Warren McDonald
Encyclopedia
Sir Warren D'arcy McDonald KBE
(23 December 1901 – 12 November 1965) was an Australian engineer, industrialist, soldier and banker.
McDonald was born at Penguin
in Tasmania
to building contractor Warren Patrick McDonald and Christina Louise Gaffney. He grew up in Strahan
and was educated at Hadspen State School before winning a scholarship to Launceston
Church Grammar School. He gained another scholarship, this time to the University of Tasmania
, at the age of 17 but worked as a cadet-engineer with the Tasmanian Hydro-Electric Department until he could take up the scholarship at 18. Having found his vocation, he relinquished his place (having intended to study medicine) and in 1925 moved to Camperdown
in Victoria
.
Called to supervise residential construction in Canberra
, McDonald moved to the capital permanently. He married tailoress Christina Helen Sullivan on 14 December 1927 at St Patrick's Catholic Church in Sydney
, and later that year won the contract for the section of the Federal Highway
from Canberra to Goulburn
. He took over the family business in 1936 after his father's death and in 1948 established McDonald Industries Ltd.
Following the outbreak of World War II
, McDonald enlisted in the militia on 5 October 1939 as a sapper
. He was commissioned in the Australian Imperial Force
in January 1940 and sent to the Middle East
with the 7th Divisional Engineers, being promoted to lieutenant colonel
in March 1942 and serving as chief engineer in the Papua
n campaign. He was temporary brigadier of the II Corps in Bougainville
from June to October 1945 before transferring to the Reserve of Officers on 7 December. He was mentioned in dispatches
in 1947.
McDonald ran unsuccessfully for the Country Party in the 1946 federal election
, a fact which did not prevent the Chifley
government appointing him to advise the prices commissioner in 1947. The Menzies
Liberal
Government appointed him to the Australian National Airlines Commission in 1952, operator of Trans Australia Airlines
, of which he was chairman by February 1957. In 1959 he became the first chairman of the Commonwealth Banking Corporation, and strongly supported further development of northern Australia and increasing and broadening Australian exports.
McDonald served on the council of the Australian National University
from 1953 to 1964 and was important in the foundation of the National Heart Foundation
, of which he was first president (1959–64); the Foundation honours him with the Warren McDonald research fellowship. McDonald was a keen sportsman who represented the Australian Capital Territory
in cricket and Australian Rules football
. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1957 and elevated to Knight in 1964. He died at Lewisham
in Sydney in 1965 of cerebral thrombosis and is buried in Canberra.
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...
(23 December 1901 – 12 November 1965) was an Australian engineer, industrialist, soldier and banker.
McDonald was born at Penguin
Penguin, Tasmania
Penguin is a town in the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is located in the Central Coast Council Local Government Area on the Bass Highway, between Burnie and Ulverstone. At the 2006 census, Penguin had a population of 2,943....
in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
to building contractor Warren Patrick McDonald and Christina Louise Gaffney. He grew up in Strahan
Strahan, Tasmania
-See also:* Convicts on the West Coast of Tasmania* Macquarie Harbour* Railways on the West Coast of Tasmania* West Coast Piners-Further reading:* *...
and was educated at Hadspen State School before winning a scholarship to Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
Church Grammar School. He gained another scholarship, this time to the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
, at the age of 17 but worked as a cadet-engineer with the Tasmanian Hydro-Electric Department until he could take up the scholarship at 18. Having found his vocation, he relinquished his place (having intended to study medicine) and in 1925 moved to Camperdown
Camperdown, Victoria
Camperdown is an historically significant rural town in southwestern Victoria, Australia, south west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Camperdown had a population of 3,165.-History:...
in 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....
.
Called to supervise residential construction in Canberra
Canberra
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...
, McDonald moved to the capital permanently. He married tailoress Christina Helen Sullivan on 14 December 1927 at St Patrick's Catholic Church in Sydney
Sydney
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...
, and later that year won the contract for the section of the Federal Highway
Federal Highway (Australia)
The Federal Highway is a short highway in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. It is a part of the Sydney-Canberra National Highway link....
from Canberra to Goulburn
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
. He took over the family business in 1936 after his father's death and in 1948 established McDonald Industries Ltd.
Following the outbreak 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...
, McDonald enlisted in the militia on 5 October 1939 as a sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
. He was commissioned in the Australian Imperial Force
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...
in January 1940 and sent to 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...
with the 7th Divisional Engineers, being 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 March 1942 and serving as chief engineer in the Papua
Papua
Papua was the name, as provided to the Portuguese commander Jorge de Meneses while sheltering there in 1526, of the people living on Waigeo, one of the Raja Ampat Islands west of the Vogelkop Peninsula, now part of the West Papua province of Indonesia. The Spanish pilot Martin de Uriarte in the...
n campaign. He was temporary brigadier of the II Corps in Bougainville
Bougainville
-People:*Louis Antoine de Bougainville , French navigator, explorer and military commander*Hyacinthe de Bougainville , French naval officer and son of Louis Antoine de Bougainville-Places:...
from June to October 1945 before transferring to the Reserve of Officers on 7 December. He was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
in 1947.
McDonald ran unsuccessfully for the Country Party in the 1946 federal election
Australian federal election, 1946
Federal elections were held in Australia on 28 September 1946. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
, a fact which did not prevent the Chifley
Ben Chifley
Joseph Benedict Chifley , Australian politician, was the 16th Prime Minister of Australia. He took over the Australian Labor Party leadership and Prime Ministership after the death of John Curtin in 1945, and went on to retain government at the 1946 election, before being defeated at the 1949...
government appointing him to advise the prices commissioner in 1947. The Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
Government appointed him to the Australian National Airlines Commission in 1952, operator of Trans Australia Airlines
Trans Australia Airlines
Trans Australia Airlines or TAA, was one of the two major Australian domestic airlines between its inception in 1946 and its sale to Qantas in May 1996. During that period TAA played a major part in the development of the Australian air transport industry...
, of which he was chairman by February 1957. In 1959 he became the first chairman of the Commonwealth Banking Corporation, and strongly supported further development of northern Australia and increasing and broadening Australian exports.
McDonald served on the council of 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...
from 1953 to 1964 and was important in the foundation of the National Heart Foundation
National Heart Foundation of Australia
The National Heart Foundation of Australia is an independent charity established in 1959. Its vision is for Australians to have the best cardiovascular health in the world and its mission is to reduce suffering and death from heart, stroke and blood vessel disease in Australia.Over the past five...
, of which he was first president (1959–64); the Foundation honours him with the Warren McDonald research fellowship. McDonald was a keen sportsman who represented the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
in cricket and Australian Rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1957 and elevated to Knight in 1964. He died at Lewisham
Lewisham, New South Wales
Lewisham is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lewisham is located 8 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council. The postcode is 2049...
in Sydney in 1965 of cerebral thrombosis and is buried in Canberra.