Francis Hassett
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Francis George "Frank" Hassett AC, KBE, CB, DSO, LVO (11 April 1918 – 11 June 2008) was an Australia
n general who rose to the position of Chief of the Defence Force Staff
; a position marking him as the professional head of the Australian Defence Force
. Serving in this capacity from November 1975 until April 1977, he had originally joined the Australian Army in 1935 upon gaining entrance into the Royal Military College, Duntroon
. Serving with distinction in the early stages of the Second World War, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel
in 1942 at the age of 23, and posted as a staff officer for the remainder of the war.
In 1951, Hassett was appointed to command the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
in Korea
, where he led the unit through some of the toughest fighting of the war. For his leadership and planning during the Battle of Maryang San, he was granted an immediate award of the Distinguished Service Order
. Promoted to brigadier
in 1960, Hassett commanded a brigade in Malaya for three years, before returning to Australia and serving in a variety of positions which eventually resulted in his appointment as Chief of the General Staff with the rank of lieutenant general
. Promoted to general after two years in this role, he was appointed Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, which was reorganised as Chief of the Defence Force Staff the following year. Hassett died in 2008 at the age of 90.
suburb of Marrickville, New South Wales
. The son of a railway yard manager, he attended Canterbury Boys' High School
, before leaving at the age of 15 and gaining employment with the Department of Tramways. Seeking a position at the Royal Military College, Duntroon
, he only gained entry after receiving special consideration from Colonel John Lavarack
, the Chairman of the College's Selection Board. Hassett began his course at the college in March 1935, aged 16, and soon proved himself a capable cadet. He excelled at military subjects and featured in the College rugby, boxing, equestrian and athletics teams, later captaining the rugby XV. In 1938 he was promoted to under officer, a position marking him as the senior cadet in his company, and commissioned as a lieutenant
later in the year.
Upon graduation, Hassett was posted to the Darwin Mobile Force
and given command of rifle platoon and then of a Mortar Platoon. Ironically, due to the constraints of the Defence Act, the Darwin Mobile Force was officially designated an artillery unit and he thus began his infantry career in the artillery.
of the 6th Division. The division sailed for the Middle East
from Sydney on 10 January 1940, and disembarked in Egypt
a little over a month later in preparation for service in the North African Campaign
. After further training in Palestine
and Egypt, the battalion took part in an attack on the Italian coastal fortress of Bardia
. Two weeks later, the 2/3rd Battalion was to take part in the capture of Tobruk
by the 6th Division. Tasked with laying white tapes for a start-line on the eve of the attack, Hassett found a weak point in the Italian front line, where he proceeded to lay the tapes. In an effort to complete the task before dawn, he began to walk instead of crawling and prodding for mines; one duly blew up, with Hassett suffering shrapnel wounds to his foot. He was subsequently Mentioned in Despatches for his actions. Having recovered from his wounds, Hassett was sent to the British Army
Staff College at Haifa
and was subsequently promoted to major
. Shortly afterwards, he was posted as Brigade Major
to the 18th Brigade in Syria
.
When Japan
entered the war, Hassett planned and controlled the brigade's embarkation from Suez
and return to Australia, learning on his arrival that he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel
. At 23, he was the youngest army officer to attain that rank. Training postings followed before receiving an appointment as a staff officer in New Guinea
. By the end of the Second World War, he was chief of staff to the 3rd Division conducting operations against the Japanese forces on the island of Bougainville, without having an operational command. For his services in the Pacific, Hassett was again Mentioned in Despatches and awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
As a result of his World War II service, Hassett was also awarded the 1939–1945 Star, the Africa Star
, the Pacific Star
, the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939–1945
(with oakleaf for Mention in Despatches) and the Australia Service Medal 1939–45.
(1RAR). While in command of the battalion at Holsworthy Barracks, New South Wales, the couple's first child, a daughter to be named Lyndal, was born.
to assume command of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
(3RAR). He led the battalion through some of the toughest fighting of the war, which reached its peak in October–December 1951 in Operation Commando
. The operation was designed to strengthen the Allied position, and on 5 October, Hassett was tasked with the capture of Hill 317, better known as Maryang San.
Maryang San was a two-mile-long, crescent-shaped ridge with irregular extending spurs rising two hundred meters above the valley. Ideal for defence, it was held by well-entrenched Chinese troops supported by artillery and mortars. While British forces attacked further west, men from A Company 3RAR attempted an advance along a spur south-east of the summit. The attack acted as a feint by drawing Chinese defenders away from the main ridgeline, up which B and D Companies then advanced. After a series of assaults, D Company managed to capture four knolls leading up the ridgeline before C Company took over the attack and captured a feature known as Baldy, before moving on quickly to occupy the summit, which had been abandoned by the Chinese.
Throughout the next day, the Australians held the summit against heavy Chinese fire and several attempts to infiltrate the position. Early on 7 October, B Company captured the final objective 'the Hinge', after heavy fighting. Subject to severe and continuous artillery bombardment throughout the following day, the Chinese attempted a number of counter-attacks in the evening; all of which were repulsed before the Chinese finally withdrew and the Australians' hold on Maryang San was secured. For his leadership and planning during the battle, Hassett received an immediate award of the Distinguished Service Order
, before returning to Australia in July 1952, where he was posted as the director of military art at the Royal Military College, Duntroon.
As a result of his Korean service, Hassett was also awarded the Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975, the Korea Medal
and the United Nations Korea Medal.
world tour, and was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order
for his service. Promoted to Brigadier
in 1960, he was appointed to command the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade in Malaya
, conducting counter-insurgency operations. During this time, he also led participation in regional exercises with Thailand and contributed to developments in tropical warfare and counter-insurgency. Upon leaving Malaya in 1963, he attended the Imperial Defence College in London, before returning to Canberra as Deputy Chief of the General Staff with the rank of major general
. In the 1966 New Years Honours, Hassett was upgraded to a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and also awarded the Malaysian Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (Meritorious Service Medal) for his services in Malaya.
Appointed General Officer in Command of Australia's Northern Command in 1968, Hassett was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1970. Later in 1970 he was selected to lead the Army Review Committee, which became more colloquially known as the "Hassett Committee". The committee's far reaching reforms included moving from a geographical to a functional command system, which involved in part the replacement of the various State Army Command Headquarters with a national field force, training and logistics command system; a system that remains largely in place today. In 1971, Hassett was appointed as Vice Chief of the General Staff, and tasked with implementing the organisational reforms he had initiated, as well as supervising the end of conscription
, the withdrawal of Australian troops from Vietnam
and the consequential organisational changes brought about by a reduction in Army manpower.
In 1973, Hassett was promoted to lieutenant general
and made Chief of the General Staff. Appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 1975, he was promoted to general
in November and became Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee
; the professional head of the Australian Military. When the Australian Defence Force
(ADF) was established on 9 February 1976, Hassett assumed the new appointment of Chief of the Defence Force Staff, which expanded his authority over the three services and made him the ADF's first commander. In June 1976, Hassett was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Ill health forced Hassett into retirement in April 1977; he was awarded the National Medal
in the 1977 Queens Birthday Honours.
Other awards received during his career included the Australian Service Medal 1945–1975, General Service Medal
(with Malaya clasp), the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
(1952), the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
(1977), the Defence Force Service Medal
(with Federation Star) for over 40 years service, the Australian Defence Medal
and more recently the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
.
, where he was later appointed colonel commandant of the Royal Australian Regiment. In 2006, after a sizable donation was made to the Royal Australian Regiment Foundation by the pair, the Hassett Award was established in order to annually honour junior leadership within the Regiment. General Hassett died at his home on 11 June 2008, after a long battle with illness.
_ribbon.png)
_ribbon.png)
_ribbon.png)
_ribbon.png)
General (Australia)
General is the second highest rank, and the highest active rank, of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of General; it is also considered a four-star rank....
Sir Francis George "Frank" Hassett AC, KBE, CB, DSO, LVO (11 April 1918 – 11 June 2008) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n general who rose to the position of Chief of the Defence Force Staff
Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)
Chief of the Defence Force is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force . The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, in a coequal arrangement with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.The position is a...
; a position marking him as the professional head of the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
. Serving in this capacity from November 1975 until April 1977, he had originally joined the Australian Army in 1935 upon gaining entrance into the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
. Serving with distinction in the early stages of the Second World War, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in 1942 at the age of 23, and posted as a staff officer for the remainder of the war.
In 1951, Hassett was appointed to command the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, where he led the unit through some of the toughest fighting of the war. For his leadership and planning during the Battle of Maryang San, he was granted an immediate award of the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. Promoted to brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in 1960, Hassett commanded a brigade in Malaya for three years, before returning to Australia and serving in a variety of positions which eventually resulted in his appointment as Chief of the General Staff with the rank of lieutenant general
Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
. Promoted to general after two years in this role, he was appointed Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, which was reorganised as Chief of the Defence Force Staff the following year. Hassett died in 2008 at the age of 90.
Early life and career
Hassett was born on 11 April 1918, in the SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
suburb of Marrickville, New South Wales
Marrickville, New South Wales
Marrickville, a suburb of Sydney's Inner West is located 7 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia and is the largest suburb in the Marrickville Council local government area...
. The son of a railway yard manager, he attended Canterbury Boys' High School
Canterbury Boys' High School
Canterbury Boys' High School is a public, secondary, day school for boys, located in Canterbury, a south-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located near the Canterbury Park Racecourse and next to Canterbury Girl's High School.Established in January 1918 as the Canterbury...
, before leaving at the age of 15 and gaining employment with the Department of Tramways. Seeking a position at the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
, he only gained entry after receiving special consideration from Colonel John Lavarack
John Lavarack
Lieutenant General Sir John Dudley Lavarack KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO was an Australian soldier who was Governor of Queensland from 1 October 1946 to 4 December 1957, the first Australian-born governor of that state....
, the Chairman of the College's Selection Board. Hassett began his course at the college in March 1935, aged 16, and soon proved himself a capable cadet. He excelled at military subjects and featured in the College rugby, boxing, equestrian and athletics teams, later captaining the rugby XV. In 1938 he was promoted to under officer, a position marking him as the senior cadet in his company, and commissioned as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
later in the year.
Upon graduation, Hassett was posted to the Darwin Mobile Force
Darwin Mobile Force
The Darwin Mobile Force was a mixed force of infantry and artillery raised by the Australian Army prior to the Second World War. It was the first regular infantry field force in the Australian military, although due to legislative restrictions that existed at the time it was established as part of...
and given command of rifle platoon and then of a Mortar Platoon. Ironically, due to the constraints of the Defence Act, the Darwin Mobile Force was officially designated an artillery unit and he thus began his infantry career in the artillery.
Second World War
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Hassett was promoted to captain and posted as Adjutant to the 2/3rd Battalion2/3rd Australian Infantry Battalion
The 2/3rd 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 in October 1939 in Sydney and was attached to the 16th Brigade, 6th Division...
of the 6th Division. The division sailed for the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
from Sydney on 10 January 1940, and disembarked in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
a little over a month later in preparation for service in the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. After further training in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Egypt, the battalion took part in an attack on the Italian coastal fortress of Bardia
Bardia
Bardia is a geographic region in the Democratic Republic of Nepal.Bardia comprises a portion of the Terai, or lowland hills and valleys of southern Nepal. The Terai is over 1,000 feet in elevation, and extends all along the Indian border...
. Two weeks later, the 2/3rd Battalion was to take part in the capture of Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
by the 6th Division. Tasked with laying white tapes for a start-line on the eve of the attack, Hassett found a weak point in the Italian front line, where he proceeded to lay the tapes. In an effort to complete the task before dawn, he began to walk instead of crawling and prodding for mines; one duly blew up, with Hassett suffering shrapnel wounds to his foot. He was subsequently Mentioned in Despatches for his actions. Having recovered from his wounds, Hassett was sent to the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Staff College at Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
and was subsequently promoted to major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. Shortly afterwards, he was posted as Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
to the 18th Brigade in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
When Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
entered the war, Hassett planned and controlled the brigade's embarkation from Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
and return to Australia, learning on his arrival that he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. At 23, he was the youngest army officer to attain that rank. Training postings followed before receiving an appointment as a staff officer in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. By the end of the Second World War, he was chief of staff to the 3rd Division conducting operations against the Japanese forces on the island of Bougainville, without having an operational command. For his services in the Pacific, Hassett was again Mentioned in Despatches and awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
As a result of his World War II service, Hassett was also awarded the 1939–1945 Star, the Africa Star
Africa Star
The Africa Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in the Second World War.The Star was awarded for a minimum of one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943...
, the Pacific Star
Pacific Star
The Pacific Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II. It was also awarded to certain foreign servicemen, such as Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz of the United States.-Entitlement:...
, the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939–1945
War Medal 1939–1945
The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea...
(with oakleaf for Mention in Despatches) and the Australia Service Medal 1939–45.
Inter-bellum
Returning to Australia after the end of the war, Hassett was posted as an instructor at the Australian Army Staff College in Toowoomba. On 18 May 1946, he married Hallie Roberts, with whom he was to have four children. In 1948, Hassett was posted as a staff officer to the 2nd Division, remaining in this position until March 1951, when he assumed command of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War...
(1RAR). While in command of the battalion at Holsworthy Barracks, New South Wales, the couple's first child, a daughter to be named Lyndal, was born.
Korean War
In June 1951, Hassett was sent to KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
to assume command of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
(3RAR). He led the battalion through some of the toughest fighting of the war, which reached its peak in October–December 1951 in Operation Commando
Operation Commando (1951)
Operation Commando was an offensive undertaken by UN forces during the Korean War between 2–5 October 1951. The U.S. I Corps seized the Jamestown Line, destroying elements of the 42nd, 47th, 64th and 65th Chinese Armies. This prevented the Communist forces from interdicting the U.N...
. The operation was designed to strengthen the Allied position, and on 5 October, Hassett was tasked with the capture of Hill 317, better known as Maryang San.
Maryang San was a two-mile-long, crescent-shaped ridge with irregular extending spurs rising two hundred meters above the valley. Ideal for defence, it was held by well-entrenched Chinese troops supported by artillery and mortars. While British forces attacked further west, men from A Company 3RAR attempted an advance along a spur south-east of the summit. The attack acted as a feint by drawing Chinese defenders away from the main ridgeline, up which B and D Companies then advanced. After a series of assaults, D Company managed to capture four knolls leading up the ridgeline before C Company took over the attack and captured a feature known as Baldy, before moving on quickly to occupy the summit, which had been abandoned by the Chinese.
Throughout the next day, the Australians held the summit against heavy Chinese fire and several attempts to infiltrate the position. Early on 7 October, B Company captured the final objective 'the Hinge', after heavy fighting. Subject to severe and continuous artillery bombardment throughout the following day, the Chinese attempted a number of counter-attacks in the evening; all of which were repulsed before the Chinese finally withdrew and the Australians' hold on Maryang San was secured. For his leadership and planning during the battle, Hassett received an immediate award of the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, before returning to Australia in July 1952, where he was posted as the director of military art at the Royal Military College, Duntroon.
As a result of his Korean service, Hassett was also awarded the Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975, the Korea Medal
Korea Medal
The Korea Medal , sometimes referred to as the Queen's Korea Medal to distinguish it from the United Nations Service Medal, was a campaign medal created in 1951 to recognize troops from the various Commonwealth realms, except South Africa, who had given either one day's service in Korea or 28 days...
and the United Nations Korea Medal.
Later career
In 1954, Hassett served as a marshal for Queen Elizabeth II'sElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
world tour, and was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
for his service. Promoted to Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in 1960, he was appointed to command the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade in Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
, conducting counter-insurgency operations. During this time, he also led participation in regional exercises with Thailand and contributed to developments in tropical warfare and counter-insurgency. Upon leaving Malaya in 1963, he attended the Imperial Defence College in London, before returning to Canberra as Deputy Chief of the General Staff with the rank of major general
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
. In the 1966 New Years Honours, Hassett was upgraded to a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and also awarded the Malaysian Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (Meritorious Service Medal) for his services in Malaya.
Appointed General Officer in Command of Australia's Northern Command in 1968, Hassett was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1970. Later in 1970 he was selected to lead the Army Review Committee, which became more colloquially known as the "Hassett Committee". The committee's far reaching reforms included moving from a geographical to a functional command system, which involved in part the replacement of the various State Army Command Headquarters with a national field force, training and logistics command system; a system that remains largely in place today. In 1971, Hassett was appointed as Vice Chief of the General Staff, and tasked with implementing the organisational reforms he had initiated, as well as supervising the end of conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
, the withdrawal of Australian troops from Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and the consequential organisational changes brought about by a reduction in Army manpower.
In 1973, Hassett was promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
and made Chief of the General Staff. Appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 1975, he was promoted to general
General (Australia)
General is the second highest rank, and the highest active rank, of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of General; it is also considered a four-star rank....
in November and became Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee
Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)
Chief of the Defence Force is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force . The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, in a coequal arrangement with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.The position is a...
; the professional head of the Australian Military. When the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
(ADF) was established on 9 February 1976, Hassett assumed the new appointment of Chief of the Defence Force Staff, which expanded his authority over the three services and made him the ADF's first commander. In June 1976, Hassett was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Ill health forced Hassett into retirement in April 1977; he was awarded the National Medal
National Medal (Australia)
The National Medal is an Australian award given for long service by operational members of specified eligible organisations. It was introduced in 1975, as an original component of the new Australian honours system, and replaced a range of medals available to military and civilian uniformed...
in the 1977 Queens Birthday Honours.
Other awards received during his career included the Australian Service Medal 1945–1975, General Service Medal
General Service Medal (1962)
The General Service Medal , was introduced in 1962 to combine the General Service Medal , as awarded to the Army and RAF, and the Naval General Service Medal...
(with Malaya clasp), the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to...
(1952), the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II...
(1977), the Defence Force Service Medal
Defence Force Service Medal
The Defence Force Service Medal is an Australian Military award given for long service by permanent members of the Australian Defence Force...
(with Federation Star) for over 40 years service, the Australian Defence Medal
Australian Defence Medal
The Australian Defence Medal is an Australian military decoration which recognises current and former Australian Defence Force personnel who completed an initial enlistment period, or four years service...
and more recently the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
Pingat Jasa Malaysia
The Pingat Jasa Malaysia is a medal given by the King and Government of Malaysia. The name translates into English as the "Malaysian Service Medal". It was created in 2004 and is awarded to British and Commonwealth forces who served in Malaysia during the Malayan Emergency and the...
.
Retirement
Following his retirement, General and Lady Hassett settled into farming near CanberraCanberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, where he was later appointed colonel commandant of the Royal Australian Regiment. In 2006, after a sizable donation was made to the Royal Australian Regiment Foundation by the pair, the Hassett Award was established in order to annually honour junior leadership within the Regiment. General Hassett died at his home on 11 June 2008, after a long battle with illness.
Honours and Awards
| |
Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) | 1975 Queen's Birthday Honours |
| |
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) | 1977 Queen's Birthday Honours |
| Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) | 1966 New Year's Honours | |
| Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) | 1948 | |
| |
Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) | 1970 Queen's Birthday Honoure |
| |
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) | 1952 |
| |
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) | 1954 Queen's Tour |
| 1939–45 Star | ||
| Africa Star Africa Star The Africa Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in the Second World War.The Star was awarded for a minimum of one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943... |
||
| Pacific Star Pacific Star The Pacific Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II. It was also awarded to certain foreign servicemen, such as Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz of the United States.-Entitlement:... |
||
| Defence Medal | ||
| War Medal 1939–1945 War Medal 1939–1945 The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea... |
With Oakleaf for Mentioned in Dispatches | |
| |
Australia Service Medal 1939–45 | |
| |
Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975 | |
| Korea Medal Korea Medal The Korea Medal , sometimes referred to as the Queen's Korea Medal to distinguish it from the United Nations Service Medal, was a campaign medal created in 1951 to recognize troops from the various Commonwealth realms, except South Africa, who had given either one day's service in Korea or 28 days... |
||
| United Nations Korea Medal | ||
| |
General Service Medal (1962) General Service Medal (1962) The General Service Medal , was introduced in 1962 to combine the General Service Medal , as awarded to the Army and RAF, and the Naval General Service Medal... |
With Malaya clasp |
| |
Australian Service Medal 1945–1975 | |
| Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to... |
1952 | |
| |
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II... |
1977 |
| |
Defence Force Service Medal Defence Force Service Medal The Defence Force Service Medal is an Australian Military award given for long service by permanent members of the Australian Defence Force... |
with Federation Star - 40+ years |
| |
National Medal National Medal (Australia) The National Medal is an Australian award given for long service by operational members of specified eligible organisations. It was introduced in 1975, as an original component of the new Australian honours system, and replaced a range of medals available to military and civilian uniformed... |
for 15 years service |
| |
Australian Defence Medal Australian Defence Medal The Australian Defence Medal is an Australian military decoration which recognises current and former Australian Defence Force personnel who completed an initial enlistment period, or four years service... |
2006 |
| |
Pingat Jasa Malaysia Pingat Jasa Malaysia The Pingat Jasa Malaysia is a medal given by the King and Government of Malaysia. The name translates into English as the "Malaysian Service Medal". It was created in 2004 and is awarded to British and Commonwealth forces who served in Malaysia during the Malayan Emergency and the... |
(Malaysia) |
