lieutenant general sir february november senior commander australian_army served chief general staff born western_australia graduated adjutant regiments australian light horse undertaking staff training england completed second world war broke joined soon commanded 31st battalion england seeing action australian brigades greece crete promoted colonel following year held senior staff positions corps new_guinea appointed commander order british empire staff work war served terms commandant appointments posted japan promoted major general general officer commanding august deputy chief general staff january took lieutenant general october appointed companion order bath march focused reorganisation initiating army short lived formation retiring military june honorary colonel principal australian died early life born february western_australia son swedish wife née attended entering graduated posted australian light horse lieutenant december served extra aide camp new governor south australia general sir appointed adjutant 23rd light horse regiment november november following year british_army spent months attached 2nd guards india return australia january adjutant 23rd light horse married nurse september adelaide suburb couple son daughter adjutant 9th light horse regiment south_australia february promoted captain november march posted adjutant 3rd light horse regiment south australia speaker mount april reported warning poor state australia war shall time war shall fighting homes thousands miles away shall fighting door prepare august year transferred 4th light horse regiment victoria adjutant posted staff melbourne march departed england november following year attend promoted major july returned australia outbreak second world war second world war joined november appointed brigade major 18th brigade brigadier january brigade departed middle_east owing military situation following diverted britain arriving june promoted lieutenant colonel september took command 31st battalion day handed battalion february departed england middle east saw active service 19th brigade greece crete returning australia promoted temporary colonel april senior operations officer 1st armoured division served garrison force case japanese invasion posted melbourne october director armoured fighting vehicles september appointed general staff officer grade operations corps lieutenant general sir new_guinea months later promoted temporary brigadier corps continued serve position corps redesignated april following month finally october campaign lieutenant general appointed commander order british empire skill direction supervision having prepared guided staff work meet requirement complete reorganisation forces new_guinea honour london gazette july responsible japanese peace envoy contact australians august present instrument surrender signed september november took command 8th brigade new_guinea oversaw brigade return australia prior disbandment march exceptional service field earned mention despatches march november post war career following month course appointed commandant victoria june posted japan march brigadier charge administration july size scope occupation declined considerably tour finished october approximately australians remained late compared october december resumed command promoted temporary major general appointed general officer commanding covered state western_australia august deputy chief general staff february december succeeded major general second military member promoted temporary lieutenant general october appointed covered victoria south australia tasmania april superior headquarters major formations including 4th artillery groups elevation lieutenant general permanent december appointed companion order bath queen birthday honours june succeeded lieutenant general sir chief general staff march raised knight commander order british empire new year honours army underwent significant change term march chaired meeting new canberra following melbourne august announced senior officers radical reorganisation army strengthen regular forces reduce reliance federation formed backbone australia military plan included abolition federal government agreed introduction divisional structure championed structure overcome saw weakness traditional battalion overseas deployments ensure compatibility army formations australian_army traditional triangular divisional structure infantry battalions brigade headquarters replaced organisation consisting larger battalions brigade layer division battalion headquarters plan opposed officers result disbandment citizens brigades old militia battalions new structure shrink units lose traditional ties local communities establishment new multi battalion state based regiments leading suspicions entire process designed demolish concerned changing army organisation upgrading equipment early 1960s army acquire rifle machine gun armoured personnel carrier new mortars radios advocated strongly army operate helicopters light aircraft eventually established july scheduled retire army birthday february government extended term retired june succeeded lieutenant general recommended post face opposition minister army attempted appoint retired officer proposed reorganisation army lines went ahead proved short lived army abandoned system june australian_army returned triangular formation following review commissioned successor lieutenant general sir october retirement retiring military principal australian private institution delivering courses senior business government personnel victoria year tenure lobbied conscription federal government brought new selective service scheme invited draw ballot names advocated army division ready war times served honorary colonel appointed chairman position held died november cremated wife died earlier survived children
Ragnar Garrett