John Coates (general)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Henry John Coates AC
, MBE
(born 28 December 1932) is a former senior officer in the Australian Army
who served as Chief of the General Staff (1990–1992). Since retiring from the Army he has become an author and a Visiting Fellow at the Australian Defence Force Academy
branch of the University of New South Wales
(UNSW@ADFA) pursuing aspects of Australia's military history.
in Queensland
, Coates graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon
in 1955 into the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. He secured a Bachelor of Arts
from the University of Western Australia
in 1962, before completing Honours at the Australian National University
in 1965.
He was posted to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and, as a major
, was deployed to Vietnam
for which he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire
(MBE) in 1971.Gazetted: 16 December 1971, page 7595, position 7 He secured an Master of Arts
from the Australian National University in 1975. He subsequently became Commanding Officer
of his Regiment.
He became Commandant
of the Royal Military College, Duntroon
in 1983, moving on to be Head of the Defence Staff in Washington, D.C.
in 1984; he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
(AO) in 1987 in recognition of his service there.
He was made Assistant Chief Defence Force (Policy) in 1987 and appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1990; he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia
(AC) in 1992 in recognition of his service to the Australian Army, particularly in that role.
and Australian military history more generally. These include:
He is also a Visiting Fellow in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Australian Defence Force Academy
campus of the University of New South Wales
(UNSW@ADFA).
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....
Henry John Coates AC
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 28 December 1932) is a former senior officer in the Australian Army
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...
who served as Chief of the General Staff (1990–1992). Since retiring from the Army he has become an author and a Visiting Fellow at the Australian Defence Force Academy
Australian Defence Force Academy
The Australian Defence Force Academy is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and tertiary academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force .Tertiary education is provided by the...
branch of the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
(UNSW@ADFA) pursuing aspects of Australia's military history.
Military career
Educated at Ipswich Grammar SchoolIpswich Grammar School
Ipswich Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding school for boys, located in Ipswich, a city situated on the Bremer River in South East Queensland, Australia...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Coates graduated from 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...
in 1955 into the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. He secured a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from 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...
in 1962, before completing Honours at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in 1965.
He was posted to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and, as a 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. ...
, was deployed to 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 –...
for which he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE) in 1971.Gazetted: 16 December 1971, page 7595, position 7 He secured an Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from the Australian National University in 1975. He subsequently became Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of his Regiment.
He became Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of 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...
in 1983, moving on to be Head of the Defence Staff in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1984; he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AO) in 1987 in recognition of his service there.
He was made Assistant Chief Defence Force (Policy) in 1987 and appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1990; he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AC) in 1992 in recognition of his service to the Australian Army, particularly in that role.
Retirement
In retirement he has written a number of books about the Australian ArmyAustralian 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...
and Australian military history more generally. These include:
- Suppressing insurgency: an analysis of the Malayan Emergency, 1948–1954 (1992)
- Review of the Ready Reserve scheme (co-authored with Hugh Smith, 1995)
- Bravery above blunder: the 9th Division at Finschhafen, Sattelberg and Sio (1999)
- The Australian centenary history of defence, co-editor (2001)
- An atlas of Australia's wars volume 7 of The Australian centenary history of defence (OUP, Melbourne, 2001)
- An atlas of Australia's wars, 2nd edition 2006.
He is also a Visiting Fellow in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Australian Defence Force Academy
Australian Defence Force Academy
The Australian Defence Force Academy is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and tertiary academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force .Tertiary education is provided by the...
campus of the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
(UNSW@ADFA).
Further reading
- Bio of Major General John Coates, appearing at the end of Moral on the Battlefield, Defence Force Journal, No. 45, March/April 1984, p. 16
- Who's who in Australia 2007, p. 469–470.
- MBE - Major John Coates, Awards and Decorations - 3rd Cavalry Regiment, www.australian-armour.com