haʊˈɛvɚ, wˈɛlz ænd hɪz səksˈɛsɚz dɪdnˌɑːt kəmˈænd ðɪ ɔːstɹˈeɪliən ˈɑːɹmd fˈoːɹsᵻz ɪn ˌɛni lˈiːɡəl sˈɛns; ðə tʃˈɛɹmən hæd ˈoʊnli ɐn ɐdvˈaɪzɚɹi ɹˈoʊl ɪnðə ɹˈʌnɪŋ ʌvðə sˈɛpɹət sˈɜːvɪsᵻz.
However, Wells and his successors did not command the Australian armed forces in any legal sense; the chairman had only an advisory role in the running of the separate services.