George Odgers
Encyclopedia
George James Odgers was an Australian soldier, journalist and military historian. He was born in 1916 and died in 2008. After university, Odgers served in the Australian Army
as a private soldier and non-commissioned officer; and later in the Royal Australian Air Force
becoming a Group Captain
. He was one of the authors of the official history
of Australia in World War II
, Australia in the War of 1939–1945.
on 29 March 1916. He was the youngest of eight children and the first of his parents' children to be born in a hospital. The family struggled financially through the Great Depression
, but Odgers was able to attend Perth Boys High School and later worked his way through the University of Western Australia
and University of Melbourne
where he completed a master of arts.
After completing university Odgers started working at the Melbourne Argus in 1940. He left the newspaper to enlist in the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) later that year. After completing some air crew training he was ruled out of flying duties on medical grounds and instead joined the Army's Australian Imperial Force
. As a member of the Army he served in the New Guinea
and Borneo Campaigns, reaching the rank of sergeant
. Following the war Odgers was successful in joining the RAAF and spent time with Australian forces during the Korean War
, Malayan Emergency
and Vietnam War
, eventually rising to the rank of Group Captain
. During his time in the Air Force he was a member of the RAAF War History Section.
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Shortly after the end of the war Gavin Long
selected George Odgers to be one of the authors of the air series of Australia in the War of 1939–1945, starting his career as a military historian. Odgers' first book was a history of No. 77 Squadron RAAF
in the Korean War
entitled Across the Parallel which was published in 1952. His volume of the official history, Air War Against Japan 1943–1945, was published in 1957 and covered the RAAF's operations in the Pacific War
from 1943 onwards. The official history was followed by The Royal Australian Air Force (1965), The Golden Years (1971) and Mission Vietnam (1974). All of these works were guided by his experiences in the RAAF and successfully appealed to a popular audience "without sacrificing either detail or rigour".
Odgers worked as a defence journalist in parallel with his career as a military historian. After the Argus closed in 1956 he was hired by the fledging television station GTV-9
and worked in its news production team. He moved to The Age
in 1960 as a special writer focusing on defence issues. Odgers married Elizabeth Garrod in 1954 and the couple had two children.
In 1965 Odgers became the head of public relations for the Department of Air and subsequently the RAAF. He held this position until 1975 when he became Director of Historical Studies and Information in the Department of Defence
.
George Odgers retired from the Department of Defence in 1981 but continued working as a historian. He published illustrated histories of the Royal Australian Navy
, Air Force and Army in 1982, 1984 and 1988 respectively. His two volume history of Australia's involvement in 11 wars, Diggers, was published in 1994. His last work was a biography of Wing Commander
Dick Cresswell, Mr Double Seven, which found a publisher shortly before his death in early 2008 at the age of 91. Odgers was the last living member of the 14 historians who wrote Australia in the War of 1939–1945 and was survived by two of his siblings, his wife and sons and their five grandchildren.
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
as a private soldier and non-commissioned officer; and later in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
becoming a Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
. He was one of the authors of the official history
Official history
An official history is a work of history which is sponsored, authorised, or endorsed by its subject. The term is most commonly used for histories which are produced at a government's behest....
of Australia in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Australia in the War of 1939–1945.
Early years
Odgers was born in Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
on 29 March 1916. He was the youngest of eight children and the first of his parents' children to be born in a hospital. The family struggled financially through the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, but Odgers was able to attend Perth Boys High School and later worked his way through the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
and University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
where he completed a master of arts.
After completing university Odgers started working at the Melbourne Argus in 1940. He left the newspaper to enlist in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) later that year. After completing some air crew training he was ruled out of flying duties on medical grounds and instead joined the Army's Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
. As a member of the Army he served in the New Guinea
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
and Borneo Campaigns, reaching the rank of sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. Following the war Odgers was successful in joining the RAAF and spent time with Australian forces during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
and Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, eventually rising to the rank of Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
. During his time in the Air Force he was a member of the RAAF War History Section.
Military historian and journalist
Gavin Long
Gavin Merrick Long OBE was an Australian journalist and military historian. He was the general editor of the Australia in the War of 1939–1945 and the author of three of the 22 volumes in the series....
selected George Odgers to be one of the authors of the air series of Australia in the War of 1939–1945, starting his career as a military historian. Odgers' first book was a history of No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
entitled Across the Parallel which was published in 1952. His volume of the official history, Air War Against Japan 1943–1945, was published in 1957 and covered the RAAF's operations in the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
from 1943 onwards. The official history was followed by The Royal Australian Air Force (1965), The Golden Years (1971) and Mission Vietnam (1974). All of these works were guided by his experiences in the RAAF and successfully appealed to a popular audience "without sacrificing either detail or rigour".
Odgers worked as a defence journalist in parallel with his career as a military historian. After the Argus closed in 1956 he was hired by the fledging television station GTV-9
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
and worked in its news production team. He moved to The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
in 1960 as a special writer focusing on defence issues. Odgers married Elizabeth Garrod in 1954 and the couple had two children.
In 1965 Odgers became the head of public relations for the Department of Air and subsequently the RAAF. He held this position until 1975 when he became Director of Historical Studies and Information in the Department of Defence
Department of Defence (Australia)
The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...
.
George Odgers retired from the Department of Defence in 1981 but continued working as a historian. He published illustrated histories of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
, Air Force and Army in 1982, 1984 and 1988 respectively. His two volume history of Australia's involvement in 11 wars, Diggers, was published in 1994. His last work was a biography of Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Dick Cresswell, Mr Double Seven, which found a publisher shortly before his death in early 2008 at the age of 91. Odgers was the last living member of the 14 historians who wrote Australia in the War of 1939–1945 and was survived by two of his siblings, his wife and sons and their five grandchildren.