Allan Eastman (diplomat)

Allan James Eastman CBE (21 January 1912 – 2 November 1987) was an Australian public servant and diplomat.[2]

Allan Eastman CBE
Born
Allan James Eastman

(1912-01-21)21 January 1912
Died2 November 1987(1987-11-02) (aged 75)
Drummoyne, New South Wales
NationalityAustralian
OccupationPublic servant, diplomat
ChildrenDavid Eastman[1]

Life and career

In 1938 Eastman became a captain in the army legal department, before being seconded to the 1st AIF in 1941. He became a Lieutenant-Colonel in January 1943.[3]

Eastman joined the Commonwealth Public Service in the Department of External Affairs in 1946.[4] His first appointment was as Australian Consul to Siam.[5]

Eastman was appointed the Australian High Commissioner to Ceylon (later Sri Lanka) in 1956.[6]

In 1962, Eastman was appointed Senior External Affairs representative in London.[4] From London, Eastman went to Malaysia to take up an appointment as the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia from 1965 to 1969.[7][8] During his posting, Malaysia signed up to the ASEAN Declaration and Australia pledged to provide defence support for the Malaysia-Singapore area.[9]

Returning to Canberra, Eastman was appointed the head of Department of Foreign Affairs defence division. His posting to Brussels as Ambassador to Belgium was announced in November 1971.[10]

Whilst Australian Ambassador to Mexico (1975–1977), Eastman oversaw an office of nine staff, including Penelope Wensley who was threatened with kidnapping during her posting.[11]

Eastman retired from public service in 1977.[12] He died on 2 November 1987.[13]

Awards

Eastman was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1961 for distinguished public service, while serving as the Australian external affairs representative at the London High Commission.[14][15] He was promoted to Commander of the Order (CBE) in 1965.[16]

References
  1. "Who is David Eastman?". The Canberra Times. 4 November 1995. p. 2.
  2. Eastman, Allan James; Miller, J. D. B. (1977), Allan Eastman interviewed by J.D.B. Miller, John Donald Bruce (Interviewer), retrieved 8 February 2016
  3. "First Consult to Siam Appointed". Sunday Mail. Brisbane, QLD. 7 July 1946. p. 6.
  4. "Ex-Minister N.Z. High Commissioner". The Canberra Times. 25 August 1962. p. 2.
  5. "Personal". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser. 8 July 1946. p. 3.
  6. "Mr. Eastman Appointed to Colombo". The Canberra Times. 11 February 1956. p. 2.
  7. "New posting for envoys". The Canberra Times. 1 November 1965. p. 3.
  8. "Envoy to Malaysia named". The Canberra Times. 15 March 1969. p. 3.
  9. "Envoy voices Malaysia's fears". The Canberra Times. 27 January 1969. p. 3.
  10. Juddery, Bruce (26 November 1971). "Our man in Moscow returns". The Canberra Times. p. 7.
  11. Rivett, Rohan (21 June 1976). "Diplomats' fears 'very real' in Mexico". The Canberra Times. p. 3.
  12. "Diplomatic appointments". The Canberra Times. 15 December 1976. p. 11.
  13. "Family notices: Deaths". The Canberra Times. ACT. 3 November 1987. p. 18.
  14. "Canberra People in Honours List". The Canberra Times. 10 June 1961. p. 5.
  15. Search Australian Honours: EASTMAN, Allan James, The Order of the British Empire - Commander (Civil), Australian Government, archived from the original on 5 June 2016
  16. It's an Honour: CBE. Retrieved 20 June 2018
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Roden Cutler		 Australian High Commissioner to Ceylon
1956–1958		 Succeeded by
Charles Kevin
Preceded by
Tom Critchley		 Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia
1965–1969		 Succeeded by
John Rowland
Preceded by
Owen Davis		 Australian Ambassador to Belgium
1972–1974		 Succeeded by
James Cumes
Preceded by
Owen Davis		 Australian Ambassador to Mexico
1975–1977		 Succeeded by
Kenneth Rogers
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