John Dudley Lavarack KCMG KCVO (1885 - 1957)

Born 19 Dec 1885 in Kangaroo Point, Queensland (Australia)

Ancestors

Husband of Sybil Nevett (Ochiltree) Lavarack — married 10 Oct 1912 in Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 4 Dec 1957 at age 71 in Buderim, Queensland, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kenneth Evans [send private message]

Preceded by Sir Leslie Orme Wilson GCSI GCMG GCIE DSO PC

16th Governor of Queensland 1st October 1946 to 4th December 1957

Succeeded by Colonel Sir Henry Abel Smith KCMG KCVO DSO

Biography

Joe Lavarack KCMG KCVO is Notable.

Joe Lavarack KCMG KCVO is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Lieutenant General Sir John 'Joe' Lavarack KCMG KCVO KBE CB DSO was a senior Australian soldier in both The Great War and Second World War, who was governor of Queensland from 1st October 1946 to 4th December 1957, the first Australian-born governor of that State. He was Chief of the General Staff from 1935 to 1939, responsible for building-up Australia's defence in the light of Japanese aggression in the Pacific region. He was an advocate of a strong military and not being solely reliant on the Royal Navy coming to our aid, accepting that the RN would be needed in Europe and the Mediterranean.

Lieutenant General Sir John Lavarack

Formative years

John Dudley Lavarack was born on 19th December 1885 in Kangaroo Point, Queensland (Australia). He was the third child and second son of Cecil Lavarack and Jessie Mackenzie, both English-born. ^[1] He was educated at Brisbane Grammar School, where, showing signs of his future excellent achievements, he excelled in the school's army cadets program.

Joe Lavarack KCMG KCVO is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Comonwealth Military Force 1905-1946
Royal Military College, Duntroon; Chief of the General Staff; Southern Command; 7th Division; I Corps; 1st Army; Australian Military Mission

On 7th August 1905, still 19 years of age, Lavarack was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Artillery. ^[2]

John married Sybil Ochiltree on 10th October 1912 in St George's Church of England (now Anglican), Queenscliff, Victoria. ^[3] Shortly afterward, the young couple set sail for England as John was to attend Staff College, Camberley for two years and then serve with British units for a further year. ^[2] Their first two sons were born in England during this time.

The Great War

Upon the outbreak of the First World War, being still in England, John was assigned first to the War Office, then as a brigade major of the British 22nd Division Artillery. The division spent a month in France during September 1915, but was transferred to Salonica in Greece, where it fought in the Balkans Campaign. Whilst John was assigned to the Australian Imperial Force in February 1915, he did not join it until July 1916 when he joined the Australian 2nd Division on the Western Front for the Battle of Pozières. ^[4] He was subsequently assigned as brigade major for the 5th Division, commanding two field artillery batteries during fighting at the Somme and the advance on the Hindenburg Line. In May 1917, his staff college training saw him transferred to 1st Division headquarters, which instigated a lifelong mutual antagonism between Lavarack and his superior at headquarters, Thomas Blamey. By December 1917, Lavarack was a Lieutenant Colonel and general staff officer, 1st grade, in the Australian 4th Division, and took part in battles at Dernancourt, Villers-Bretonneux, Hamel and Amiens, with Lavarack's hand in planning for the Battle of Hamel setting the stage for several subsequent Australian victories. ^[2] On 1st January 1918 he was appointed Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1918. ^[5] Twelve months later he was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). ^[6] He was the only officer to serve in the British Army and in every one of Australia's five divisions during the war. For his war service he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Between wars

After the war, the Lavarack family returned to Australia – John in September 1919 after he had conducted an instructional tour of several of the battlefields – where John took up a four-year post as Director of Military Art at the Royal Military College, Duntroon (effectively, second-in-command). During 1925-26 he was posted to Army Headquarters as Director of Military Training; responsible for the training policy of the army. In 1927 and 1928 John attended the Imperial Defence College in London. Upon his return to Australia, he was appointed Director of Military Operations and Intelligence, a position he held for four years.

Upon promotion to Brigadier, he was appointed commandant of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in January 1933. In 1935, upon promotion to Major General, he was appointed Chief of the General Staff (CGS), the head of the Australian Army. In February 1937 he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), ^[7] As CGS, John pulled no punches over what he saw as an over-reliance on the Royal Navy and neglect of Australia's land forces—renewing his long-standing argument of not depending on Britain's Royal Navy to secure Singapore and the Pacific from potential Japanese agression. ^[2] An inordinate amount of his time and energy were spent trying to convince the 'powers that be' that the government's defence policy was flawed, but, in the end, whilst correct he hurt his career prospects by alienating too many politicians. During his tenure, however, he did oversee the implementation of the Command and Staff College and the School of Signals. The conclusion of his term as CGS coincided with the declaration of war. Blamey was appointed to command the new 6th Division, which Lavarack was expecting to get, whilst Lavarack was promoted to Lieutenant General and made General Officer Commanding Southern Command (Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania), a 'backwater' for such a senior officer.

Second World War

In 1940, Lavarack took command of the newly formed 7th Division, the second division to be formed in the AIF, accepting a Blamey-induced demotion to Major General. Blamey became commander of the AIF whilst command of 6th Division was given to Mackay. In 1941, with both Blamey and Mackay in Greece, Lavarack was appointed commander Cyrenaica Command having huge success in the Tobruk campaign and, in mid-year, the Syria-Lebanon campaign with his own 7th Division. Subsequently, he was re-promoted to Lieutenant General, and given command of I Corps (comprising the three AIF divisions in the Mediterranean) from Blamey who returned to Australia upon being appointed Commander-in-Chief of all Australian forces. For the Middle East operations Lavarack was created Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in December 1941. ^[8] Following the outbreak of war with Japan, I Corps was shifted to the Far East, arriving in Java in January 1942. Lavarack was recalled to Australia, where he was made acting commander-in-chief of Australian forces whilst waiting for Blamey to return from the Middle East to fill the role. He then commanded the Australian Militia First Army, with responsibility for defending Queensland and New South Wales. In 1944, he flew to the United States where he became head of the Australian Military Mission, and was military advisor for Australia to the United Nations Conference on International Organisation. ^[9] He returned to Australia in August 1946 and, aged 60 years, retired from the military in September. ^[2] For his additional war service, he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939-1945.

Vice Regal appointment

Joe was the first Australian (and Queensland)-born governor of Queensland, Oct 1946-Jan 1957

The Premier of Queensland, 'Ned' Hanlon, offered the post of Governor of Queensland to Lavarack, who accepted and was sworn in on 1st October 1946. After completing his five-year term in 1951, Lavarack's governorship was extended by another five years to 1956. In February 1952, he proclaimed Queen Elizabeth II as the monarch in Queensland, following the death of her father, King George VI. Lavarack's oath of allegiance and oath of office were then re-administered, at his request, to reflect the new monarch. In April 1954, he was created Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) ^[10] and in January 1955, Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG). ^[11] He was further re-appointed for a further year from 1st October 1956, but due to ill health, he served just four months of the extended term, and was relieved of his duties on 25th January 1957 by his lieutenant governor; although he officially remained governor until his death as no appointment had yet been made. ^[12]

Rest

Sir John Lavarack's health failed to improve. ^[2] A fortnight short of turning 72 years, he passed away of a heart attack at his breakfast table on 4th December 1957 at home in Buderim, Queensland. ^[13] He was survived by his wife and sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren.