 In March 1957 , Hancock was one of three candidates , along with Air Vice Marshals Frederick Scherger and Allan Walters , touted as possible successors to Air Marshal Sir John McCauley as Chief of the Air Staff ( CAS ) , the RAAF 's senior position . Scherger gained selection , and Hancock was posted in June to Malaya as Air Officer Commanding ( AOC ) No. 224 Group RAF , responsible for all Commonwealth air forces in the region . Though fastidious in appearance and a strict teetotaller , he was known for his enthusiasm in meeting staff and as " an indefatigable participant in mess functions and games " . He also made a point of getting out to units in the field , taking every opportunity to fly himself around his command . For his " distinguished service in Malaya " , Hancock was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath ( CB ) on 9 December 1958 . He returned to Australia in July 1959 to serve as AOC Operational Command ( now Air Command ) . When Scherger 's term as CAS was due to complete , Hancock and Walters were once more put forward to the Minister for Air as potential replacements . His " professional ability , operational experience and personal qualities " being deemed more appropriate for the role , Hancock was promoted to air marshal and took over as CAS in May 1961 . In June , he met with his opposite numbers in the Army and Navy at a Chiefs of Staff Committee conference to discuss the necessity of Australia acquiring nuclear weapons ; the chiefs agreed that the probability such a capability would be required was remote but that it should remain an option under certain circumstances , a position the defence forces maintained during the ensuing decade . He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( KBE ) in the 1962 Queen 's Birthday Honours , gazetted on 2 June . 
