation is notified in the Gazette, a liability to continue to serve in the Active Force or the Reserve for a period greater than four years from the date of such expiry or the duration of the war, whichever period is the greater.

 

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 19th June, 1941.

† Statutory Rules 1927, No. 161, as amended by Statutory Rules 1928, Nos. 52 and 109; 1929, Nos. 75 and 114; 1930, Nos. 77, 94 and 135; 1931, Nos. 3, 78 and 115; 1932, Nos. 9, 63 and 133; 1933, Nos. 16, 46, 58, 82, 89 and 117; 1934, Nos. 25, 51, 74, 81, 122 and 125; 1935, Nos. 32 and 98; 1936, No. 17; 1937, No. 21; 1938, Nos. 12, 13, 22, 48, 77, 97 and 120; 1939, Nos. 21, 64 and 142; 1940, Nos. 31, 53, 75, 114, 125, 140, 220, 241 and 279; and 1941, Nos. 68 and 106.—Fifty-first amendment.

2775.—Price 3d.


Transfers between branches.

2.—(1.) Regulation 57 of the Air Force Regulations is repealed and the following regulation is inserted in its stead:—

“57. The Governor-General may, on the recommendation of the Air Board, transfer an officer from one branch to another upon such terms as to rank and seniority, upon such rates of pay and allowances and subject to such conditions as the Governor-General, upon the recommendation of the Air Board, directs or determines:

Provided that—

(a) an officer shall not be transferred from the Permanent Air Force to the Citizen Air Force or from the Citizen Air Force to the Permanent Air Force without his consent; and

(b) in the absence of any direction to the contrary, an officer transferred under this regulation shall take seniority in the branch to which he is transferred as from the date of transfer.”.

(2.) This regulation shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of June, 1940.

Reasons for discharge.

3. Regulation 115 of the Air Force Regulations is amended by inserting after paragraph (g) the following paragraph:—

“(ga) Having made a false statement on his Medical History Sheet;”.

Active pay—Rates.

4.—(1.) Regulation 547 of the Air Force Regulations is amended by inserting, at the end of the table headed “(b) Equipment Branch.” in sub-regulation (1.), the following words and figures:—

“Group Captain—

 

On appointment...................................

2 0 0

Annual increments in active pay of 1s. per diem after each year’s service in this substantive rank up to a maximum of £2 5s. per diem

”.

(2.) This regulation shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of September, 1940.

Deferred pay—Rates.

5.—(1.) Regulation 548 of the Air Force Regulations is amended by inserting, at the end of the table headed “(b) Equipment Branch.” in sub-regulation (1.), the following words and figures:—

“Group Captain—

 

On appointment...................................

6 0

After five years in substantive rank ......................

7 0”.

(2.) This regulation shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of September, 1940.

Rates of pay of airmen of the Permanent Air Force.

6.—(1.) Regulation 553 of the Air Force Regulations is amended—

(a) by inserting in sub-regulation (1.), after the words “mustering of”, the words “aerodrome control non-commissioned officer,”;

(b) by inserting in sub-regulation (1.), after the words “electrical fitter,”, the words “electrical mechanic,”;

(c) by inserting in sub-regulation (1.), after the words “instrument maker,”, the words “link trainer instructor, meteorological assistant,”;


(d) by omitting from sub-regulation (2.) the words “flight mechanic (primary),” and “flight rigger (primary),”;

(e) by inserting in sub-regulation (3.), after the words “boiler attendant,”, the word “caterer,”;

(f) by inserting in sub-regulation (3.), after the words “motor boat crew,”, the words “meteorological charter,”;

(g) by omitting from sub-regulation (4.) the words “or clerk (stores)” and inserting in their stead the words “, clerk (stores) or teleprinter operator”.

(2.) This regulation shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of February, 1941.

Plain clothes allowance.

7.—(1.) Regulation 577 of the Air Force Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting the word “Permanent”; and

(b) by omitting the words “thirty shillings”, and inserting in their stead the words “forty shillings”.

(2.) This regulation shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of March, 1941.

Private conveyance—use of, on official duty.

8.—(1.) Regulation 606 of the Air Force Regulations is amended by omitting paragraphs (a), (aa), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) from sub-regulation (1.), and inserting in their stead the following paragraphs:—

 

s.

d.

s.

d.

“(a) Motor truck, 1-ton capacity or over...............

0

7

0

5

(b) Motor car over 12 horse-power..................

0

6

0

4

(c) Motor car over 8 horse-power and not exceeding 12 horse-power 

0

5

0

3

(d) Motor car 8 horse-power or under ...............

0

0

(e) Motor cycle with side-car.....................

0

0

2

(f) Motor cycle...............................

0

0

(fa)The rate of allowance payable in respect of the use of a motor truck other than a truck of a type included within the description of paragraph (a) of this sub-regulation shall be ½d.per mile above the rate prescribed by this regulation for a car of similar horse-power.”.             

 

 

 

 

(2.) This regulation shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of October, 1940.

Private conveyance—use of, instead of public conveyance.

9.—(1.) Regulation 607 of the Air Force Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting from sub-paragraph (b) of sub-regulation (1.) the figure and words “2d. per mile” and inserting in their stead the figures and words “2½d. per mile”; and

(b) by omitting from that sub-paragraph the figures and words “1½d. per mile” and inserting in their stead the figure and words “2d. per mile”.

(2.) This regulation shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of October, 1940.

 

By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.

Overview

The Statutory Rules of 1941, No. 137, issued under the Air Force Act 1923-1941, address the need for adjustments to the Air Force Regulations during a period of heightened military activity and restructuring. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations respond to specific wartime exigencies and operational requirements of the Royal Australian Air Force. The policy objective is to provide the necessary flexibility and readiness in officer assignments and service extensions, while also addressing pay and allowances to ensure the efficiency and morale of personnel. The regulations include provisions for extending the service liability of officers during wartime, facilitating transfers between branches under certain conditions, adjusting pay rates for various ranks and roles, and modifying allowances related to the use of private conveyances for official duties.

Scope and Application

The Air Force Regulations of 1941, made under the Air Force Act 1923-1941, provide a comprehensive framework for the administration and governance of officers within the Australian Air Force, detailing various aspects such as service extensions during wartime, officer transfers, reasons for discharge, and rates of pay. These regulations apply to all officers serving under short service commissions, as well as to the various branches of the Air Force, including the Permanent Air Force and the Citizen Air Force. The provisions are applicable throughout the Commonwealth of Australia and are designed to ensure a structured and orderly military operation during peacetime and wartime. Notably, the regulations contain certain exclusions, such as the requirement for an officer's consent before being transferred from the Permanent Air Force to the Citizen Air Force or vice versa. Additionally, the regulations are subject to amendments and extensions through subordinate instruments, ensuring they remain relevant and effective in addressing the evolving needs of the Air Force.

Key Provisions

The Statutory Rules, 1941 No. 137, under the Air Force Act 1923-1941, introduce several amendments and new provisions to the Air Force Regulations. Firstly, Regulation 46a (section 1) stipulates that officers under short service commissions who have their period of liability to serve in the Active Force expiring during a time of war must continue to serve for the duration of the war and twelve months thereafter, followed by a minimum of four years' service in the Reserve. This regulation came into effect on 3 September 1939, with a proviso that it would not impose a greater than four-year liability for those whose commission expired before the regulation was notified in the Gazette. These regulations impose several obligations on the parties governed by them. For instance, Regulation 57 (section 2) empowers the Governor-General, on the recommendation of the Air Board, to transfer officers between branches under specific terms regarding rank, seniority, pay, and conditions. However, transfers between the Permanent Air Force and the Citizen Air Force must be consented to by the officer involved, and in the absence of contrary directions, an officer retains their seniority from the date of transfer. Moreover, the regulations introduce specific reasons for discharge, such as making a false statement on a Medical History Sheet, as added in Regulation 115 (section 3). In terms of financial provisions, Regulation 547 (section 4) and Regulation 548 (section 5) revise the active and deferred pay rates for Group Captains, with specific annual increments and rates after five years in the substantive rank. Additionally, Regulation 553 (section 6) modifies the rates of pay for airmen of the Permanent Air Force by including new roles and omitting others. Furthermore, these regulations provide for allowances and use of private conveyances. Regulation 577 (section 7) increases the plain clothes allowance from thirty to forty shillings, while Regulation 606 (section 8) and Regulation 607 (section 9) adjust the rates of allowance for the use of private conveyances on official duty and instead of public conveyance, respectively. All these amendments came into effect on various dates between October 1940 and February 1941. Lastly, the regulations outline potential consequences for non-compliance, although specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences are not detailed in the provided text. However, given the historical context and the nature of military regulations, breaches of these provisions could potentially lead to disciplinary actions, financial penalties, or other forms of sanctions as prescribed by the Air Force Act and relevant military laws.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.