100px|McCauley in 1953
John McCauley (1899–1989) was a senior commander in the Royal
Australian Air Force. He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1954 to
1957. A Duntroon graduate, McCauley spent four years in the Australian
Military Forces before transferring to the RAAF in 1924. Having been
promoted to group captain in 1940, he was posted to Singapore in June
1941 to take charge of all RAAF units defending the area. He earned
praise for his efforts in attacking invading Japanese forces before the
fall of Singapore, and for his dedication in evacuating his men. He was
later appointed to a senior operational role with the Royal Air Force's
2nd Tactical Air Force in Europe, where he saw out the rest of the war.
In 1947 he was promoted to air vice marshal and appointed Chief of
Staff at British Commonwealth Occupation Force Headquarters in Japan.
He took up the position of Chief of the Air Staff in January 1954, and
was knighted a year later. During his tenure in the RAAF's senior role,
McCauley focused on potential deployments to Southeast
Asia—particularly Vietnam—and threats from the north, commencing
redevelopment of RAAF Base Darwin and recommending purchase of a light
supersonic bomber to replace the Air Force's English Electric Canberra.
After retiring from military life in March 1957, he chaired various
community and welfare organisations. (more...)
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<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCauley>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1560:
The Treaty of Berwick was signed, which set the terms under which an
English fleet and army could come to Scotland to expel the French
troops who were defending the Regency of Mary of Guise.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Berwick_%281560%29>
1801:
Under the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801, Washington, D.C., a
new planned city and capital of the United States, was placed under the
jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Washington%2C_D.C.>
1812:
Manuel Belgrano raised the Flag of Argentina, which he designed, for
the first time in the city of Rosario, during the Argentine War of
Independence.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Belgrano>
1940:
American biochemists Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discovered the
radioactive isotope carbon-14, which today is used extensively as the
basis of the radiocarbon dating method to date archaeological,
geological, and hydrogeological samples.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/carbon-14>
1982:
The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, known for its performances of Gilbert
and Sullivan's Savoy operas, gave its last performance.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Oyly_Carte_Opera_Company>
2002:
A Sabarmati Express train was set on fire right after it left the train
station in Godhra, India, killing more than 55 Hindu pilgrims.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godhra_train_burning>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
postremogeniture (n):
Inheritance by the last-born child of the entirety of, or of a
privileged position in, a parent’s wealth, estate, or office
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/postremogeniture>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Every great poem is in itself limited by necessity, — but in its
suggestions unlimited and infinite.
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Henry_Wadsworth_Longfellow>