Eric Archibald Willis KBE CMG (1922 - 1999)

Born 1922 in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Norma Dorothy (Thompson) Willis — married 11 May 1951 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 10 May 1999 at about age 77 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Karen Neumeyer [send private message] and David Niland [send private message]

Biography

Eric Willis KBE CMG is Notable.

The Honourable Sir Eric Archibald Willis KBE CMG was a soldier, politician, cabinet minister and the 34th premier of New South Wales, albeit for just four months. He is regarded as the outstanding minister of the Askin Government and considered one of the state's greatest education ministers.

The Hon. Sir Eric Willis

formative years

Eric Archibald Willis was born on 15th January 1922 at Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia. He was the eldest son of Archibald Willis, a butter factory hand and First World War veteran, and his wife, Vida Buttenshaw. He was educated at Tyalgum Public School, Murwillumbah High School, and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts with double honours in Modern History and Geography (BA (Hons)) in 1942. Whilst at university he enlisted in the Commonwealth Military Force's (militia) Sydney University Regiment.^[1]

Eric married Norma Thompson on 11th May 1951 at Sydney, New South Wales.^[2] They had a daughter and two sons.^[1]

military service

Eric Willis KBE CMG is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army 1940-1958
Allied Geographical Section, Army Intelligence

On 8th December 1942, during the Second World War and upon completing his university degree, Willis transferred to the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF), serving in the Allied Geographical Section, Army Intelligence on the homefront with Headquarters 1st Division before being deployed to New Guinea and the Philippines. Having attained the senior non-commissioned rank of Sergeant, he was demobilised from the AIF on 3rd June 1946.^[3]

post-war

Willis gained employment after the war as a senior geographer and investigation officer for Cumberland County Council. He continued to serve, part-time, in the Commonwealth Military Force from June 1946 to 1958, being commissioned and attaining the rank of Major in 1948.^[1]

parliamentary service

Willis joined the newly formed Liberal Party of Australia in 1945. He was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Liberal member for Earlwood in 1950; becoming the youngest member of parliament. He soon gained a reputation as rebel in the House, always attacking the Labor Speakers, and consequently being expelled from the house more than any other member. He considered the changing demographics of his electorate by creating the first-ever Greek branch of the Liberal Party and formed the first Young Liberals branch in Australia, which counted among its recruits future Prime Minister, John Howard. He rose to become a long-serving deputy leader of the Liberal Party from 1959 to 1975 under Sir Robert Askin. When the Coalition won the 1965 election, Willis was made a Minister of the Crown as Chief Secretary, Minister for Labour and Industry, Tourism and Sport but rose to prominence in his role as Minister for Education from 1972 to 1976.^[1] For his service as Minister, Willis was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) on 15th June 1974.^[4] For his service as deputy leader he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) on 14th June 1975.^[5]

He was elected as the parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party and subsequently became Premier of New South Wales. However, after only four months in office, his Liberal/National Country Party coalition was defeated at the 1976 election by the Labor Party under Neville Wran. During that brief period though, he established the long-demanded inquiry into the prison system in the form of a Royal Commission, extensively reshuffled the cabinet, introduced daylight saving time (to be decided upon in a referendum), scrapped the unpopular petrol tax, and announced a masterplan for Sydney's transport system. He retired from politics a year later, still aged just 55 years.^[1]

retirement

On his retirement, he was permitted by Queen Elizabeth II, on the Governor's recommendation, to continue to use the title, The Honourable, for life. Following politics, Willis served in various organisations and directorships, including the Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists and the Arthritis Foundation, of which he was executive director from 1984 to 1991, vice-president of the Red Cross (NSW Branch), a Fellow of the Royal Society of St George, and a member of the Australian Institute of Political Science and the Australian Institute of International Affairs.^[1]

The Willis' moved from their home at Bardwell Park to Neutral Bay. There, however, his marriage collapsed. Following their divorce, Willis married Lynn unknown.^[1]

He passed away, aged 77 years, on 10th May 1999.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} Wikipedia profile: Eric Willis; accessed 1 Oct 2019
2. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #8652/1951
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: 2149139 (NX133878) Sergeant Eric Archibald Willis; accessed 1 Oct 2019
4. ↑ Australian Honours: CMG; accessed 1 Oct 2019
5. ↑ Australian Honours: KBE; accessed 1 Oct 2019

Acknowledgments

Thank you to David Niland for creating WikiTree profile Willis-2327 through the import of Mary Ann.GED on Oct 8, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by David and others.