John Northcott
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Sir John Northcott KCMG
, KCVO
, CB
(24 March 18904 August 1966) was an Australian Army
general who served as Chief of the General Staff during World War II
, and commanded the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
in the Occupation of Japan. He was the first Australian-born Governor of New South Wales.
Northcott joined the Australian Army as a reservist in 1908, before becoming a regular officer in 1912. On duty in Tasmania
when the Great War broke out in 1914, he joined the 12th Infantry Battalion, a unit from that state. He was wounded in the landing at Gallipoli on Anzac Day
and invalided to Egypt
, the United Kingdom
, and ultimately Australia, taking no further part in the fighting. After the war, Northcott served on a series of staff posts. He attended the Staff College, Camberley
and Imperial Defence College
and also spent time overseas as an exchange officer
with the British Army
and as a military attaché
in the United States
and Canada
.
During World War II
, Northcott was attached to the British 7th Armoured Division in the Middle East
to study armoured warfare
, returning to Australia in December 1941 to organise the new 1st Armoured Division. In March 1942, he assumed command II Corps. In September 1942, he was appointed Chief of the General Staff. As General
Sir Thomas Blamey
's principal non-operational subordinate, he was responsible for administering and training the wartime army. After the war, he served as commander of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in the post-war Occupation of Japan. He retired from the Army in 1946 to become the Governor of New South Wales.
, the eldest son of John Northcott, a storekeeper, and his wife Elizabeth Jane, née Reynolds. The younger Northcott was educated at Dean State School, Grenville College, Ballarat and the University of Melbourne
. While at school, he served in the Australian Army Cadets
. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant
in the 9th Light Horse, a Militia
unit, on 14 August 1908, promoted to Lieutenant
on 31 October 1910 and Captain on 31 July 1911. On 16 November 1912, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Administrative and Instructional Staff of the Permanent Military Forces, retaining the rank of honorary captain until he was promoted to that rank on 1 June 1918.
), in which capacity he was serving when World War I
broke out. His initial task was assisting with the raising of units in Tasmania. He joined the First Australian Imperial Force
(AIF) as a lieutenant on 24 August 1914 and was appointed adjutant of the 12th Infantry Battalion
, which was forming at Anglesea Barracks, Hobart
. He was promoted to captain in the AIF on 18 October 1914.
Northcott sailed for Egypt with the 12th Infantry Battalion on 20 October 1914. This was one of the first battalions ashore in the landing at Anzac Cove
on the first ANZAC Day
, 25 April 1915. Northcott's part was brief; that day he was wounded in the chest by a Turkish bullet. He lay amongst a pile of dead bodies until that evening, when he was found to be alive. He was evacuated to Alexandria
and later to England
. While recuperating, he was joined by his fiancé, Winifred Mary Paton, who had travelled to England to be with him. The two were married at the parish church in Oxted
on 14 September 1915. He returned to Australia on 30 December 1915 and took no further part in the fighting, it being "a rigid rule that no Regular officer once invalided to Australia could again go overseas". His AIF appointment was terminated on 30 September 1916 and he was posted to the 5th Military District (Western Australia
).
on 1 January 1919 and the Brevet rank
on 1 January 1920, but was not made substantive until 1 October 1923. He attended the Staff College, Camberley
from 1924 to 1926. On returning to Australia, Northcott served as staff officer (later director), stores and transport, at Army Headquarters in Victoria Barracks, Melbourne
. He was appointed a Member (fourth class) of the Royal Victorian Order on 8 July 1927 for coordinating the transport for the 1927 six-month Royal Tour of the Duke
and Duchess
of York
that year to open the Old Parliament House, Canberra
.Citation: Director of Transport during the 1927 Royal Visit.
Northcott served on the staff of the 4th Division from 17 September 1931 to 31 January 1932 and then with the 3rd Division from 1 February to 22 November 1932. He returned to England as an exchange officer
with the British Army
, where he served the staff of the 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division. He attended the Imperial Defence College
in 1935, one of only six Australian Army officers to attend this prestigious course between 1928 and 1939, the others being John Lavarack
, Henry Wynter
, Vernon Sturdee
, Sydney Rowell
and William Bridgeford
. He also attended the Senior Officers' School
at Sheerness
in 1936, and was seconded to the Committee of Imperial Defence
. He was an Australian defence attaché
in the United States
and Canada
from September 1936 to June 1937.
Northcott was given the brevet rank of Lieutenant Colonel
on 1 July 1935, which was made substantive on 1 January 1936. He was then promoted to the brevet rank of Colonel
on 1 July 1937 and substantive rank on 13 October 1939. He served on the staff of the 4th Division until 1 September 1939, when he became Director of Military Operations and Intelligence.
on 13 October 1939, when he was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff. He accompanied Richard Casey
to the Dominion
s' Conference in London in later that year as his military adviser. For his service as Deputy Chief of the General Staff, he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 1 January 1941.Citation: Deputy Chief of the General Staff.
On 26 January 1940, Northcott became acting Chief of the General Staff (CGS) following the death of Lieutenant General Ernest Ker Squires. In August, his successor, General Sir Brudenell White
, died in an air crash and Lieutenant General Vernon Sturdee succeeded him. The post of commander of the 8th Division thereby became available but Northcott was excluded from consideration because his knowledge was vital to the new CGS. When the commander of the 9th Division, Major General Henry Wynter, fell ill in January 1941, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Blamey
asked for Northcott to replace him, but Northcott was involved in organising the 1st Armoured Division and the appointment instead went to Brigadier
Leslie Morshead
.
Northcott joined the Second Australian Imperial Force
(AIF) as a Major General
on 1 September 1941 and was given the AIF serial number VX63396. He was attached to the British 7th Armoured Division in the Middle East
to study armoured warfare
, returning to Australia in December 1941 to organise the new 1st Armoured Division. The job was a challenging one, one that some of his subordinates felt that Northcott was not up to, given his lack of command experience. In March 1942, Northcott found out from The Herald
newspaper that he was to be promoted to command II Corps. "This is what they do to me," was his comment, "just as my first tank is coming down the road". The new post came with a promotion to the temporary rank of lieutenant general on 6 April 1942, which became substantive on 12 December 1945. Northcott was succeeded as commander by Major General Horace Robertson
, an officer with a distinguished combat record in the desert
.
However, on 10 September 1942, Northcott was appointed Chief of the General Staff. Formerly, the Army had been controlled by the Military Board. This ceased to function on 30 July 1942, with its responsibilities being assumed by the Commander in Chief, General Blamey. The Adjutant general
, Major General Victor Stantke, the Quartermaster General, Major General James Cannan
and the Master-General of the Ordnance
, Major General Leslie, who would formerly have been members of the board now came under the Lieutenant General Administration (LGA), Lieutenant General Henry Wynter. This left the CGS with responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Army. His job also involved liaison with Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) and the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF), and he frequently had to represent Blamey in meetings with the Minister
for the Army, Frank Forde
.
Northcott spent much of his time from 1943 on in a long battle with the government over the number of men and women allocated to the Army. He attempted to do so without Blamey being dragged into a political fight but this proved to be impossible. In September 1944, the government reduced the Army's monthly intake of women from 925 to 500, while it only received 420 out of 4,020 men allocated to the three services. Such a meagre allocation was below what the Army needed to maintain its strength, and formations had to be disbanded. Blamey took up the matter with Prime Minister
John Curtin and managed to get a more satisfactory monthly allocation of 1,500 men per month out of 3,000 allocated to the three services.
The relationship between Northcott as Chief of the General Staff and Blamey as Commander in Chief bore some similarities to the one between the RAAF's Chief of the Air Staff Air Vice Marshal George Jones
and Air Vice Marshal William Bostock
, the commander of the RAAF forces in the field, but Blamey was senior to Northcott, both in rank and in the Army's command structure. The relationship could still have been a delicate one, but in the event it was characterised by none of the rancour and rivalry that marred the wartime administration of the RAAF. In late 1943, Blamey sought to appoint Northcott as his deputy, but the government turned down his request, on the advice of General
Douglas MacArthur
, who did not want another officer who was answerable both to himself and the Australian Government. However, when Blamey travelled to Washington, DC and London
in April 1944, he arranged for Northcott to act as Commander in Chief in his absence. After Wynter's death in February 1945, the post of LGA was abolished and the CGS again became responsible for administration.
(BCOF) in Japan. Sturdee felt that Northcott had missed out on opportunities for active service through his being CGS and saw the BCOF post as a just reward for that service.
Northcott headed the BCOF from December 1945 until June 1946. As such, he negotiated the Northcott-MacArthur agreement with General of the Army
Douglas MacArthur, which governed the terms and conditions under which the BCOF would occupy part of Japan. The BCOF would serve under American command, with American policy being followed. Northcott was offered, and accepted, the post of Governor of New South Wales in April 1946. He remained in Japan until June though, because Prime Minister Ben Chifley
wanted the changeover to coincide with his own visit to Japan in May, and because he needed to obtain consent of the other governments concerned for the appointment of Lieutenant General Horace Robertson as Northcott's successor. Northcott's lack of experience in command once again showed, and his command was only placed on a proper footing by Robertson.
. As such, he gave patronage and support to many charitable organisations and to youth, church and citizens' groups. Northcott opened South Sydney Boys' High School
on 5 April 1954 and had one of the School Houses named after him. Blamey was unable to secure a knighthood for Northcott for his military service, it being Australian Labor Party
policy not to award knighthoods at that time. However he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1950 as Governor and a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1954 for his services with the Royal Tour
of Queen Elizabeth II
.Citation: Governor of New South Wales 1946-57.
Northcott was Administrator of the Commonwealth of Australia in the absence Governor-General
from 19 July to 14 December 1951 and again from 30 July to 22 October 1956. While occupying that office, he held the honorary rank of general
. He was awarded honorary degree
s by the University of Sydney
(D.Litt.
, 1952), the New South Wales University of Technology (D.Sc.
, 1956) and the University of New England
(D.Litt., 1956). During his term as governor, he was honorary colonel of the 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
. He retired in July 1957. In April 1964, Northcott and Forde represented Australia at General MacArthur’s funeral in Washington, DC.
. He was accorded a state funeral with military honours and was cremated. Like most governors of New South Wales, his papers are in the State Library of New South Wales
. In 1968 the Electoral district of Northcott
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
was dedicated in his name and existed until redistribution and abolition in 1999.
In his military career, Northcott was a highly regarded and very successful staff officer but his periods in command of the 1st Armoured Division, II Corps and BCOF were brief and "noted neither for innovation nor conspicuous success." In two of these three appointments he was followed by Robertson who "possessed the ebullience and flair that Northcott lacked". While Governor, Northcott was patron of the New South Wales Society for Crippled Children. He continued to take an active in its affairs for the rest of his life. In 1995, this charity changed its name to The Northcott Society in his honour. In 2004, it became Northcott Disability Services
, providing case to people of all ages with disabilities.
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Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
Sir John Northcott 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....
, KCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(24 March 18904 August 1966) was an 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...
general who served as Chief of the General Staff during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and commanded the British Commonwealth Occupation Force
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
in the Occupation of Japan. He was the first Australian-born Governor of New South Wales.
Northcott joined the Australian Army as a reservist in 1908, before becoming a regular officer in 1912. On duty in 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...
when the Great War broke out in 1914, he joined the 12th Infantry Battalion, a unit from that state. He was wounded in the landing at Gallipoli on Anzac Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
and invalided to 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...
, 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 ultimately Australia, taking no further part in the fighting. After the war, Northcott served on a series of staff posts. He attended the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
and Imperial Defence College
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
and also spent time overseas as an exchange officer
Exchange officer
An exchange officer is a commissioned officer in a country's armed forces who is temporarily attached to a unit of the armed forces of another country....
with 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...
and as a military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Northcott was attached to the British 7th Armoured Division in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
to study armoured warfare
Armoured warfare
Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
, returning to Australia in December 1941 to organise the new 1st Armoured Division. In March 1942, he assumed command II Corps. In September 1942, he was appointed Chief of the General Staff. As 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....
Sir Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
's principal non-operational subordinate, he was responsible for administering and training the wartime army. After the war, he served as commander of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in the post-war Occupation of Japan. He retired from the Army in 1946 to become the Governor of New South Wales.
Early life
John Northcott was born on 24 March 1890 at Creswick, VictoriaCreswick, Victoria
Creswick is a town in west-central Victoria, Australia. It is located 18 kilometres north of Ballarat and 129 km northwest of Melbourne, in Shire of Hepburn. It is 430 metres above sea level. At the 2006 census, Creswick had a population of 2,485...
, the eldest son of John Northcott, a storekeeper, and his wife Elizabeth Jane, née Reynolds. The younger Northcott was educated at Dean State School, Grenville College, Ballarat and the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. While at school, he served in 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...
. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the 9th Light Horse, a 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...
unit, on 14 August 1908, promoted to 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...
on 31 October 1910 and Captain on 31 July 1911. On 16 November 1912, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Administrative and Instructional Staff of the Permanent Military Forces, retaining the rank of honorary captain until he was promoted to that rank on 1 June 1918.
World War I
He was posted to the 6th Military District (TasmaniaTasmania
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...
), in which capacity he was serving when World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out. His initial task was assisting with the raising of units in Tasmania. He joined the First Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
(AIF) as a lieutenant on 24 August 1914 and was appointed adjutant of the 12th Infantry Battalion
Royal Tasmania Regiment
The Royal Tasmania Regiment is a Reserve infantry regiment within the Australian Army consisting of a single battalion. Formed in 1960 following a review of military formations in Australia, the Regiment can trace its lineage back the late 19th Century and as served Australia in a number of...
, which was forming at Anglesea Barracks, Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
. He was promoted to captain in the AIF on 18 October 1914.
Northcott sailed for Egypt with the 12th Infantry Battalion on 20 October 1914. This was one of the first battalions ashore in the landing at Anzac Cove
Landing at Anzac Cove
The landing at Anzac Cove was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula by Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The landing, north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean coast of the Peninsula, was made by soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and was the first...
on the first ANZAC Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
, 25 April 1915. Northcott's part was brief; that day he was wounded in the chest by a Turkish bullet. He lay amongst a pile of dead bodies until that evening, when he was found to be alive. He was evacuated to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and later to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. While recuperating, he was joined by his fiancé, Winifred Mary Paton, who had travelled to England to be with him. The two were married at the parish church in Oxted
Oxted
Oxted is a commuter town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, north of East Grinstead and south-east of Croydon.- History :The town lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred....
on 14 September 1915. He returned to Australia on 30 December 1915 and took no further part in the fighting, it being "a rigid rule that no Regular officer once invalided to Australia could again go overseas". His AIF appointment was terminated on 30 September 1916 and he was posted to the 5th Military District (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...
).
Between the Wars
Northcott was granted the honorary rank of MajorMajor
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. ...
on 1 January 1919 and the Brevet rank
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
on 1 January 1920, but was not made substantive until 1 October 1923. He attended the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
from 1924 to 1926. On returning to Australia, Northcott served as staff officer (later director), stores and transport, at Army Headquarters in Victoria Barracks, Melbourne
Victoria Barracks, Melbourne
Located on St Kilda Road in Melbourne, Australia, Victoria Barracks Melbourne is of architectural and historical significance as one of the most impressive 19th century government buildings in Victoria, Australia.-Pre-World War II:...
. He was appointed a Member (fourth class) of the Royal Victorian Order on 8 July 1927 for coordinating the transport for the 1927 six-month Royal Tour of the Duke
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and Duchess
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
that year to open the Old Parliament House, Canberra
Old Parliament House, Canberra
Old Parliament House, known formerly as the Provisional Parliament House, was the house of the Parliament of Australia from 1927 to 1988. The building began operation on 9 May 1927 as a temporary base for the Commonwealth Parliament after its relocation from Melbourne to the new capital, Canberra,...
.Citation: Director of Transport during the 1927 Royal Visit.
Northcott served on the staff of the 4th Division from 17 September 1931 to 31 January 1932 and then with the 3rd Division from 1 February to 22 November 1932. He returned to England as an exchange officer
Exchange officer
An exchange officer is a commissioned officer in a country's armed forces who is temporarily attached to a unit of the armed forces of another country....
with 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...
, where he served the staff of the 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division. He attended the Imperial Defence College
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
in 1935, one of only six Australian Army officers to attend this prestigious course between 1928 and 1939, the others being John Lavarack
John Lavarack
Lieutenant General Sir John Dudley Lavarack KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO was an Australian soldier who was Governor of Queensland from 1 October 1946 to 4 December 1957, the first Australian-born governor of that state....
, Henry Wynter
Henry Wynter
Lieutenant General Henry Douglas Wynter, CB, CMG, DSO was a regular Australian Army officer who rose to the rank of lieutenant general during World War II...
, Vernon Sturdee
Vernon Sturdee
Lieutenant General Sir Vernon Ashton Hobart Sturdee KBE, CB, DSO was an Australian Army commander who served two terms as Chief of the General Staff...
, 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 William Bridgeford
William Bridgeford
Lieutenant General Sir William Bridgeford KBE, CB, MC was a senior officer in the Australian Army. He began his military career in 1913 and fought on the Western Front during the First World War, before rising to command the 3rd Infantry Division during the Bougainville campaign in the Second...
. He also attended the Senior Officers' School
Senior Officers' School
The Senior Officers' School is a British military establishment established in 1920 for the training of Commonwealth senior officers of all services in inter-service cooperation...
at Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
in 1936, and was seconded to the Committee of Imperial Defence
Committee of Imperial Defence
The Committee of Imperial Defence was an important ad hoc part of the government of the United Kingdom and the British Empire from just after the Second Boer War until the start of World War II...
. He was an Australian defence attaché
Attaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from September 1936 to June 1937.
Northcott was given the brevet rank of 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...
on 1 July 1935, which was made substantive on 1 January 1936. He was then promoted to the brevet 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...
on 1 July 1937 and substantive rank on 13 October 1939. He served on the staff of the 4th Division until 1 September 1939, when he became Director of Military Operations and Intelligence.
World War II
Northcott was promoted to the local rank of Major GeneralMajor 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...
on 13 October 1939, when he was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff. He accompanied Richard Casey
Richard Casey, Baron Casey
Richard Gardiner Casey, Baron Casey KG GCMG CH DSO MC KStJ PC was an Australian politician, diplomat and the 16th Governor-General of Australia.-Early life:...
to the Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
s' Conference in London in later that year as his military adviser. For his service as Deputy Chief of the General Staff, he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 1 January 1941.Citation: Deputy Chief of the General Staff.
On 26 January 1940, Northcott became acting Chief of the General Staff (CGS) following the death of Lieutenant General Ernest Ker Squires. In August, his successor, General Sir Brudenell White
Brudenell White
General Sir Cyril Brudenell Bingham White KCB, KCMG, KCVO, DSO was a senior officer in the Australian Army, who served as Chief of the General Staff from 1920 to 1923 and again from March to August 1940, when he was killed in the Canberra air disaster.-Early Life and career:White was born in St...
, died in an air crash and Lieutenant General Vernon Sturdee succeeded him. The post of commander of the 8th Division thereby became available but Northcott was excluded from consideration because his knowledge was vital to the new CGS. When the commander of the 9th Division, Major General Henry Wynter, fell ill in January 1941, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
asked for Northcott to replace him, but Northcott was involved in organising the 1st Armoured Division and the appointment instead went to Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
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...
.
Northcott 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) as a 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...
on 1 September 1941 and was given the AIF serial number VX63396. He was attached to the British 7th Armoured Division in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
to study armoured warfare
Armoured warfare
Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
, returning to Australia in December 1941 to organise the new 1st Armoured Division. The job was a challenging one, one that some of his subordinates felt that Northcott was not up to, given his lack of command experience. In March 1942, Northcott found out from The Herald
The Herald (Melbourne)
The Herald was a broadsheet newspaper published in Melbourne, Australia from 1840 to 1990.The Port Phillip Herald was first published as a semi-weekly newspaper on 3 January 1840 from a weatherboard shack in Collins Street. It was the fourth newspaper to start in Melbourne.The paper took its name...
newspaper that he was to be promoted to command II Corps. "This is what they do to me," was his comment, "just as my first tank is coming down the road". The new post came with a promotion to the temporary rank of lieutenant general on 6 April 1942, which became substantive on 12 December 1945. Northcott was succeeded as commander by Major General Horace Robertson
Horace Robertson
Lieutenant General Sir Horace Clement Hugh Robertson KBE, DSO was a senior officer in the Australian Army who served in the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War...
, an officer with a distinguished combat record in the desert
Operation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
.
However, on 10 September 1942, Northcott was appointed Chief of the General Staff. Formerly, the Army had been controlled by the Military Board. This ceased to function on 30 July 1942, with its responsibilities being assumed by the Commander in Chief, General Blamey. The 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...
, Major General Victor Stantke, the Quartermaster General, Major General James Cannan
James Harold Cannan
Major General James Harold Cannan, CB, CMG, DSO, VD was an Australian Army brigadier general in the First World War and the Quartermaster General during the Second World War....
and the Master-General of the Ordnance
Master-General of the Ordnance
The Master-General of the Ordnance was a very senior British military position before 1855, when the Board of Ordnance was abolished.-Responsibilities:...
, Major General Leslie, who would formerly have been members of the board now came under the Lieutenant General Administration (LGA), Lieutenant General Henry Wynter. This left the CGS with responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Army. His job also involved liaison with Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN) and the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF), and he frequently had to represent Blamey in meetings with the Minister
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
for the Army, Frank Forde
Frank Forde
Francis Michael Forde PC was an Australian politician and the 15th Prime Minister of Australia. He was the shortest serving Prime Minister in Australia's history, being in office for only eight days.-Early life:...
.
Northcott spent much of his time from 1943 on in a long battle with the government over the number of men and women allocated to the Army. He attempted to do so without Blamey being dragged into a political fight but this proved to be impossible. In September 1944, the government reduced the Army's monthly intake of women from 925 to 500, while it only received 420 out of 4,020 men allocated to the three services. Such a meagre allocation was below what the Army needed to maintain its strength, and formations had to be disbanded. Blamey took up the matter with Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
John Curtin and managed to get a more satisfactory monthly allocation of 1,500 men per month out of 3,000 allocated to the three services.
The relationship between Northcott as Chief of the General Staff and Blamey as Commander in Chief bore some similarities to the one between the RAAF's Chief of the Air Staff Air Vice Marshal George Jones
George Jones (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir George Jones KBE, CB, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He rose from private soldier in World War I to Air Marshal in 1948, and served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1942 to 1952, the longest continuous tenure of any RAAF chief...
and Air Vice Marshal William Bostock
William Bostock
Air Vice Marshal William Dowling Bostock CB, DSO, OBE was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force. During World War II he led RAAF Command, the Air Force's main operational formation, with responsibility for the defence of Australia and air offensives against Japanese targets in the...
, the commander of the RAAF forces in the field, but Blamey was senior to Northcott, both in rank and in the Army's command structure. The relationship could still have been a delicate one, but in the event it was characterised by none of the rancour and rivalry that marred the wartime administration of the RAAF. In late 1943, Blamey sought to appoint Northcott as his deputy, but the government turned down his request, on the advice of General
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
, who did not want another officer who was answerable both to himself and the Australian Government. However, when Blamey travelled to Washington, DC and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in April 1944, he arranged for Northcott to act as Commander in Chief in his absence. After Wynter's death in February 1945, the post of LGA was abolished and the CGS again became responsible for administration.
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
At the end of World War II, Sturdee was again invited to become CGS. He made it a condition of his acceptance that Northcott be given the appointment of Commander in Chief of the British Commonwealth Occupation ForceBritish Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
(BCOF) in Japan. Sturdee felt that Northcott had missed out on opportunities for active service through his being CGS and saw the BCOF post as a just reward for that service.
Northcott headed the BCOF from December 1945 until June 1946. As such, he negotiated the Northcott-MacArthur agreement with General of the Army
General of the Army
General of the Army is a military rank used in some countries to denote a senior military leader, usually a General in command of a nation's Army. It may also be the title given to a General who commands an Army in the field....
Douglas MacArthur, which governed the terms and conditions under which the BCOF would occupy part of Japan. The BCOF would serve under American command, with American policy being followed. Northcott was offered, and accepted, the post of Governor of New South Wales in April 1946. He remained in Japan until June though, because Prime Minister Ben Chifley
Ben Chifley
Joseph Benedict Chifley , Australian politician, was the 16th Prime Minister of Australia. He took over the Australian Labor Party leadership and Prime Ministership after the death of John Curtin in 1945, and went on to retain government at the 1946 election, before being defeated at the 1949...
wanted the changeover to coincide with his own visit to Japan in May, and because he needed to obtain consent of the other governments concerned for the appointment of Lieutenant General Horace Robertson as Northcott's successor. Northcott's lack of experience in command once again showed, and his command was only placed on a proper footing by Robertson.
Governor of New South Wales
On 1 August 1946, Northcott became the first Australian-born, and one of the longest-serving, Governors of New South WalesGovernors of New South Wales
The Governor of New South Wales is the state viceregal representative of the Australian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who is equally shared with 15 other sovereign nations in a form of personal union, as well as with the eleven other jurisdictions of Australia, and resides predominantly in her...
. As such, he gave patronage and support to many charitable organisations and to youth, church and citizens' groups. Northcott opened South Sydney Boys' High School
South Sydney High School
South Sydney High School is a public school located in Maroubra, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1953 for boys, it is today a co-educational high school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training for students from years 7 through 12...
on 5 April 1954 and had one of the School Houses named after him. Blamey was unable to secure a knighthood for Northcott for his military service, it being Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
policy not to award knighthoods at that time. However he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1950 as Governor and a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1954 for his services with the Royal Tour
Royal visits to Australia
Since 1867, there have been over fifty visits by a member of the Royal Family to Australia, though only six of those came before 1954. Elizabeth II is the only reigning monarch of Australia to have set foot on Australian soil; she first did so on 3 February 1954...
of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
.Citation: Governor of New South Wales 1946-57.
Northcott was Administrator of the Commonwealth of Australia in the absence Governor-General
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 19 July to 14 December 1951 and again from 30 July to 22 October 1956. While occupying that office, he held the honorary rank 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....
. He was awarded honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
s by the University of Sydney
University 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...
(D.Litt.
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
, 1952), the New South Wales University of Technology (D.Sc.
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
, 1956) and the University of New England
University of New England, Australia
The University of New England is an Australian public university with approximately 18,000 higher education students. Its original and main campus is located in the city of Armidale in northern New South Wales....
(D.Litt., 1956). During his term as governor, he was honorary colonel of the 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
The 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers is a current Australian Army Reserve Light Cavalry Regiment. The regiment is based at Lancer Barracks in Parramatta, New South Wales. The regiment has recently re-equipped with 4x4 Land Rover patrol vehicles as part of the conversion to a Light Cavalry ...
. He retired in July 1957. In April 1964, Northcott and Forde represented Australia at General MacArthur’s funeral in Washington, DC.
Death and legacy
Survived by his two daughters, Sir John died on 4 August 1966 in his home at Wahroonga, New South WalesWahroonga, New South Wales
Wahroonga is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wahroonga is located 22 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council and Hornsby Shire....
. He was accorded a state funeral with military honours and was cremated. Like most governors of New South Wales, his papers are in the State Library of New South Wales
State Library of New South Wales
The State Library of New South Wales is a large public library owned by the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Macquarie Street, Sydney near Shakespeare Place...
. In 1968 the Electoral district of Northcott
Electoral district of Northcott
Northcott was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales between 1968 and 1999.It was named after Sir John Northcott who served as Governor of New South Wales from 1 August 1946 to 1 August 1957...
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
was dedicated in his name and existed until redistribution and abolition in 1999.
In his military career, Northcott was a highly regarded and very successful staff officer but his periods in command of the 1st Armoured Division, II Corps and BCOF were brief and "noted neither for innovation nor conspicuous success." In two of these three appointments he was followed by Robertson who "possessed the ebullience and flair that Northcott lacked". While Governor, Northcott was patron of the New South Wales Society for Crippled Children. He continued to take an active in its affairs for the rest of his life. In 1995, this charity changed its name to The Northcott Society in his honour. In 2004, it became Northcott Disability Services
Northcott Disability Services
Northcott Disability Services was established as The NSW Society for Crippled Children in 1929 by the in response to the growing number of children left with the effects of illnesses such as polio and tuberculosis....
, providing case to people of all ages with disabilities.
Titles
- 24 March 189014 August 1908: John Northcott, Esq
- 14 August 190831 October 1910: Second Lieutenant John Northcott
- 31 October 191031 July 1911: Lieutenant John Northcott
- 31 July 191114 December 1915: Captain John Northcott
- 14 December 19151 October 1923: Brevet Major Northcott
- 1 October 19238 July 1927: Major John Northcott
- 8 July 19271 July 1935: Major John Northcott MVO
- 1 July 19351 January 1936: Brevet Lieutenant Colonel John Northcott MVO
- 1 January 19361 July 1937: Lieutenant Colonel John Northcott MVO
- 1 July 193713 October 1939: Brevet Colonel John Northcott MVO
- 13 October 1939: Colonel John Northcott MVO
- 13 October 19391 January 1941: Major General John Northcott MVO
- 1 January 19416 April 1942: Major General John Northcott CB MVO
- 6 April 19421 March 1946: Lieutenant General John Northcott CB MVO, Chief of the General Staff
- 1 March 19461 August 1946: Lieutenant General John Northcott CB MVO
- 1 August 19468 June 1950: His Excellency Lieutenant General John Northcott CB MVO, Governor of New South Wales
- 8 June 195027 April 1954: His Excellency Lieutenant General Sir John Northcott KCMG CB MVO, Governor of New South Wales
- 27 April 19543 July 1957: His Excellency Lieutenant General Sir John Northcott KCMG KCVO CB, Governor of New South Wales
- 3 July 19574 August 1966: Lieutenant General Sir John Northcott KCMG KCVO CB
Honours
| Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George 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.... (KCMG) |
1950 | |
| |
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys... (KCVO) |
1954 |
| Member (Fourth Class) of the Royal Victorian Order Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys... (MVO) |
1927 | |
| |
Companion of the Order of the Bath Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... (CB) |
1941 |
| |
Knight of Justice of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem (KStJ) | 1946 |
| 1914–15 Star | ||
| British War Medal British War Medal The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918... |
||
| |
Victory Medal Victory Medal (United Kingdom) The Victory Medal is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA in accordance with decisions as taken at the Inter-Allied Peace Conference at... |
|
| 1939–45 Star | ||
| Africa Star Africa Star The Africa Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in the Second World War.The Star was awarded for a minimum of one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943... |
||
| Pacific Star Pacific Star The Pacific Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II. It was also awarded to certain foreign servicemen, such as Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz of the United States.-Entitlement:... |
||
| Defence Medal | ||
| War Medal 1939–1945 War Medal 1939–1945 The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea... |
||
| Australia Service Medal 1939-45 Australia Service Medal 1939-45 The Australia Service Medal 1939-45 recognises service by Australia's armed forces, Mercantile Marine and Volunteer Defence Corps during World War II.... |
||
| King George V Silver Jubilee Medal King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the coronation of King George V.-Issue:... |
1935 | |
| King George VI Coronation Medal King George VI Coronation Medal The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of King George VI.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to each of... |
1937 | |
| Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to... |
1953 | |
Honorary military appointments
-
1 August 19463 July 1957: Honorary Air CommodoreAir CommodoreAir commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
of No. 22 SquadronNo. 22 Squadron RAAFNo. 22 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force mixed regular and reserve squadron that provides support for the RAAF in the Sydney region. Formed in 1936, the squadron served in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War, and later followed the Pacific war as far as the Philippines...
, Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
. 1 August 19463 July 1957: Honorary Colonel of the 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers1st/15th Royal New South Wales LancersThe 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers is a current Australian Army Reserve Light Cavalry Regiment. The regiment is based at Lancer Barracks in Parramatta, New South Wales. The regiment has recently re-equipped with 4x4 Land Rover patrol vehicles as part of the conversion to a Light Cavalry ...
.