lieutenant general sir september september australian soldier teacher businessman farmer military career spanned world wars second world war led australian british troops second battle achieving decisive victories strict demanding officer soldiers nicknamed later simply villain flash gordon comics world war broke august resigned teaching position commission travel sydney enlist private 2nd commissioned lieutenant september landed april battalion advance australian unit day australia commander led wars successful business career remained active time militia commanding battalions brigades appointed command 18th 6th division commander led siege second battle returned australia appointed command led new_guinea campaign commanded corps borneo campaign early life born september victoria sixth seven children gold emigrated cornwall canada wife australian born daughter fellow immigrant william died years old educated appointed junior teacher student obtain formal teaching qualifications graduation december awarded scholarship complete education diploma decided year order teach schools country victoria teaching district district entered failing exam logic decided quit state school system took position new_england district new_south_wales moved prestigious commissioned lieutenant appointed commander school cadet unit commissioned lieutenant militia february promoted captain september commanded company school larger cadet unit met daughter happy valley victoria sister pupils world war gallipoli teaching career interrupted outbreak world war august resigned teaching position commission travelled sydney enlist private 2nd commanded lieutenant colonel knew time teaching time ranks brief commissioned lieutenant september embarked egypt transport suffolk october battalion training promoted captain january 2nd landed april platoon transferred transport destroyer took yards shore transferred wooden boats towed shore arriving battalion advance australian unit day reaching slopes baby driven turkish counter attack afternoon beat counter attacks days assumed command company april battalion defeated major turkish attacks position june promoted major june distinguished battle lone pine august intense fighting officers battalion casualty september like succumbed fever evacuated england hospital ship admitted england services gallipoli campaign mentioned despatches western returned australia january treated 4th new south wales recovered posted raised commander april promoted rank lieutenant colonel days later embarked england battalion trained england november embarked southampton france december relieved british battalion quiet nursery sector western mentioned despatches awarded citation written division commander major general read officer displayed conspicuous ability administration organisation battalion attained high standard fighting efficiency energetic attention training officers men prior responsible battalion relieved british battalion line days arriving battalion taken place line proved efficient fighting unit officer personality marked capacity command organised controlled raids enemy trenches carried successfully courage strong personality created excellent spirit ranks battalion officer previously served gallipoli official historian described little years age traditions british_army childhood like tight champagne nearest approach young australian able distinguish valuable worthless old army practice battalion officers mess assistance fine adjutant lieutenant jones second command major white experience fighting junior captain 2nd battalion baby turned battalion acquainted force recognised best subsequently led june disastrous october suffered heavy losses march sent sector help halt german spring offensive battalion detached sent march commander brigadier general ordered restore aid british 12th battalion able restore line unable advance far hoped relieved withdrawn rest april find line broken threatened battalion participated halting advance prevented germans capturing town april town heavily shelled poison gas men including gas casualties return unit june led 33rd infantry battalion battle fighting august awarded french grade citation written new division commander major general read gallantry initiative ability action operations august august attack east lieutenant colonel command special force purpose clearing executed task great skill fought battalion objectives capturing prisoners guns large quantity little cost force subsequently advance north august situation left flank uncertain lieutenant colonel maintained position refusing left flank enabling remainder brigade maintain position august north fought battalion great ability success military ability fine fighting spirit circumstances inspiring effect ranks contributed greatly success operation service western companion order michael december mentioned despatches times wars returned australia november appointment terminated march considered applying regular army commission found reserved graduates tried farming accepting soldier settlement block acres near queensland venture failure returned melbourne married november daughter elizabeth working odd jobs joined sydney october appointed passenger manager sydney office orient line appointments followed publicity manager january acting manager melbourne office passenger publicity superintendent temporary business manager brisbane office april returned sydney moved melbourne office temporary office manager position permanent december went sydney office time remained active time militia commanding 19th commander august promoted colonel appointed command 14th january moved melbourne transferred command 15th major general sir returning sydney assumed command visit england duties occasion observe british_army manoeuvres impressed pace modern forces realised australian_army long way human technical resources promoted brigadier known right wing views war member clandestine far right wing paramilitary organisation second world war britain october selected command 18th new 6th division brigade composed battalions smaller states natural assignment regular officer prime minister restricted commands senior posts militia officers experience army outside home states met october select officers new brigade like given regular officer case major formally enlisted october given serial number given rank colonel temporary brigadier days later delay preparing 18th camp meant concentrated december meantime battalions trained home states 16th departed palestine january 18th moved vacated accommodation new_south_wales consequence training proceeded slowly 16th 17th infantry brigades 18th finally embarked sydney route diverted united_kingdom owing dangerous military situation following moved camps trained australian force major general poorly equipped 18th nonetheless given important role defence september informed force nucleus new 9th division appointed command 18th embarked middle_east november reaching alexandria december commander order british_empire january brigades arrive england australia seriously ill decided send home appointed command 9th division january according official historian inch general slight build seemingly mild facial expression masked strong personality impact slight acquaintance quickly felt precise speech flint like piercing scrutiny conveyed impressions authority battles montgomery later declare contests likely found wanting february completely reorganised 18th 25th infantry brigades transferred 7th division return received 20th 24th infantry brigades short battalion garrison duty darwin partly trained equipped artillery ordered area relieve 6th division formation participate half trained half equipped pitched thick action immediately retreat commonwealth forces newly arrived general occupying vital port given command garrison retreat known australians handicap continued surrounded hundreds miles enemy lines lieutenant general determined held ordered defend ordered 18th reinforce garrison bringing brigades british artillery tank units brought provide support general sir instructed hold fortress months rest forces reorganised mounted relief mission supporting forces allied nations force decisively defeated powerful initial assaults retained possession fortress strategy defence mentioned officer training colleges world example arrange conduct depth defences superior armoured force important tactics conducting offensive operations possible attitude summed reported remark attention drawn british propaganda article entitled commented aggressive use artillery counter attacks achieved surprise crucial kept forces balance axis troops learned fear aggressive patrolling australian infantry dominated man land constant raids enemy forward positions intelligence prisoners disrupt attack preparations operations steal supplies available troops backed sited artillery mobile reserves held weeks months time separate relief campaigns main allied force egypt failed axis described ali thieves branded defenders port rats seized wore badge pride men referred later simply villain comics july convinced troops tired health deteriorating spite efforts morale discipline slipping informed relieved arranged 18th relieved rejoin 7th division august relieving point political considerations came play newly installed government prime minister australia advice took matter prime minister winston_churchill protested relief cause turned operation postponed october replaced moved syria serve occupation force resting training reinforcements marked rare defeat german armoured forces stage war battle knight commander order british empire january awarded polish government exile decorated november outbreak war japan december imminent threat invasion saw 6th 7th divisions transferred far_east early march given command australian forces mediterranean theatre promoted lieutenant general remaining commander allied divisional commanders distinct record success stage war acting commander british formation largely composed commonwealth troops occasions hopes given command corps great war war including thought excellent choice disagreements led difficult subordinate excellent division commander demands commanding corps australian regular officer new commander lieutenant general felt possess training experience command corps passed favour british regular officer junior commanded division action second battle given responsibility clearing corridor german italian forces north threatening cut coastal road sea initial assault division way enemy defences failed clear minefields british attack main effort switched punched massive german italian position days great cost process ultimately forcing retreat certain informed breakout possible fighting divisional sector 9th division suffered casualties australians killed wounded captured missing received mention despatches june november created knight commander new guinea campaign recalled arrived february welcomed home lieutenant general divisional commander sydney wars flew melbourne met sir sir informed command corps march commander handing command association entirely broken formed corps 6th 7th divisions undergoing jungle warfare training upcoming battles new_guinea intention spend time learning art jungle warfare replaced lieutenant general sir corps new_guinea chief staff brigadier chief staff late september summoned new_guinea relieve herring lieutenant general sir commander october found difficult situation japanese held high ground overlooking australian rapidly reinforcing position mount major counterattack demanded got critical reinforcements including tanks japanese counterattack crushed relieved brigadier command 24th replacing commanded brigade campaign unlike senior officers relief controversial time attracted little attention adjusting jungle warfare challenge men recalled picked day read like gun identified light gun killed trap kind war come war divisions fought divisions artillery maximum scale news gun certain area scout killed certain point november acting commander departure australian high commissioner india permanent january major general commander concerning relative placed 7th division directly command soon command feeling favourites individually collectively men served receiving treatment overall charge forces new_guinea battles rewarded capture april handed command lieutenant general returned australia remained commander despite fact command active area critics government picked public announcement november command charged shelved contrary recommended succeed commander chief event dealing politicians held little appeal pleased recognition hoped occur event end wartime service respite july appointed commander corps nominally lesser command australian_army subsequent operations staff headquarters exchanged names february received word objective borneo general placed corps direct command operation series landings east north west coasts island carried great efficiency achieving objectives low casualties british government proposed british lieutenant general sir given command operation proposed invasion main island japan australian government intention appointment officer experience fighting japanese counter proposed command war ended issue resolved post war life war returned civilian life australian general manager december continued receive honours military service including mention despatches president chairman director companies headed association secret organization similar movement involved prepared oppose communist attempts quietly disbanded later life turned offers military diplomatic posts governorship queensland serve president british youth emigration support scheme trustee scholarship trust fund provided assistance descendants second world war veterans appointed chairman committee reviewed group departments concerned defence government accepted committee recommendation supply defence production amalgamated dropped key proposal absorb navy air reform finally carried government died cancer september sydney given military funeral soldiers 9th division paid respects body cremated survived wife daughter commemorated ways road drive runs past canberra named canberra suburb war veterans home high care associated self care bedroom houses portrait held australian war memorial wartime papers
Leslie Morshead