Alec Hill
Encyclopedia
Alec Jeffrey Hill AM
, MBE
, ED
(2 July 1916 – 27 August 2008) was an Australian military historian
and academic best known for his biography of General
Harry Chauvel and his work on the Australian Dictionary of Biography
.
and Balliol College, Oxford
. He became a schoolteacher. He was commissioned in the New South Wales Scottish Regiment of the Militia
in 1936.
Hill joined the Second Australian Imperial Force
(AIF) on the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, receiving the service number
NX380. He commanded a company of the 2/13th Infantry Battalion during the retreat to Tobruk
in 1941, and in the subsequent Siege of Tobruk
. He was a staff officer (GSO3) at 9th Division headquarters during the Second Battle of El Alamein
. After the 9th Division returned to Australia, he fought in the New Guinea
and Borneo
campaigns as brigade major of the 20th Infantry Brigade
. For his war service, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1947.
After the war Hill returned to his old profession, teaching geography
and history
at his old school, Sydney Grammar, becoming
senior history master. He was involved with the Australian Army Cadets
and the Citizen Military Forces. He also served a term as Honorary aide de camp to the Governor of New South Wales. In 1966, he became a lecturer
in history at the Royal Military College, Duntroon
, which was then in transition to becoming a university faculty as part of the University of New South Wales
. While there, he influenced a new generation of soldiers and military historians, including David Horner
, Peter Pedersen and Chris Coulthard Clark. He also produced Chauvel of the Light Horse, a biography of the General Sir Harry Chauvel, the commander of the Desert Mounted Corps
in the Great War. First published in 1978, it is said to be the first modern scholarly biography of a senior Australian military figure. It advanced Australian military historiography "through the then unfashionable
notion that generals were at least as important as privates in winning battles."
Alec Hill was associated with the Australian Dictionary of Biography
(ADB) for more than 30 years, becoming a member of its Armed Forces Working Party on its formation in 1974, and was its chairman from 1982 to 1994. He wrote 38 articles on such prominent generals as William Birdwood, Frank Berryman, Harry Chauvel, Harold Edward Elliott
, Leslie Morshead
, Sydney Rowell
, and George Wootten
, in some cases drawing on his personal knowledge of the subject. For his work, he was awarded the ADB Medal in 2004. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day
honour's list in 2006 "for service to education in the field of Australian military history, to the Australian War Memorial as a writer and as a mentor to historians, and as a contributor to the Australian Dictionary of Biography." He died on 27 August 2008, survived by his wife, Patsy.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, ED
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
(2 July 1916 – 27 August 2008) was an Australian military historian
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
and academic best known for his biography of General
General (Australia)
General is the second highest rank, and the highest active rank, of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of General; it is also considered a four-star rank....
Harry Chauvel and his work on the Australian Dictionary of Biography
Australian Dictionary of Biography
The Australian Dictionary of Biography is a national, co-operative enterprise, founded and maintained by the Australian National University to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's history....
.
Biography
Alec Jeffrey Hill was born in Sydney, New South Wales on 2 July 1916. His father, who served in the Great War, died while Alec was a boy. Alec was educated at Sydney Grammar, the University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. He became a schoolteacher. He was commissioned in the New South Wales Scottish Regiment of the Militia
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
in 1936.
Hill joined the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
(AIF) on the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, receiving the service number
Service number
A service number is an identification code used to identify a person within a large group. Service numbers are most often associated with the military; however, they may be used in civilian term as well...
NX380. He commanded a company of the 2/13th Infantry Battalion during the retreat to Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
in 1941, and in the subsequent Siege of Tobruk
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
. He was a staff officer (GSO3) at 9th Division headquarters during the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
. After the 9th Division returned to Australia, he fought in the New Guinea
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
and Borneo
Borneo campaign (1945)
The Borneo Campaign of 1945 was the last major Allied campaign in the South West Pacific Area, during World War II. In a series of amphibious assaults between 1 May and 21 July, the Australian I Corps, under General Leslie Morshead, attacked Japanese forces occupying the island. Allied naval and...
campaigns as brigade major of the 20th Infantry Brigade
20th Brigade (Australia)
The 20th Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. The brigade was raised for service during the World War II on 7 May 1940 as part of the 7th Division. The brigade was transferred to the 9th Division in 1941...
. For his war service, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1947.
After the war Hill returned to his old profession, teaching geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at his old school, Sydney Grammar, becoming
senior history master. He was involved with the Australian Army Cadets
Australian Army Cadets
The Australian Army Cadets is a youth organisation that is involved with progressive training of youths in military and adventurous activities. The programme has more than 19,000 Army Cadets between the ages of 12½ and 19 based in 236 units around Australia...
and the Citizen Military Forces. He also served a term as Honorary aide de camp to the Governor of New South Wales. In 1966, he became a lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
in history at the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
, which was then in transition to becoming a university faculty as part of the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. While there, he influenced a new generation of soldiers and military historians, including David Horner
David Horner
David Murray Horner AM is an Australian military historian and academic.-Biography:Horner was raised in a military household; his father Murray Horner had served in New Guinea during World War II and later joined the Citizen Military Forces . He joined the Army after completing school in 1966 and...
, Peter Pedersen and Chris Coulthard Clark. He also produced Chauvel of the Light Horse, a biography of the General Sir Harry Chauvel, the commander of the Desert Mounted Corps
Desert Mounted Corps
The Desert Mounted Corps was a World War I Allied army corps that operated in the Middle East during 1917 and 1918.Originally formed on 15 March 1916 as the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division under the command of Major General Harry Chauvel The Desert Mounted Corps was a World War I...
in the Great War. First published in 1978, it is said to be the first modern scholarly biography of a senior Australian military figure. It advanced Australian military historiography "through the then unfashionable
notion that generals were at least as important as privates in winning battles."
Alec Hill was associated with the Australian Dictionary of Biography
Australian Dictionary of Biography
The Australian Dictionary of Biography is a national, co-operative enterprise, founded and maintained by the Australian National University to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's history....
(ADB) for more than 30 years, becoming a member of its Armed Forces Working Party on its formation in 1974, and was its chairman from 1982 to 1994. He wrote 38 articles on such prominent generals as William Birdwood, Frank Berryman, Harry Chauvel, Harold Edward Elliott
Harold Edward Elliott
Major General Harold Edward "Pompey" Elliott CB, CMG, DSO, DCM, VD was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the First World War. Elliot also served as a Senator in the Australian parliament.-Early life:...
, Leslie Morshead
Leslie Morshead
Lieutenant General Sir Leslie James Morshead KCB, KBE, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian soldier, teacher, businessman, and farmer, with a distinguished military career that spanned both world wars...
, Sydney Rowell
Sydney Rowell
Lieutenant General Sir Sydney Fairbairn Rowell, KBE, CB was an Australian soldier who served as Chief of the General Staff from 17 April 1950 to 15 December 1954...
, and George Wootten
George Wootten
Major General Sir George Frederick Wootten KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, ED , was an Australian soldier, public servant, right wing political activist and solicitor. He rose to the rank of temporary Major General during World War II....
, in some cases drawing on his personal knowledge of the subject. For his work, he was awarded the ADB Medal in 2004. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
honour's list in 2006 "for service to education in the field of Australian military history, to the Australian War Memorial as a writer and as a mentor to historians, and as a contributor to the Australian Dictionary of Biography." He died on 27 August 2008, survived by his wife, Patsy.