John Charles Hoad
Encyclopedia
Major General
Sir John Charles Hoad KCMG
(25 January 1856 – 6 October 1911) was an Australian military leader, best known as the Australian Army
's second Chief of the General Staff.
, Sussex
and Catherine Kearney, born Tipperary
. They married in March 1851 at Goulburn, New South Wales
. They had four sons and one daughter.
John Hoad was a talented athlete, excellent horseman, Australian rules footballer and cricketer
. He married Sarah Denniston Sennetts, (née Brown), in Wangaratta on 22 December 1881. They had a daughter, who died as a child, and two sons. The younger son, Oswald Vick Hoad, enlisted in the Victorian militia in 1907 and transferred to permanent military forces in 1910; he ultimately retired from the Australian Army in 1946.
Hoad began his military career in 1884, when he joined the Victorian Rifles
as a militia
lieutenant
. He soon resigned his position as a teacher to join the permanent military staff.
On 4 June 1886, Hoad was appointed as adjutant
of the Victorian Mounted Rifles
, and through his aptitude, was quickly promoted to Captain
, and then Major
, within two years. In October 1889 he left Victoria
for England where he studied signalling, military engineering and musketry for two years before returning to Victoria
to be appointed as the second in command of the Victorian Mounted Rifles
.
Hoad was an astute and capable commander, and by 1895 he had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
, as well as becoming the first Australian-born assistant Adjutant General
at Victorian Military Headquarters.
Hoad was again sent to England in 1897, and was appointed to the personal staff of Lord Roberts
and the Duke of Connaught for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
. Immediately after, he returned to Melbourne
, and by 1899 had attained the rank of colonel
.
Hoad saw service in the Second Boer War
as a special service officer, and upon arriving in Cape Town
on 28 April 1899, was given overall command of the 1st Australian Regiment, which contained colonial troops from Tasmania
, South Australia
, Victoria
and Western Australia
.
The force moved to Orange River
, where they met up with the Kimberley Relief Force. In Bloemfontein
in April 1900, the 1st Australian Regiment was merged with the 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade under Sir Edward Hutton, and Hoad was appointed as assistant Adjutant general
. However, by July 1900, he had been invalided and evacuated back to Australia. For his services in the Boer War
, John Hoad was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal
, and mentioned in despatches.
Between 1902 and 1906 Hoad served as aide-de-camp
to the Governor-General of Australia
. From November 1903 to January 1904 he was temporarily commander of the 6th Military District (Tasmania).
Hoad was sent by Chief of the General Staff Edward Hutton
to Manchuria
on attachment to the Imperial Japanese Army
. Along with other Western military attachés, Hoad had two complementary missions: to assist the Japanese, and; to observe the Japanese forces in the field during the Russo-Japanese War
. For this service, he received the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
, which represents the third highest of eight classes associated with this award. His participation in the war was also recognised with a presentation of the Japanese War Medal.
Upon returning to Australia in January 1905, Hoad was appointed to the newly formed Military Board with the title of Deputy Adjutant General
. In September 1906 he was promoted to Brigadier General
, and again promoted to Major General
in January 1907. At this time he was serving the Military Board as Inspector General
. In 1908 Hoad again visited London, this time to discuss plans for the establishment of an Imperial General Staff at the War Office
. He also participated in the British Army
's autumn manoeuvres.
Hoad's recommendations about the Imperial General Staff were accepted, and on 1 July 1909, then Secretary for Defence
, Sir George Pearce
, appointed him as Chief of the General Staff. He met Lord Kitchener
in Darwin
on 21 December 1909 to discuss Australia's land defences, and joined him for a two month long tour of inspection of the whole country. By 1911 he had begun planning for the introduction of Australian universal military training, but with failing health, took sick leave on 1 June 1911.
John Hoad was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) upon the occasion of the coronation
of King George V
on 22 June 1911. Sir John died of a heart disorder in Melbourne
on 6 October 1911.
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
Sir John Charles Hoad KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(25 January 1856 – 6 October 1911) was an Australian military leader, best known as 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...
's second Chief of the General Staff.
Family
John Hoad's parents were George Hoad, born in WinchelseaWinchelsea
Winchelsea is a small village in East Sussex, England, located between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately two miles south west of Rye and seven miles north east of Hastings...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and Catherine Kearney, born Tipperary
Tipperary
Tipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
. They married in March 1851 at Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
. They had four sons and one daughter.
John Hoad was a talented athlete, excellent horseman, Australian rules footballer and cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
. He married Sarah Denniston Sennetts, (née Brown), in Wangaratta on 22 December 1881. They had a daughter, who died as a child, and two sons. The younger son, Oswald Vick Hoad, enlisted in the Victorian militia in 1907 and transferred to permanent military forces in 1910; he ultimately retired from the Australian Army in 1946.
Career
On 1 January 1878, John Hoad entered the Victorian Education Department as a teacher at Gooramadda State School and by September he was an assistant at Wanaratta School. In April 1881 he became head teacher at Wangaratta North.Hoad began his military career in 1884, when he joined the Victorian Rifles
Colonial forces of Australia
Until Australia became a Federation in 1901, each of the six colonial governments was responsible for the defence of their own colony. From 1788 until 1870 this was done with British regular forces. In all, 25 British regiments served in the Australian colonies...
as a militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. He soon resigned his position as a teacher to join the permanent military staff.
On 4 June 1886, Hoad was appointed as adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the Victorian Mounted Rifles
Colonial forces of Australia
Until Australia became a Federation in 1901, each of the six colonial governments was responsible for the defence of their own colony. From 1788 until 1870 this was done with British regular forces. In all, 25 British regiments served in the Australian colonies...
, and through his aptitude, was quickly promoted to Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
, and then Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, within two years. In October 1889 he left Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
for England where he studied signalling, military engineering and musketry for two years before returning to Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
to be appointed as the second in command of the Victorian Mounted Rifles
Colonial forces of Australia
Until Australia became a Federation in 1901, each of the six colonial governments was responsible for the defence of their own colony. From 1788 until 1870 this was done with British regular forces. In all, 25 British regiments served in the Australian colonies...
.
Hoad was an astute and capable commander, and by 1895 he had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, as well as becoming the first Australian-born assistant Adjutant General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
at Victorian Military Headquarters.
Hoad was again sent to England in 1897, and was appointed to the personal staff of Lord Roberts
Lord Roberts
Lord Roberts may refer to:*John Roberts, 2nd Baron Roberts , was an English politician and soldier during the English Civil War English and English Restoration...
and the Duke of Connaught for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
. Immediately after, he returned to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and by 1899 had attained the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
Hoad saw service in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
as a special service officer, and upon arriving in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
on 28 April 1899, was given overall command of the 1st Australian Regiment, which contained colonial troops from Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The force moved to Orange River
Orange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
, where they met up with the Kimberley Relief Force. In Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
in April 1900, the 1st Australian Regiment was merged with the 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade under Sir Edward Hutton, and Hoad was appointed as assistant Adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
. However, by July 1900, he had been invalided and evacuated back to Australia. For his services in the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, John Hoad was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
, and mentioned in despatches.
Between 1902 and 1906 Hoad served as aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Governor-General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
. From November 1903 to January 1904 he was temporarily commander of the 6th Military District (Tasmania).
Hoad was sent by Chief of the General Staff Edward Hutton
Edward Hutton (army)
Lieutenant General Sir Edward Thomas Henry Hutton KCB, KCMG was a British military commander, who pioneered the use of mounted infantry in the British Army and later commanded the Canadian Militia and the Australian Army....
to Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
on attachment to the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. Along with other Western military attachés, Hoad had two complementary missions: to assist the Japanese, and; to observe the Japanese forces in the field during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. For this service, he received the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, which represents the third highest of eight classes associated with this award. His participation in the war was also recognised with a presentation of the Japanese War Medal.
Upon returning to Australia in January 1905, Hoad was appointed to the newly formed Military Board with the title of Deputy Adjutant General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
. In September 1906 he was promoted to Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
, and again promoted to Major General
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
in January 1907. At this time he was serving the Military Board as Inspector General
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
. In 1908 Hoad again visited London, this time to discuss plans for the establishment of an Imperial General Staff at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
. He also participated in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
's autumn manoeuvres.
Hoad's recommendations about the Imperial General Staff were accepted, and on 1 July 1909, then Secretary for Defence
Department of Defence (Australia)
The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...
, Sir George Pearce
George Pearce
Sir George Foster Pearce KCVO was an Australian politician who was instrumental in founding the Australian Labor Party in Western Australia....
, appointed him as Chief of the General Staff. He met Lord Kitchener
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...
in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
on 21 December 1909 to discuss Australia's land defences, and joined him for a two month long tour of inspection of the whole country. By 1911 he had begun planning for the introduction of Australian universal military training, but with failing health, took sick leave on 1 June 1911.
John Hoad was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) upon the occasion of the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
on 22 June 1911. Sir John died of a heart disorder in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 6 October 1911.