Boorara, and given a hero's welcome on arrival in Melbourne. Found to be medically unfit for active service, McNamara was discharged from the Australian Flying Corps on 31 January 1918. Panic caused by the intrusion into Australian waters of the German raider Wolf resulted in him being recalled to the AFC and put in charge of an aerial reconnaissance unit based in South Gippsland, Victoria, flying a Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2B and later a Maurice Farman Shorthorn. In September 1918, he was posted as a flying instructor to Point Cook, where he saw out the remainder of the war. Between the wars Following the disbandment of the AFC, McNamara transferred to the Australian Air Corps (AAC) in April 1920. He was not offered an appointment in the AAC initially, and secured one only after Captain Roy King protested the situation by giving up his own place in the new service in favour of McNamara, whom he described as "this very good and gallant officer". McNamara was invested with his Victoria Cross by the Prince of Wales at Government House, Melbourne, on 26 May. He enlisted in the newly established Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1921. Ranked flying officer (honorary flight lieutenant), he was one of the original twenty-one officers on the Air Force's strength at its formation that March. Posted to RAAF Headquarters in Melbourne as Staff Officer Operations and Intelligence, McNamara was given command of No. 1 Flying Training School (No. 1 FTS) at Point Cook in July 1922. He was promoted squadron leader in March 1924 and the following month married Hélène Bluntschli, a Belgian national he had met in Cairo during the war, at St Patrick's Cathedral; his best man was fellow officer Frank Lukis. McNamara travelled to England in 1925 for two years exchange with the Royal Air Force, serving at No. 5 Flying Training School, RAF Sealand, and the Directorate of Training at the Air Ministry, London. Returning to Australia in November 1927, he was appointed Second-in-Command No. 1 FTS. In 1928, McNamara resumed his studies at the University of Melbourne, having earlier failed to pass the necessary exams to enter the RAF Staff College, Andover. A part-time student at the university, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (second-class honours) in 1933. McNamara became Commanding Officer No. 1 FTS in October 1930, and was promoted to wing commander one year