Michael Frederick Bruxner KBE DSO JP (1882 - 1970)

formative years

Michael Frederick Bruxner was born on 25th March 1882 at Tabulam, New South Wales (Australia); the second son of English-born grazier, Charles Bruxner, and Sarah Elizabeth Barnes.^[1] He was educated at The Armidale School and started studies at University of Sydney but returned to the family property as a grazier without completing his course. He purchased Roseneath, a grazing property near Tenterfield, where he bred Hereford cattle. Bruxner became vice-president of the local agricultural society and of the Cricket and Rugby clubs in Tenterfield. Being a racehorse owner, Bruxner also rose to be President of the Tenterfield Jockey Club from 1909 (aged 27 years!) to 1911.

On 17th June 1908 in Christ Church, Kiama, New South Wales, he married Winifred "Midge" Caird.^[2]

military service

Bruxner started his military career when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 11th September 1911 in the 6th Australian (New England) Light Horse, Citizen Military Forces, which was redesignated the 5th the following year. He joined the Australian Imperial Force soon after the declaration of war (First World War)^[3], on 10th October 1914, and was posted to the 6th Light Horse Regiment.^[4] Promoted to Captain, Bruxner was sent with his unit to take part in the Gallipoli Campaign, being wounded several times.

Later, in 1916, he commanded the 6th during part of the Battle of Romani and served with distinction in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, for which he was mentioned in despatches twice. On 30th May 1917, he was appointed by the President of France, Raymond Poincaré, as a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur "in recognition of distinguished services during the campaign". Also in 1917, Bruxner was appointed to General Headquarters and rose to be assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general of the ANZAC Mounted Division. For his service he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed as a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1919.^[5]

parliamentary service

Bruxner was elected to the Parliament of New South Wales for Northern Tablelands at the 1920 election. He won the newly-created seat of Tenterfield in 1927; retiring from politics before the 1962 election, having served continuously for 42 years. During that time he had held the portfiolios of Minister for Local Government (1927-30), Deputy Premier (1932-41) and Minister for Transport (1932-41). He was the leader of the Country Party (National Party) from 1932 for thirty years. Bruxner worked with his long-time friend, Minister for Education David Drummond, to establish a regional tertiary education institution. After the 1938 election, they moved to establish the New England University College (now University of New England), a constituent college of the University of Sydney in the city of Armidale, and Bruxner was appointed to the first Advisory Council, on which he served until 1951. From 1941, his conservative party found itself in opposition (where it remained until 1965). Whilst a member of the Legislative Assembly, as well as Roseneath Station, he maintained a Sydney residence in Bellevue Hill.

retirement, what's that?

Upon his retirement in 1962, Bruxner's younger son, James Caird (Tim) Bruxner, who had served with distinction in the Second Australian Imperial Force and the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War, gained preselection for his father's vacated seat and won it at the 1962 election. Tim Bruxner went on to become a member of the Askin, Lewis and Willis Cabinets from 1973 to 1976, including in his father's old portfolio as Minister for Transport and as Deputy Leader of the Country Party.

Bruxner was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1962 "for political and public services". From 1960, as well as his memberships of the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club, Bruxner was elected Deputy President of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales. He passed away on 28th March 1970 at Sydney, New South Wales.^[6] He was survived by his daughter and two sons, his wife having passed away the year before.

On 2nd November 1959, the Mains Roads Board of New South Wales named the highway spanning 420 kilometres of northern New South Wales as the Bruxner Highway in recognition of "the Colonel's" services to transport and roads.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #26958/1882
2. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #4988/1908
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial Nominal roll: Lieutenant Colonel Michael Frederick Bruxner; accessed 29 Jul 2018
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial Unit record: 6th Australian Light Horse Regiment; accessed 29 Jul 2018
5. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Lieutenant Colonel Michael Frederick Bruxner; accessed 29 Jul 2018
6. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #1559/1970

• Aitkin, Don. Bruxner, Sir Michael Frederick (1882–1970). Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bruxner-sir-michael-frederick-5409/text9165, published first in hardcopy 1979, accessed online 29 July 2018.
• Wikipedia: Michael Bruxner; accessed 29 Jul 2018.
• Michael Frederick BRUXNER his profile on the AIF PROJECT website, first accessed online on the 31st of January 2024.