Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frederick Charles Chaney was born in Fremantle and educated at Aquinas College. With limited job opportunities during the Depression, he applied for a position in the WA Education Department rather than pursue Engineering at the University. He was appointed to a one-teacher school at Jarrahwood, then to Malyalling, where he stayed until the outbreak of war. There the future Administrator of the Northern Territory met Les Johnson, a future Administrator of Papua New Guinea, who was at a neighbouring one-teacher school. Both enlisted, Chaney in the RAAF and Johnson in the Army.

He trained as a pilot, qualifying as a flying instructor before serving in Papua New Guinea and Borneo. He flew Auster aircraft with 16 Air Observation Flight, directing artillery fire and rescuing wounded from combat zones or behind enemy lines. ‘The courage skill and resourcefulness’ he displayed in several hazardous rescue operations in Borneo won him the Air Force Cross.
His involvement with the RSL, which he joined on discharge from the RAAF in 1945, led to him becoming the first World War Two returned service man to become a State President. After three years he resigned to enter politics. Chaney was elected to the House of Representatives as Member for Perth in 1955. He later served as Administrator of the Northern Territory (1970 to 1973) and as Lord Mayor of the City of Perth (1978 to 1982)

Citation for his AFC can be found on Page 15 f his Serfice Record.

He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1970 and Knight Commander of the Order in 1981