Jack Stevens
Encyclopedia
Major General
Sir Jack Edwin Stawell Stevens KBE, CB, DSO
, ED
(7 September 1896 – 20 May 1969) was a senior officer in the Australian Army
during the Second World War. He was best known as the commanding officer of the 6th Division between 1943 and 1945.
, Stevens was the youngest child of Herbert Clarence Stevens and Violet Ophelia, née Bury. He attended schooling at Daylesford. He began working at the age of 12 at a cigar factory, before joining the Postmaster-General's Department as a clerk in the electrical engineers' branch in 1915.
in the Signal Corp and sailed for Egypt
in November with the rank of corporal. He was promoted in March 1916 to sergeant and served with the 4th Divisional Signal Company. In June, he was sent to France
and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for "devotion and keen sense of duty" during the battles of Pozières
and the Ypres salient. He was transferred to the 5th Divisional Signal Company in February 1917 and was promoted to lieutenant in April. He saw action at Polygon Wood
and was transferred to the Australian Corps Signal Company in March 1918. Upon arrival in Melbourne upon the cessastion of hositilities his was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 28 October 1919.
on 26 April 1920. Rejoinining the Militia in 1921, he was promoted to captain in 1922 and commanded the 2nd Cavalry Divisional Signals and was promoted to major in 1924. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in command of the 4th Divisional Signals (1926–29), the 3rd Divisional Signals (1929–35) and the 57th/60th Battalion
(1935–39).
on 13 October 1939 and placed in command of the 6th Divisional Signals. He was chosen in April 1940 as the commander of the 21st Brigade
, and was promoted to colonel and temporary brigadier. Sailing with his brigade, he left for the Middle East in October. During the Syrian campaign against Vichy French forces in Syria
and Lebanon
he directed the battle of the Litani River
on 12 June were he was wounded. For his actions during this battle we was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
and was mentioned in despatches. After recovering from his wounds he led the brigades actions during the battle of Damour
between the 5–9 July.
He returned with the 21st Brigade to Australia in March 1942. Stevens was promoted to temporary major general and given command of the Militia's 4th Division in April before being appointed commander of Northern Territory Force
in August. He was given the additional command responsibilities of the 12th Division and the Northern Territory Lines of Communications Area in December. Appointed the commanding officer of the 6th Division in April 1943 and oversaw the division's training on the Atherton Tableland
, Queensland
.
Deployed to the Territory of New Guinea
in late 1944 for action in the Aitape–Wewak campaign, advancing along the coast to Wewak
and clearing Japanese units from the Aitape
-Wewak & Maprik area. The campaign inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese 18th Army. He was appointed the Companion of the Order of the Bath for "gallant and distinguished service" and "outstanding leadership in operations against the Japanese" in 1946. He was relinquished of command against his wishes in August 1945.
. He was later appointed as the secretary of the Department of Supply in 1951 to oversee research and development. He organised agreements with the United Kingdom
and the United States of America on atomic research issues, and during the atomic tests in Australia.
He was appointed as the first chairman of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission
(AAEC) in September 1952 to carry out research into atomic energy and enable access to overseas technology and secure technical co-operation. Under his leadership the AAEC established the experimental nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights, New South Wales
. For his role he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Retiring from the government sector in 1956, he became chairman of Australian Electrical Industries Ltd and British Automotive Industries Pty Ltd, and a director of Commonwealth Industrial Gases Ltd, Custom Credit Corporation Ltd, Mount Isa Mines Ltd and the Trustees Executors & Agency Co. Ltd.
He died of a coronary occlusion
on 20 May 1969 in Sydney
and was cremated. He was survived by his wife. His only child, Duncan Stevens, was the captain of and was killed during the collision with on 10 February 1964.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Sir Jack Edwin Stawell Stevens KBE, CB, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, 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....
(7 September 1896 – 20 May 1969) was a senior officer in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
during the Second World War. He was best known as the commanding officer of the 6th Division between 1943 and 1945.
Early life
Born on 7 September 1896 at Daylesford, VictoriaDaylesford, Victoria
Daylesford is a town located in the Shire of Hepburn, Victoria, Australia. It is a former goldmining town about 115 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. At the 2006 census, Daylesford had a population of 3,073...
, Stevens was the youngest child of Herbert Clarence Stevens and Violet Ophelia, née Bury. He attended schooling at Daylesford. He began working at the age of 12 at a cigar factory, before joining the Postmaster-General's Department as a clerk in the electrical engineers' branch in 1915.
First World War
He enlisted on 2 July 1915 in the Australian Imperial ForceAustralian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
in the Signal Corp and sailed for Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in November with the rank of corporal. He was promoted in March 1916 to sergeant and served with the 4th Divisional Signal Company. In June, he was sent to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for "devotion and keen sense of duty" during the battles of Pozières
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
and the Ypres salient. He was transferred to the 5th Divisional Signal Company in February 1917 and was promoted to lieutenant in April. He saw action at Polygon Wood
Battle of Polygon Wood
The Battle of Polygon Wood took place during the second phase of the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. The battle was fought near Ypres, Belgium, in an area named the Polygon Wood after the layout of the area...
and was transferred to the Australian Corps Signal Company in March 1918. Upon arrival in Melbourne upon the cessastion of hositilities his was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 28 October 1919.
Between the wars
Upon returning home he returned to work with the Postmaster-General's Department. He married Catherine McAllister Macdonald at the Presbyterian Church, South MelbourneSouth Melbourne
South Melbourne may refer to*South Melbourne, Victoria, suburb of Melbourne*South Melbourne FC, a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
on 26 April 1920. Rejoinining the Militia in 1921, he was promoted to captain in 1922 and commanded the 2nd Cavalry Divisional Signals and was promoted to major in 1924. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in command of the 4th Divisional Signals (1926–29), the 3rd Divisional Signals (1929–35) and the 57th/60th Battalion
57th/60th Battalion (Australia)
The 57th/60th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army which served during the Second World War. It was formed in 1930 as part of the Militia by the amalgamation of the 57th and 60th Battalions and was assigned to the 15th Brigade, 3rd Division in Victoria...
(1935–39).
Second World War
Seconded to the Second Australian Imperial ForceSecond 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...
on 13 October 1939 and placed in command of the 6th Divisional Signals. He was chosen in April 1940 as the commander of the 21st Brigade
21st Brigade (Australia)
The 21st Brigade was a brigade-sized infantry unit of the Australian Army. Formed in April 1940 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, the unit was raised for service during World War II...
, and was promoted to colonel and temporary brigadier. Sailing with his brigade, he left for the Middle East in October. During the Syrian campaign against Vichy French forces in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
he directed the battle of the Litani River
Battle of the Litani River
The Battle of the Litani River was a battle of the Second World War that took place between during the advance on Beirut during the Syria-Lebanon campaign...
on 12 June were he was wounded. For his actions during this battle we was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and was mentioned in despatches. After recovering from his wounds he led the brigades actions during the battle of Damour
Battle of Damour
The Battle of Damour was the final major operation of the Australian forces during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign of World War II.-Background:In 1941, Damour was the French administrative capital...
between the 5–9 July.
He returned with the 21st Brigade to Australia in March 1942. Stevens was promoted to temporary major general and given command of the Militia's 4th Division in April before being appointed commander of Northern Territory Force
Northern Territory Force
Northern Territory Force was an Australian Army force responsible for protecting the Northern Territory during World War II. Most units assigned to the Northern Territory Force were based near Darwin and were responsible for defending the important naval and air bases in and around the town against...
in August. He was given the additional command responsibilities of the 12th Division and the Northern Territory Lines of Communications Area in December. Appointed the commanding officer of the 6th Division in April 1943 and oversaw the division's training on the Atherton Tableland
Atherton Tableland
The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It is located west to south-south-west inland from Cairns, well into the tropics, but its elevated position provides a climate suitable for dairy farming. It has an area of around...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
Deployed to the Territory of New Guinea
Territory of New Guinea
The Territory of New Guinea was the Australia-controlled, League of Nations-mandated territory in the north eastern part of the island of New Guinea, and surrounding islands, between 1920 and 1949...
in late 1944 for action in the Aitape–Wewak campaign, advancing along the coast to Wewak
Wewak
Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak....
and clearing Japanese units from the Aitape
Aitape
Aitape is a small town of about 8,000 people on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province. It is a coastal settlement that is almost equidistant from the provincial capitals of Wewak and Vanimo, and marks the midpoint of the highway between these two capitals...
-Wewak & Maprik area. The campaign inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese 18th Army. He was appointed the Companion of the Order of the Bath for "gallant and distinguished service" and "outstanding leadership in operations against the Japanese" in 1946. He was relinquished of command against his wishes in August 1945.
Later life
Stevens became the assistant-commissioner of the Commonwealth Public Service Board in 1946, before being appointed the general manager and chief executive officer of the Overseas Telecommunications Commission in September 1946. He also kept an association with the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) as the commanding officer of the 2nd Division (1947–50) and for two months as the CMF member of the Military Board prior to being placed on the Reserve of Officers on 1 July 1950. In 1950, he was appointed secretary of the Department of National Development and given responsibility for uranium mining at Rum Jungle, Northern TerritoryRum Jungle, Northern Territory
The Rum Jungle uranium deposit in the Northern Territory, Australia was found in 1949. It is 65 kilometres south of Darwin on the East Finniss River.-Original uranium mine:...
. He was later appointed as the secretary of the Department of Supply in 1951 to oversee research and development. He organised agreements with the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States of America on atomic research issues, and during the atomic tests in Australia.
He was appointed as the first chairman of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission
Australian Atomic Energy Commission
The Australian Atomic Energy Commission was a statutory body of the Australian government.It was established in 1952, replacing the Atomic Energy Policy Committee. In 1981 parts of the Commission were split off to become part of CSIRO, the remainder continuing until 1987, when it was replaced by...
(AAEC) in September 1952 to carry out research into atomic energy and enable access to overseas technology and secure technical co-operation. Under his leadership the AAEC established the experimental nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights, New South Wales
Lucas Heights, New South Wales
Lucas Heights is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lucas Heights is located 31 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Sutherland Shire....
. For his role he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Retiring from the government sector in 1956, he became chairman of Australian Electrical Industries Ltd and British Automotive Industries Pty Ltd, and a director of Commonwealth Industrial Gases Ltd, Custom Credit Corporation Ltd, Mount Isa Mines Ltd and the Trustees Executors & Agency Co. Ltd.
He died of a coronary occlusion
Coronary occlusion
A coronary occlusion is the partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in a coronary artery. This condition may cause a heart attack.In some patients coronary occlusion causes only mild pain, tightness or vague discomfort which may be ignored: the myocardium is however damaged....
on 20 May 1969 in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and was cremated. He was survived by his wife. His only child, Duncan Stevens, was the captain of and was killed during the collision with on 10 February 1964.