Australia's 19th prime minister was permanently scarred by war, having survived several near-death experiences as a fighter pilot.
Being shot down by the Japanese during World War Two was a death sentence for most pilots. But for Sir John Grey Gorton — who, decades later, would become Australia's 19th prime minister — it was the first of several near-misses, leaving his face severely damaged. The 29-year-old former Geelong Grammar prefect enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1940, after seeing the rise of fascism during his studies at Oxford University.
Elevated to the role of navy minister a decade later, he held other portfolios, becoming the first minister for education and science, before his time as prime minister. Gorton started his tumultuous time in office in 1968 under unusual circumstances, having won a Liberal leadership ballot after prime minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming at sea. His larrikin streak initially proved quite popular with the public, with his approval rating reaching 64 per cent in April 1969.
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