Robert George
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Sir Robert Allingham George KCMG
, KCVO
, KBE
, CB
, MC
(27 July 1896 – 13 September 1967) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force
and Governor of South Australia from 23 February 1953 until 7 March 1960. He was born in the County of Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
, on 25 July 1896, and educated at Invergordon
and Inverness
. In May 1927, he married Sybil Elizabeth Baldwin.
and was sent to France. He was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
and was awarded the Military Cross
for his night bombing. In 1919 he was appointed to a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force
. He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 100 Squadron
in 1930 and Officer Commanding No. 33 Squadron
in 1932.
George later served as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Far East in Singapore
from 1934 and as Station Commander at RAF Hawkinge
from 1937. At the start of World War II
he was Air Attaché in Ankara
. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding AHQ Iraq and Persia in 1944. After the War he served as Air Attaché in Paris
until he retired in 1952.
He was appointed CBE
in 1944 and CB
in 1948, promoted to substantive air vice-marshal in 1950 and knighted
in 1952.
in Adelaide's history damaged Government House, along with many other buildings in the city. Less than a year later, the Governor's summer residence at Marble Hill
was destroyed in the Black Sunday Bushfires
of January 1955. He and his wife and staff sheltered under wet blankets in the driveway, and were lucky to escape with their lives. In a particularly cruel twist of fate, all Sir Robert and Lady George's possessions were lost in the fire, having been relocated to Marble Hill while Government House was undergoing repairs for the damage suffered in the earthquake.
Sir Robert was a colourful governor, once demanding a personal helicopter from Premier Playford. Although admired for his bravery, Sir Robert was considered old-fashioned by the masses, particularly due to his impatience, polo
-playing, and his habit of carrying a fly-whisk
and a cane. Lady George's support of traditional family roles was not popular with the emerging feminists; once, while opening laboratories at a girls' college, she claimed: "The most important thing for a girl is to learn how to run a home well."
Despite their differences, Playford supported George and the dignity of the Vice-Regal post in a 1956 court case regarding the cook's wages. The prosecuting lawyer was future Labor premier Don Dunstan
. Playford negotiated an out of court settlement on condition that the sitting Labor members would not debate the item. Labor maverick S. J. Lawn did not honour the agreement, and tried to raise a public scandal. Playford simply extended George's term.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, KCVO
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...
, KBE
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...
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(27 July 1896 – 13 September 1967) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and Governor of South Australia from 23 February 1953 until 7 March 1960. He was born in the County of Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, on 25 July 1896, and educated at Invergordon
Invergordon
Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
and Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
. In May 1927, he married Sybil Elizabeth Baldwin.
Military career
When the First World War began in 1914, George enlisted in the Seaforth HighlandersSeaforth Highlanders
The Seaforth Highlanders was a historic regiment of the British Army associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The Seaforth Highlanders have varied in size from two battalions to seventeen battalions during the Great War...
and was sent to France. He was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
and was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for his night bombing. In 1919 he was appointed to a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 100 Squadron
No. 100 Squadron RAF
No. 100 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, UK, and operates the Hawker-Siddeley Hawk.-World War I:No. 100 was established on 23 February 1917 at Hingham in Norfolk as the Royal Flying Corps' first squadron formed specifically as a night bombing unit and...
in 1930 and Officer Commanding No. 33 Squadron
No. 33 Squadron RAF
No. 33 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Puma HC.1 from RAF Benson, Oxfordshire.-Current role:The squadron is part of the RAF Support Helicopter force, which reports into the Joint Helicopter Command....
in 1932.
George later served as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Far East in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
from 1934 and as Station Commander at RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge was an airfield in Kent, near to the south coast and the closest airfield to the French coast.It took part in the Battle of Britain and it was home to No. 79 Squadron RAF. After the war, the station hosted the Home Command Gliding Centre, and is fondly remembered by many Air Cadets as...
from 1937. At the start of 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...
he was Air Attaché in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding AHQ Iraq and Persia in 1944. After the War he served as Air Attaché in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
until he retired in 1952.
He was appointed CBE
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...
in 1944 and CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1948, promoted to substantive air vice-marshal in 1950 and knighted
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...
in 1952.
Governor of South Australia
Sir Robert was appointed Governor of South Australia in August 1952. He and Lady George arrived in Adelaide early the following year. The Premier, (Sir) Thomas Playford, noted in his welcome address to Sir Robert that governors were expected to be "an inspiration in times of danger." He could not have known how portentous his words would turn out to be. In March 1954, the worst earthquakeEarthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
in Adelaide's history damaged Government House, along with many other buildings in the city. Less than a year later, the Governor's summer residence at Marble Hill
Marble Hill, South Australia
Marble Hill was the Vice-Regal summer residence for the Governor of South Australia from 1880 to 1955. It is also the name of a district of the Adelaide Hills Council, named after the residence and in which the residence is located...
was destroyed in the Black Sunday Bushfires
Black Sunday (1955)
The Black Sunday Bushfires of 1955 were a series of bushfires that broke out across South Australia on 2 January, 1955. Extreme morning temperatures coupled with strong north-westerly winds contributed to the breakout of numerous fires in the Adelaide Hills, Jamestown, Waterloo, Kingston and...
of January 1955. He and his wife and staff sheltered under wet blankets in the driveway, and were lucky to escape with their lives. In a particularly cruel twist of fate, all Sir Robert and Lady George's possessions were lost in the fire, having been relocated to Marble Hill while Government House was undergoing repairs for the damage suffered in the earthquake.
Sir Robert was a colourful governor, once demanding a personal helicopter from Premier Playford. Although admired for his bravery, Sir Robert was considered old-fashioned by the masses, particularly due to his impatience, polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
-playing, and his habit of carrying a fly-whisk
Fly-whisk
A fly-whisk is a tool to swat or disturb flies. It is used as a regalia in some cultures.In Indonesian art, a fly-whisk is one of the items associated with Shiva. The fly-whisk is frequently seen as an attribute of both Hindu, Daoist, and Buddhist deities...
and a cane. Lady George's support of traditional family roles was not popular with the emerging feminists; once, while opening laboratories at a girls' college, she claimed: "The most important thing for a girl is to learn how to run a home well."
Despite their differences, Playford supported George and the dignity of the Vice-Regal post in a 1956 court case regarding the cook's wages. The prosecuting lawyer was future Labor premier Don Dunstan
Don Dunstan
Donald Allan "Don" Dunstan, AC, QC was a South Australian politician. He entered politics as the Member for Norwood in 1953, became state Labor leader in 1967, and was Premier of South Australia between June 1967 and April 1968, and again between June 1970 and February 1979.The son of a business...
. Playford negotiated an out of court settlement on condition that the sitting Labor members would not debate the item. Labor maverick S. J. Lawn did not honour the agreement, and tried to raise a public scandal. Playford simply extended George's term.
Retirement and Accidental Death
George and his family retired to England in 1959 after which he held no further government appointments. He died in a London Hospital on 13 September 1967, after being accidentally hit by a car and not regaining consciousness.Awards
- Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(1918) - C.B.E. (1944)
- C.B.Order of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1948) - K.B.E. (1952)
- K.St.J (1953)
- K.C.V.O. (1954)
- Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of FreemasonsGrand Master (Masonic)In Freemasonry a Grand Master is the leader of the lodges within his Masonic jurisdiction. He presides over a Grand Lodge, and has certain rights in the constituent lodges that form his jurisdiction....
(1956) - K.C.M.G. (1958)