Walter McNicoll
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General
Sir Walter Ramsay McNicoll KBE
, CB
, CMG
, DSO
(27 May 1877 – 24 December 1947) was an Australian teacher, soldier, and colonial administrator.
), he was born in the Melbourne
suburb of Emerald Hill
and trained as a teacher in the Education Department of the state
of Victoria
and at Melbourne University. He held posts in various country schools in Victoria, then as senior master at Melbourne High School and, from 1911 to 1914, founding principal of Geelong High School
. At the same time he had been active in the Victorian militia, which at the outbreak of World War I
became part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF)
.
and was seriously wounded during an infantry charge in the second battle of Krithia
on 8 May 1915. (The brigade suffered 36 percent casualties in the course of two hours of action.) He was found on the battlefield that evening by Charles (C.E.W.) Bean
, then a war correspondent—later, Australia's official war historian. Bean piled discarded packs around him as protection against the still-continuing small arms fire and returned in the night with a stretcher party. McNicoll was invalided to Alexandria
and then to London
, where a second operation finally located and removed the bullet from his abdomen.
Following a year's recuperation in Melbourne, McNicoll was promoted to brigadier general
and given command of the 10th Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Division, AIF—under the divisional commander Major General John Monash
(and his successor, after Monash's appointment as corps commander, John Gellibrand
). From December 1916 to the armistice nearly two years later, the brigade was part of numerous actions on the Western Front
, including Messines
, Ypres
, the Somme, and Amiens.
. In 1931 he stood for and won the seat of Werriwa
(extending from Goulburn to the coast) in the federal parliament
, running as a member of the Country Party
. He resigned after a single term, however, when he was appointed Administrator of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea
. He served in that position from 1934 up to the time of the Japanese invasion in 1942. (In this period, the northern part of what is now Papua New Guinea
, including New Britain
and Bougainville
, was administered by Australia under a League of Nations
mandate; the southern part, Papua
, was an Australian colony.) The manifold responsibilities of Administrator ranged from education and justice to defence, with often conflicting advice or direction coming from the Permanent Mandates Commission and the Australian government and pressures as well from the various religious missions and commercial mining and plantation interests—the latter nearly the sole source of the Territory's revenues. Keenly interested in exploration, he led an expedition to the upper Sepik in 1935 (the party included the young J.K. McCarthy) and subsequently sponsored the Hagen-Sepik Patrol (1938–39) which explored the last great unknown tract of the Territory. He was knighted for his work organizing relief efforts after the 1937 volcanic eruption that nearly destroyed the territory's capital, Rabaul
.
Married to Hildur Marschalk Wedel Jarlsberg, from a distinguished Norwegian family
, he had four surviving children, two attaining senior positions in the Australian military (Major General
Ronald McNicoll CBE, AM and Vice Admiral
Sir Alan McNicoll KBE, CB, GM), a third, David McNicoll CBE, a well-known Sydney journalist. He died in Sydney.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Sir Walter Ramsay McNicoll 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...
, CMG
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....
, DSO
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...
(27 May 1877 – 24 December 1947) was an Australian teacher, soldier, and colonial administrator.
Early life
Grandson of a Scottish migrant (from Glenisla, near DundeeDundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
), he was born in the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
suburb of Emerald Hill
South Melbourne, Victoria
South Melbourne is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Port Phillip and Melbourne...
and trained as a teacher in the Education Department of the state
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and at Melbourne University. He held posts in various country schools in Victoria, then as senior master at Melbourne High School and, from 1911 to 1914, founding principal of Geelong High School
Geelong High School
Geelong High School is a co-educational, public, secondary school located in East Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is situated on the corner of Garden and Ryrie streets and backs on to Eastern Gardens, . Both Eastern Beach and the centre of Geelong are within easy walking distance. Geelong High...
. At the same time he had been active in the Victorian militia, which at the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
became part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF)
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
.
World War I
As a lieutenant colonel, McNicoll commanded the 6th Battalion, 2nd Australian Brigade, at GallipoliBattle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
and was seriously wounded during an infantry charge in the second battle of Krithia
Second Battle of Krithia
The Second Battle of Krithia continued the Allies' attempts to advance on the Helles battlefield during the Battle of Gallipoli of the First World War. The village of Krithia and neighbouring hill of Achi Baba had to be captured in order for the British to advance up the Gallipoli peninsula to the...
on 8 May 1915. (The brigade suffered 36 percent casualties in the course of two hours of action.) He was found on the battlefield that evening by Charles (C.E.W.) Bean
Charles Bean
Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean , usually identified as C.E.W. Bean, was an Australian schoolmaster, judge's associate, barrister journalist, war correspondent and historian....
, then a war correspondent—later, Australia's official war historian. Bean piled discarded packs around him as protection against the still-continuing small arms fire and returned in the night with a stretcher party. McNicoll was invalided to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and then to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where a second operation finally located and removed the bullet from his abdomen.
Following a year's recuperation in Melbourne, McNicoll was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and given command of the 10th Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Division, AIF—under the divisional commander Major General John Monash
John Monash
General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD was a civil engineer who became the Australian military commander in the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the War and then became commander of the 4th Brigade in Egypt shortly after the outbreak of the War with whom he took part...
(and his successor, after Monash's appointment as corps commander, John Gellibrand
John Gellibrand
Major General Sir John Gellibrand KCB, DSO & Bar was an Australian Army Major General in World War I and member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Tasmanian Division of Denison as a Nationalist Party member from 1925 to 1928.-Early life and career:John "Jack" Gellibrand...
). From December 1916 to the armistice nearly two years later, the brigade was part of numerous actions on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, including Messines
Battle of Messines
The Battle of Messines was a battle of the Western front of the First World War. It began on 7 June 1917 when the British Second Army under the command of General Herbert Plumer launched an offensive near the village of Mesen in West Flanders, Belgium...
, Ypres
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
, the Somme, and Amiens.
Later life
After the war McNicoll returned to teaching as founding principal of what is now the Argyl School in Goulburn, in southern New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. In 1931 he stood for and won the seat of Werriwa
Division of Werriwa
The Division of Werriwa is a Federal Electoral Division for the Australian House of Representatives.The name Werriwa derives from a local Aboriginal name for Lake George, which was located in the division when it was established in 1900. The division was one of the original 75 divisions first...
(extending from Goulburn to the coast) in the federal parliament
Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
, running as a member of the Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
. He resigned after a single term, however, when he was appointed Administrator of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea
Territory of New Guinea
The Territory of New Guinea was the Australia-controlled, League of Nations-mandated territory in the north eastern part of the island of New Guinea, and surrounding islands, between 1920 and 1949...
. He served in that position from 1934 up to the time of the Japanese invasion in 1942. (In this period, the northern part of what is now Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, including New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
and Bougainville
Bougainville Province
The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, previously known as North Solomons, is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. The largest island is Bougainville Island , and the province also includes the island of Buka and assorted outlying islands including the Carterets...
, was administered by Australia under a League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
mandate; the southern part, Papua
Papua (Australian territory)
The Territory of Papua comprised the southeastern quarter of the island of New Guinea from 1883 to 1949. It became a British Protectorate in the year 1884, and four years later it was formally annexed as British New Guinea...
, was an Australian colony.) The manifold responsibilities of Administrator ranged from education and justice to defence, with often conflicting advice or direction coming from the Permanent Mandates Commission and the Australian government and pressures as well from the various religious missions and commercial mining and plantation interests—the latter nearly the sole source of the Territory's revenues. Keenly interested in exploration, he led an expedition to the upper Sepik in 1935 (the party included the young J.K. McCarthy) and subsequently sponsored the Hagen-Sepik Patrol (1938–39) which explored the last great unknown tract of the Territory. He was knighted for his work organizing relief efforts after the 1937 volcanic eruption that nearly destroyed the territory's capital, Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
.
Married to Hildur Marschalk Wedel Jarlsberg, from a distinguished Norwegian family
Norwegian nobility
Norwegian nobility are persons and families who in early times belonged to the supreme social, political, and military class and who later were members of the institutionalised nobility in the Kingdom of Norway. It has its historical roots in the group of chieftains and warriors which evolved...
, he had four surviving children, two attaining senior positions in the Australian military (Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Ronald McNicoll CBE, AM and Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Sir Alan McNicoll KBE, CB, GM), a third, David McNicoll CBE, a well-known Sydney journalist. He died in Sydney.