Philip Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC (1937 - 2020)

Born 12 Dec 1937 in Wiluna, Western Australia, Australia

Died 18 Dec 2020 at age 83 in Australia

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Preceded by Right Reverend the Honourable Peter Hollingworth AC OBE

24th Governor-General of Australia 11 Aug 2003—3 Sep 2008

Succeeded by Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO

Biography

Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC is Notable.

Major General Philip Michael Jeffery AC AO (Mil) CVO MC KStJ was a senior Australian Army officer and vice-regal representative. He was the 28th Governor of Western Australia from 1993 to 2000, and the 24th Governor General of Australia, serving from 2003 to 2008.

MAJGEN Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC (Ret'd)

Philip Michael Jeffery was born on 12th December 1937 at Wiluna, Western Australia, Australia. ^[1] He was educated at Kent Street Senior High School, Perth, Western Australia. At sixteen years of age he left Perth to attend the Royal Military College, Duntroon, Canberra.

He married Marlena Kerr (1944-) in the late 1960s, with whom he had three sons and a daughter.

Military career

Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Second Australian Imperial Force 1958-1993
Deputy Chief of the General Staff

Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC was awarded the Military Cross.

After graduation in 1958, Jeffery served in a number of junior officer positions in the Australian Army before being posted to Malaya in 1962 for operational service. From 1966 to 1969 he served in Papua New Guinea. This was followed by a tour of duty in the Vietnam War ^[1] with 8th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. ^[2] In 1971, Jeffery was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for 'gallant services in Vietnam'. ^[3][4] After this service, Jeffery served as commander of the Special Air Service Regiment (1976-77).

In 1979, he was promoted to Colonel and appointed the first Director of the Army's Special Action Forces in 1979. In this role Jeffery was instrumental in developing the surveillance concept for Northern Australia and prepared the development of the Australian counter-terrorist concept and capability. Following promotion to Major General in 1985, he was appointed general officer commanding the 1st Division (1986-89), and Deputy Chief of the General Staff (1990-91), before retiring from active service in 1993. ^[5]

Vice Regal appointments

Michael was appointed Governor of Western Australia

In November 1993, Jeffery was appointed Governor of Western Australia and in June 1996 he was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for 'service to the Crown as Governor of Western Australia and to the community, particularly through providing leadership in his commitment to the initiation and promotion of youth programmes to address contemporary social problems'. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) on 1st April 2000.

Michael was appointed Governor General of Australia

Prime Minister John Howard announced on 22nd June 2003 that he had chosen Jeffery to be the next Governor General of Australia. He was formally appointed by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, and sworn in on 11th August 2003, becoming the first Australian career soldier to become Governor General. Throughout his term Jeffery was known as Major General the Honourable Michael Jeffery. His term concluded in 2008. ^[6]

Latter career

Having established Future Directions International (FDI) in 2000 as an independent, not-for-profit research institute based in Perth to conduct comprehensive research of important medium to long-term issues facing Australia, Jeffery devoted his now-available time and energy to the institute.

He was appointed Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust Australia and the Australian Representative of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust (UK).

He also became involved in Outcomes Australia (chairman), Soil Health (advocate), ^[7] Soils for Life (chairman), ^[8] Constitution Education Fund Australia (chairman), ^[9] Ethnic Business Awards Foundation (judge), and several not-for-profit organisation patronages.

Michael Jeffery maintained a strong, and public, Christian faith throughout his life; commenting in 2014: "... that the Christian Saviour is 'the greatest leader the world has ever seen or will ever see'." Rafael Epstein, "Jesus Christ makes the headlines" transcript, ^[10]

Final parade

Jeffery passed away, aged 83 years, on 18th December 2020. ^[11] He was survived by Marlena, who has been appointed Dame of Grace of the Order of St John (DStJ) for her charitable work; their four children and seven grandchildren.

Honours and awards

• Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) (2000)
• Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) – Civil division (1996) ^[12]
• Knight of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John (1994)
• Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) – Military division (1988) ^[13]
• Member of the Order of Australia (AM) – Military division (1981) ^[14]
• Military Cross (MC) (1971) ^[4]
• Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975 with Malaya, Thai-Malay and Vietnam clasps
• General Service Medal with Borneo clasp
• Vietnam Medal
• Australian Service Medal 1945–1975 with SE Asia and PNG clasps
• Centenary Medal (2001)
• Defence Force Service Medal with 4 clasps
• National Medal with first clasp (1977) ^[15]
• Australian Defence Medal
• Service Medal of the Order of St John
• Papua New Guinea Independence Medal (1977)
• Vietnam Campaign Medal
• Pingat Jasa Malaysia
• Honorary Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu (GCL) (2005)
• Vietnam Gallantry Cross; 8th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1970)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: 57053 Major Philip Michael Jeffery; accessed 19 Dec 2020
2. ↑ Australian War Memorial: 57053 Major Philip Michael Jeffery; accessed 19 Dec 2020
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: Military Cross; accessed 19 Dec 2020
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Australian Honours: Military Cross; accessed 19 Dec 2020
5. ↑ Singh, Shivani. Who's Who in Australia 2010. Melbourne, Australia, 2010. ISBN 1-74095-172-7
6. ↑ Governor General; accessed 19 Dec 2020
7. ↑ address by Prime Minister Julia Gillard to the National Farmer's Federation Conference; accessed 19 Dec 2020
8. ↑ Soils For Life; accessed 19 Dec 2020
9. ↑ website of Constitution Education Fund Australia; accessed 19 Dec 2020
10. ↑ The World Today Archives – Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 26 Feb 2004; accessed 19 Dec 2020
11. ↑ "Former governor-general, gentleman and 'great Australian' Michael Jeffery dies". The Canberra Times, 18 Dec 2020
12. ↑ Australian Honours: AC; accessed 19 Dec 2020
13. ↑ Australian Honours: AO; accessed 19 Dec 2020
14. ↑ Australian Honours: AM; accessed 19 Dec 2020
15. ↑ Australian Honours: National Medal; accessed 19 Dec 2020

See also

• Wikipedia profile: Michael Jeffery; accessed 19 Dec 2020.