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personality pro le 61

Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey by Nicholas Han

INTRODUCTION minister in Carnavon but, before he accepted, he saw A man who attracted an advertisement promoting controversy but retained the applications for commissions in con dence of prime ministers, Sir the Commonwealth Cadet Forces.4 Thomas Albert Blamey was the Blamey was placed third in a  rst of cer to national military examination, attain the rank of Field Marshal. appointed on the While upholding the interests Administrative and Instructional of and developing the Staff in November, and posted Australian Army for vital battles to .5 On 8 September in the Paci c, he also brought 1909, he married Minnie Millard about many inventions and in Melbourne and had two children innovations into the military and over the span of  ve years.6 In the police force. 1910, Blamey was transferred to EARLY LIFE the Australian Military Forces and promoted to , taking Sir Thomas Albert Blamey was over the of the born on 24 January 1884 at Lake Area.7 Following a Albert, near Wagga Wagga, New competitive optional entrance 1 South Wales. He was the seventh examination for the Staff child of Richard Blamey, a butcher College, Quetta, India in 1912, who emigrated to Australia at age he became the  rst Australian 16 and took jobs such as a contract of cer to pass, indicating his drover and an overseer of shearing determination to make a success 2 sheds. Passing the New South out of his career. In his report Wales Education Department’s the commandant mentioned entrance examination at that Blamey came here without of 15, Tom worked as a pupil- military knowledge. However, his teacher at Lake Albert School, work during the  rst year was transferred to South Wagga Public characterized by a very genuine in 1901, and moved to Western determination to overcome this Australia in 1903 to be a teaching shortcoming, succeeding beyond assistant at Fremantle Boy’s all expectations by the end of 3 School for three years. that year.8 While in India, he also spent some time on attachment MILITARY CAREER to the British and Indian Armies, In 1906 he was offered an namely 4th , King’s Royal appointment as an probationary Riž e at Rawalpindi, Kohat

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B r i g a d e o n t h e N o r t h W e s t F r o n t i e r, 1 December 1916. In the 1917 INTER-WAR YEARS Shimal Army Headquarters and New Year Honors, he received the Blamey became director of 9 Distinguished Service Order award 4th Dragoon Guards at Tidworth. Military Operations at Army Blamey was promoted to major on for developing the successful Headquarters in Melbourne in 10 1 July 1914. attack plan for the Battle of October 1919, while retaining his Pozieres, and also received a wartime rank of mention in dispatches in the as an honorary rank. In 1920 he was 16 On the outbreak of World War process. In end 1916, Blamey promoted to substantive nd I, Major Blamey was transferred commanded the 2 and appointed Deputy Chief of the briež y to the War Of ce in Battalion, and thereafter became General Staff.22 Blamey was one of st London before joining the 1st acting of the 1 the two Army representatives that Australian in as Infantry Brigade. When General aided in the creation of the Royal General Staff Of cer (GSO), Grade Headquarters realized that Australian Air Force (RAAF) when 3 (Intelligence). He landed at Blamey was a staff college the government set up a joint 23 on 25 April 1915, sent to graduate, they commented that Army-Navy board for opinions. evaluate the situation on the 400 “it is inadvisable to release such In 1922, Blamey was involved in the establishing of the Singapore Plateau and sent reinforcements.11 of cers for command of strategy (a naval defense policy On 13 May 1915, when Blamey unless they have proved to be 17 which involved basing a ž eet of led a patrol behind the Turkish unequal to their duties on staff.” the Royal Navy in the Far East), lines, an enemy party of eight In June 1918, Blamey was and although skeptical, he briefed Turks appeared, one attacking promoted to Prime Minister Stanley Bruce Bombardier A. A. Orchard with a as the Brigadier on the strategy for the 1923 bayonet. Blamey shot him with 24 General, General Staff (BGGS), Imperial Conference. In 1923, his revolver, and six Turks were and thereafter aided the success Brudenell killed thereafter. He withdrew his White retired as Chief of General of the by pressing men back safely to the Australian Staff (CGS), passing the role for new models to be used.18 lines, and for that incident he to Lieutenant General Sir Harry He also took note of the use of was mentioned in dispatches.12 He Chauvel, while Blamey was was always curious in technical mustard gas used by the Germans, assigned the new post of Second innovation, realizing the and went out of the way to Chief of General Staff, the duties adoption of the periscope riž es in arrange for a supply of mustard of which were the same as CGS.25 Australian trenches,  rst seeing gas shells for the assault on the He transferred from the Permanent 19 it at the front line at Gallipoli. 13 . Lieutenant Military Forces to the Militia In July he was promoted to General , commander on 1 September 1925, assumed th temporary lieutenant colonel of the Australian Corps then, command of the 10 Infantry Brigade, then afterward the 3rd and went back to Egypt to aid mentioned that Blamey “possessed Division on 23 March 1931. He was the creation of the 2nd Australian a mind cultured far above the promoted to major general, one of Division.14 average, widely informed, alert four in that decade.26 and prehensile.”20 For his efforts On the Western Front in 1916, in the Australian Corps, Blamey After the resignation of the Blamey was made the Chief of was appointed Companion of Vic tor ia Police Chief Commissioner, st Staff and served as GSO1 in the 1 the in 1919, Alexander Nicholson, Blamey was Division.15 He was also promoted awarded the French Croix de Guerre recommended and received that to full colonel by Lieutenant and also mentioned twice more in position on 1 September 1925 General Sir in dispatches.21 for  ve years. He was determined

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to attend to the issues that commander of the police force to seek consent of the Australian led to the 1923 Police and worked accordingly. The government if he wanted to send strike, which he felt were “just, police force’s of cial historian them out.36 However, he did not even if they went the wrong way noted that “Blamey’s style of follow this and allowed Australian 27 about them.” He raised pay and dealing with public protest units to be deployed for the improved conditions, and applied was confrontationalist, readily Middle East crises according to the recommendations of the Royal violent, and generally ruthless.” military need.37 After the crises 28 Commission into the strike. On Argyle’s United Australia Party ended, Blamey requested his Other signi cant implementations government’s recommendation, units to return, causing conž icts were introducing police dogs, he was knighted in 1935, but on with British in the increasing police cars equipped 9 July 1936, Sir Albert Dunstan’s process. with two-way radios and boosting Country Party administration the number of policewomen in the forced him to resign for issuing an was tasked to force.29 He tried to call for faster untrue statement in an attempt on 15 February 1941. Blamey promotion by merit, however it to protect the reputation of one insisted to be sent was withdrawn later as the Police of his senior police of cers.32 before the 7th, causing a large Association did not favor it.30 Blamey was later recommended by debate with British Commander Richard Casey and Jo Gullet to be in Chief Middle East, General Sir A scandal occurred in 21 a possible commander in chief in 38 October 1925, where a raid in a the event of a war, and in April Archibald Wavell. Winning the brothel in Fitzroy found a man 1939 was designated so by Prime argument, he set about plans for who was carrying Blamey’s police Minister Joseph Lyons, who was evacuation immediately as he badge. Blamey’s reason for this replaced soon later by Robert noticed the chances of success was that he gave his key ring Menzies, a fellow supporter of was not high. Blamey managed to which included it to his friend Blamey.33 save many men but lost credibility who worked with him in France, when he let his son take the giving him access to alcohol in WORLD WAR II last seat out of .39 Wavell his locker in the Naval and After the start of World War II reported that Blamey “has shown Military Club. His story was backed in September 1939, Blamey was himself a  ne  ghting commander up by then-Captain promoted to lieutenant general in these operations and  tted for who was with him at the time. 40 th high command.” Blamey did not want to reveal and commanded the 6 Division, the man as he was married with receiving the Australian Imperial 34 Blamey was appointed Deputy 31 Force ser vice number VXI. Almost children. Commander in Chief Middle East all brigade commanders and 6th in April 1941, and promoted to It has been said that, while division commanders chosen by general in 24 September 1941.41 being Chief Commissioner, Blamey Blamey had served with him in During the Syrian campaign against was in charge of the “White Army,” in Melbourne. A year the Vichy French, Blamey tried to a right-wing, underground army later, the was formed prepared to defend the state if and grouped together with the resolve the command problems there were any communist or 6th Division called I Corps, with caused b y G ener al W il s on’s at t emp t Catholic attempts to overrule Blamey as its commander.35 He t o d ir e c t t h e  gh t in g f r om t h e K in g the state. Although Blamey’s was directly answerable to the David Hotel in Jerusalem by position in this could not be Minister of Defense, instead of the interposing Lavarack’s I Corps determined, he was trained and Military Board, and was given a headquarters. For all his efforts was naturally an autocrat; he charter in 1914 that required him in the Middle East, Blamey was thought himself to be the supreme to keep his forces together and made a Knight Commander of the

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Order of the Bath on 1 January 3. Horner, “Biography – Sir Thomas 31089, 15225, 31 December 1942, mentioned in dispatches Albert Blamey.” 1918. Mentioned in Dispatches, The London Gazette (Supplement) and awarded the Greek War Cross, 4. Hetherington, Blamey, Controversial no, 31448, 8826. 11 July 42 Soldier. First Class. 1919. Croix de Guerre, The London 5. Ibid. Gazette (Supplement) no. 31109, 312, 3 January 1919. AFTER WORLD WAR II 6. Ibid. 22. Horner, “Biography – Sir offered to resign his 7. Horner, “Biography – Sir Thomas Albert Blamey.” post of Commander in Chief on Albert Blamey,.” 23. Ibid. 15 September 1945, formally 8. Ibid. 43 24. Ibid. retiring 31 January 1946. The 9. Ibid. Minister of Army 25. Ibid. 10. Ibid. wanted to reward Blamey for 26. Ibid. his services. Blamey wanted 11. Ibid. 27. Hetherington, Blamey, Controversial knighthoods for his generals 12. “Honors and Awards: T. A. Blamey Soldier. but that could not be arranged. – Recommendation for Mention in Dispatches”, Australian War 28. Ibid. Instead, Forde gave Blamey the Memorial, 17 April 2013, http:// Buick car he had used during the www.awm.gov.au/collection/ 29. Ibid. war.44 Blamey was duly promoted records/awm28/2/awm28-2- 30. Horner, “Biography – Sir Thomas to  eld marshal in the King’s 46part1-0013.pdf. Albert Blamey.” Birthday Honors of 8 June 1950. 13. , Of cial History 31. Ibid. He passed away due to cerebral of Australia in the War of 1914– 1918 (: Australian War 32. Ibid. hemorrhage on 27 May 1951.45 Memorial, 1921). 33. Hetherington, Blamey, Controversial Soldier. Blamey is honored in Australia 14. “Field Marshal Thomas Albert Blamey,” 17 April 2013, Australian in many ways, such as a square 34. , Australia in the War War Memorial, http://www.awm. of 1939–1945: Series 1 – Army, named after him in Canberra, a gov.au/people/117.asp. vol. 1 (Canberra: Australian War street and park named after him in 15. Ibid. Memorial, 1952). , and a statue of 16. The London Gazette, Supplement 35. Horner, Blamey, Controversial him in , Melbourne.46 no. 29886, 29 December 1916, 19- Soldier. The statue rež ected Blamey on a 28. 36. Long, Australia in the War of 1939– jeep instead of a horse, showing 17. Horner, “Biography – Sir Thomas 1945. his role in the technological Albert Blamey.” 37. Ibid. transformation of the Army during 18. Hetherington, Blamey, Controversial 38. Horner, “Biography – Sir Thomas his years of service.  Soldier. Albert Blamey.” 19. “Blister Agent: Sulfur Mustard 39. Ibid. (H, HD, HS),” CBWinfo, 30 April ENDNOTES 2013, http://www.cbwinfo.com/ 40. Ibid. Chemical/Blister/HD.shtml. 1. John Hetherington, Blamey, 41. Ibid. Controversial Soldier: A Biography 20. John Monash, The Australian 42. Hetherington, Blamey, Controversial of Field Marshal Sir Thomas Victories in France in 1918 (London: Soldier. Blamey (Canberra: Australian War Hutchinson & Co, 1920), 296. Memorial, 1973). 43. Ibid. 21. Companion of the Order of 2. , “Biography – Sir the Bath (CB), The London 44. Ibid. Thomas Albert Blamey,” 15 April Gazette (Supplement) no. 31245, 45. Ibid. 2013, http://adb.anu.edu.au/ 3835, 21 March 1919. Mentioned biography/blamey-sir-thomas- in Dispatches, The London 46. Ibid. albert-9523. Gazette (Supplement) no.

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