Mervyn Brogan
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Sir Mervyn Francis Brogan KBE
, CB
(10 January 1915 – 8 March 1994) was a senior officer in the Australian Army
who served as Chief of the General Staff (1971–1973).
into the Royal Australian Engineers
in 1932. He secured an engineering degree from the University of Sydney
in 1938.
He served in World War II
and was appointed a Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1944 for his service in the Salamaua–Lae campaign during which Australian Forces re-captured Salamaua
. By 1954 he had become Director of Military Training for the Australian Army
and by 1956 he was Adjutant-General.
In 1965 he was an Australia
n Representative on the Military Committee of the South East Asia Treaty Organisation, by 1967 he was Quartermaster-General and by 1970 he was General Officer Commanding
Eastern Command.
He was made Chief of the General Staff in 1971 and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his service in that role in 1972. Australian troops were serving in Vietnam
at that time.
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 Mervyn Francis Brogan KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, 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...
(10 January 1915 – 8 March 1994) 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...
who served as Chief of the General Staff (1971–1973).
Military career
Brogan graduated from the Royal Military College, DuntroonRoyal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
into the Royal Australian Engineers
Royal Australian Engineers
The Royal Australian Engineers is a corps of the Australian Army . The RAE is ranked fourth in seniority of the corps of the Australian Army, behind the Staff Cadets, Armoured and Artillery Corps...
in 1932. He secured an engineering degree from 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...
in 1938.
He served in 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 was appointed a Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1944 for his service in the Salamaua–Lae campaign during which Australian Forces re-captured Salamaua
Salamaua
Salamaua was a small town situated on the north-eastern coastline of Papua New Guinea part of Morobe province. The settlement was built on a minor isthmus between the coast with mountains on the inland side and a headland...
. By 1954 he had become Director of Military Training for 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...
and by 1956 he was Adjutant-General.
In 1965 he was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Representative on the Military Committee of the South East Asia Treaty Organisation, by 1967 he was Quartermaster-General and by 1970 he was General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
Eastern Command.
He was made Chief of the General Staff in 1971 and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his service in that role in 1972. Australian troops were serving in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
at that time.