Clive Brewster
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
A MAN known well in Fiji, Squadron- Leader Clive A. Brewster, has been appointed Commandant of the RAAF Initial Training School at Som ers, Victoria.
As soon as war came, Mr. Brewster proceeded to Sydney, with 1914-18 hon ours thick upon him, and bearing the rank of lieutenant-colonel in charge of a Fiji defence battalion. But Australia (then) wanted no “old soldiers”, and the man from Fiji had to swing all the influ ence he could command, and submit to the arrogance of various puppy-dog offi cers, before he could get a toe-hold in the Australian Air Force. Eventually, he was taken on in some junior adminis trative job; and. then, nothing could stop him. His friends cheered, when they saw that he had been selected to succeed, 'at Somers, Wing-Commander White. MP, who goes to an RAAF com mand in England.
Mr. Brewster, born in 1896, was a Brit ish machine-gunner in France in 19.14; an RAF observer in France soon after; then he became a fighter-pilot, was pro moted to Flight-Commander, and twice won the Military Cross.
When he arrived in Sydney, in 1939, as a suppliant for war work, he was Lieut.- Colonel Clive A. Brewster, OBE, MC and Bar, ED; Commander of Legion of Hon our; Chevalier of the First Class of the Order of St. Olaf. Three months later he was plain Pilot-Officer Brewster. But you can’t keep a good man down!