Returning to Melbourne , Hely served as deputy to the Air Member for Personnel from January 1950 . He became an aide-de-camp to King George VI in June 1951 . In September , he was appointed Officer Commanding Western Area , Perth , taking up his new post in mid-October . He was promoted to acting air commodore in July 1952 , becoming Air Officer Commanding ( AOC ) Western Area . His rank was made permanent in September , and the same month he was appointed aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II . Among Hely 's duties as AOC Western Area was coordinating air support for the British atomic test on Montebello in October 1952 , including supply and observation flights by Dakotas of No . 86 ( Transport ) Wing . He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) in the Queen 's Coronation Honours promulgated on 1 June 1953 , for his war service and his work during the Montebello test . In August , he was named Deputy Chief of the Air Staff ( DCAS ) , with the acting rank of air vice marshal , effective from October ; he replaced Air Vice Marshal Hancock
British atomic test
Operation Hurricane
William Hely