2019 Special Honours (Australia)

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The Special Honours Lists for Australia are announced by the Sovereign and Governor-General at any time.

Contents

Some honours are awarded by other countries where Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State and Australians receiving those honours are listed here with the relevant reference.

Order of Australia

Ribbon bar of the Order of Australia (General) AUS Order of Australia (civil) BAR.svg
Ribbon bar of the Order of Australia (General)
Ribbon bar of the Order of Australia (Military) AUS Order of Australia (military) BAR.svg
Ribbon bar of the Order of Australia (Military)

Companion (AC)

Honorary

Officer (AO)

Honorary
General Division
Military Division

Member (AM)

Honorary
Military Division

Medal (OAM)

Honorary

Royal Victorian Order

Ribbon bar of the Royal Victorian Order UK Royal Victorian Order ribbon.svg
Ribbon bar of the Royal Victorian Order

Commander (CVO)

Lieutenant (LVO)

Distinguished Service Cross

Ribbon bar of the Distinguished Service Cross DSC (Australia) ribbon.png
Ribbon bar of the Distinguished Service Cross

Medal for Gallantry

Ribbon bar of the Medal for Gallantry MGAustRibbon.png
Ribbon bar of the Medal for Gallantry

Distinguished Service Medal

Ribbon bar of the Distinguished Service Medal DSM (Australia) ribbon.png
Ribbon bar of the Distinguished Service Medal

Conspicuous Service Medal

Ribbon bar of the Conspicuous Service Medal CSM Australia ribbon.png
Ribbon bar of the Conspicuous Service Medal

Commendation for Gallantry

Ribbon bar of the Commendation for Gallantry Commendation for Gallantry (Australia) ribbon.png
Ribbon bar of the Commendation for Gallantry

Champion Shots Medal

Ribbon bar of the Champion Shots Medal Champion Shots Medal (Australia) ribbon.png
Ribbon bar of the Champion Shots Medal

Bar

Order of St John

Order of St John ribbon Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector.svg
Order of St John ribbon

Knight of the Order of St John

Honorary military appointments

Related Research Articles

The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been equal in stature to the Victoria Cross, the highest military gallantry award. It is awarded "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger", not in the presence of the enemy, to members of the British armed forces and to British civilians. Posthumous awards have been allowed since it was instituted. It was previously awarded to residents of Commonwealth countries, most of which have since established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians including police, emergency services and merchant seamen. Many of the awards have been personally presented by the British monarch to recipients or, in the case of posthumous awards, to next of kin. The investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace.

The Australian honours and awards system refers to all orders, decorations, and medals, as instituted by letters patent from the Monarch of Australia and countersigned by the Australian prime minister at the time, that have been progressively introduced since 14 February 1975. The Australian honours and awards system excludes all state and local government, and private, issued awards and medals.

Military Cross Military decoration of the British Armed Forces

The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.

8th Division (Australia) Former infantry division of the Australian Army

The 8th Division was an infantry division of the Australian Army, formed during World War II as part of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force. The 8th Division was raised from volunteers for overseas service from July 1940 onwards. Consisting of three infantry brigades, the intention had been to deploy the division to the Middle East to join the other Australian divisions, but as war with Japan loomed in 1941, the division was divided into four separate forces, which were deployed in different parts of the Asia-Pacific region. All of these formations were destroyed as fighting forces by the end of February 1942 during the fighting for Singapore, and in Rabaul, Ambon, and Timor. Most members of the division became prisoners of war, waiting until the war ended in late 1945 to be liberated. One in three died in captivity.

Charles Groves Wright Anderson Australian Victoria Cross recipient, farmer and politician.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Groves Wright Anderson, VC, MC was a South African-born soldier, Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, a member of the Australian House of Representatives, and a farmer. After growing up in Africa and being schooled in England, Anderson served as an officer during the East African campaign against the Germans during the First World War, reaching the rank of captain and being awarded the Military Cross.

Gordon Bennett (general) Australian Army general

Lieutenant General Henry Gordon Bennett, was a senior Australian Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II. Despite highly decorated achievements during World War I, during which he commanded at both battalion and brigade level and became the youngest general in the Australian Army, Bennett is best remembered for his role in the Battle of Singapore in February 1942 in the Pacific War. As commander of the 8th Australian Division, he escaped while his men became prisoners of the Imperial Japanese Army. After this, Bennett's military career waned and, although he rose to command a corps, he never again commanded troops in battle. In 1945, his escape caused controversy and resulted in a Royal Commission and military enquiry. Both found that he had been unjustified in relinquishing his command.

Tom Starcevich Australian soldier, Victoria Cross recipient

Leslie Thomas Starcevich, VC was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of British and Commonwealth armed forces. He received the award as member of the 2/43rd Battalion, during the Borneo campaign of the Second World War.

2/5th Battalion (Australia) Former battalion of the Australian Army

The 2/5th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that operated during World War II. It was raised at Melbourne, Victoria, on 18 October 1939 as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, attached to the 17th Brigade of the 6th Division. The 2/5th was one of only two Australian infantry battalions to fight against all of the major Axis powers during the war, seeing action against the Germans and Italians in Egypt, Libya, Greece and Crete, and the Vichy French in Syria, before returning to Australia in 1942 to fight the Japanese following a period of garrison duties in Ceylon, where it formed part of an Australian force established to defend against a possible Japanese invasion.

2/7th Battalion (Australia) Former infantry battalion of the Australian Army

The 2/7th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army raised for service during World War II. Formed as part of the 6th Division shortly after the outbreak of the war as part of the all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force, the 2/7th Battalion's initial personnel were recruited primarily from the state of Victoria, although later reinforcements were drawn from most other Australian states. Basic training was completed in Australia, after which the battalion embarked for the Middle East as part of the first batch of Australian troops to deploy overseas. Further training was undertaken in Palestine before the battalion went into action against the Italians in January 1941. After participating in the successful capture of Bardia and Tobruk, it was committed to the disastrous Battles of Greece and Crete, where the battalion was essentially destroyed after the majority of its personnel were captured.

James Cannan Australian general

Major General James Harold Cannan, was an Australian Army brigadier general in the First World War and the Quartermaster General during the Second World War.

The Star of Gallantry (SG) is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and other persons recognised by the Minister for Defence. It is awarded for acts of great heroism or conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of great peril. It is the second highest of the military gallantry awards in the Australian Honours System, only surpassed by the Victoria Cross or Victoria Cross for Australia (VC).

Commendation for Gallantry Award

The Commendation for Gallantry is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force, it recognises acts of gallantry in action considered worthy of recognition. The award was introduced on 15 January 1991, replacing the Imperial equivalent of the Mentioned in Despatches. It is ranked fourth in the Gallantry Decorations in the Australian Honours System. Since its inception 68 awards have been made.

Selarang Barracks incident British prisoner-of-war revolt

The Selarang Barracks incident, also known as the Barrack Square incident or the Selarang Square Squeeze, was a revolt of British and Australian prisoners-of-war (POWs) interned in a Japanese camp in Changi, Singapore.

2/5th Commando Squadron (Australia) Military unit

The 2/5th Commando Squadron was one of twelve independent companies and or commando squadrons of the Australian Army formed for service during World War II. Initially formed in 1942 as the "2/5th Independent Company", the 2/5th served in New Guinea, taking part in a major commando raid on Salamaua in June 1942. It was later withdrawn from New Guinea and reformed as the "2/5th Cavalry (Commando) Squadron", as part of the 2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment which saw service in Borneo in 1945. It was disbanded in early 1946.

Edward Smart

Lieutenant General Edward Kenneth Smart, was a career officer in the Australian Army, and subsequently a diplomat.

2/40th Battalion Military unit

The 2/40th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Formed in mid-1940 from personnel recruited from Tasmania, the battalion was assigned to the 23rd Brigade, which formed part of the 8th Division. After completing basic training, the 2/40th was sent to Darwin to form part of the defensive garrison there as tensions with the Japanese grew throughout 1941. Following Japan's entry into the war, the battalion was deployed to Timor as part of Sparrow Force and in early 1942 they took part in the fighting on the island against the Japanese. Outnumbered and lacking supplies, the majority of the 2/40th's personnel were captured and spent the rest of the war as prisoners of war, although some were able to wage a guerrilla campaign across the island before being withdrawn by the end of year.

Frederick Galleghan Australian general

Major General Sir Frederick Gallagher Galleghan, was a senior officer in the Australian Army who served in the First and Second World Wars.

2/19th Battalion (Australia) World War II Australian infantry battalion

The 2/19th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which was raised for service during the Second World War as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. After being formed in mid-1940, the battalion was allocated to the 22nd Brigade, which was part of the 8th Division. After completing training in Australia, in early 1941 the 2/19th deployed to Malaya, as part of the Australian force despatched to help bolster the British garrison there as tensions with Japan heightened. Following the commencement of hostilities against Japan, the 2/19th fought several actions in Johore, before withdrawing across the Causeway to Singapore. There, the battalion was involved in the Battle of Singapore in early February 1942, during which it suffered heavy casualties before being captured following the capitulation of the British garrison. The battalion's personnel subsequently spent the next three-and-a-half years as prisoners of war, before being released at the end of the conflict.

The 2/21st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised for service during Second World War as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, it was formed on 11 July 1940 at Trawool in central Victoria as part of the 23rd Brigade of the 8th Division. It was subsequently deployed to Ambon as part of Gull Force in December 1941 following the Japanese invasion of Malaya; however, with the defence of the island considered untenable due to the limited military resources available and overwhelming Japanese strength it was subsequently captured despite determined resistance, surrendering on 3 February 1942. Most members of the battalion became prisoners of war, and a large number died in captivity.

The Special Honours Lists for Australia are announced by the Sovereign and Governor-General at any time.

References

  1. 2019-S8 – Honorary Companion (AC) in General Division (9 October 2019)
  2. 2019-S2 [ permanent dead link ] – Honorary Officer (AO) in General Division (10 April 2019)
  3. 2019-S7 – Honorary Officer (AO) in Military Division (8 October 2019)
  4. 2019-S9 – Honorary Member (AM) in Military Division (20 November 2019)
  5. 2019-S3 – Honorary Officer (AO) in General Division (10 April 2019)
  6. "Court Circular: Balmoral Castle". The Times . 13 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  7. "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B1.
  8. 1 2 2019-MG, DSM – Medal for Gallantry
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Government House" (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. 1 2 "Government House" (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 2019-S1 Archived 2019-03-18 at the Wayback Machine – Commendation for Gallantry (5 February 2019)
  12. 1 2 3 "Government House" (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  13. Invested as a Knight Commander of the WA Commandery of the Order of St John, Western Australian Government, archived from the original on 11 April 2019, retrieved 11 April 2019
  14. "Chief of Navy". Chief of Navy. Retrieved 25 September 2019.